A tiny shop in Uzupis and its contested space
Decision which was taken to blame the director of the shop for safety problems. Not because it's an usual practice, but because she was a labour union activist.
Since we had our first photography practice near this little shop in the Uzupis area, I thought that I could tell a few things about this shop for those who are interested. This is the shop at night.
It belongs to a French-owned network "Iki". Along with two others (two and a half, I could say), one of which is Lithuanian-owned (which I boycott) and another Scandinavian-owned, this shopping network participates in an oligopoly market in Lithuania. This particular shop is actually rather organically integrated into the area. It is as small as other shops around, it did not had any new premises built to suit its needs, as usually shopping centres do. For many people in the area this is the place to get some food on the way home.
On the other hand, this is where everyone would go to get drinks. Students and old inhabitants of the area alike, richer and poorer people. There is a little square near the shop, which was very comfortable for those who want to have their drinks right away. It is forbidden in Vilnius to drink alcohol in public spaces, yet the police seldom come here.
In the end some of the local people, who are organised and had established the community of Uzupis (which represents the activists, but not the old inhabitants, many of whom are not Lithuanian-speaking), started to complain. In fact, when I lived near Uzupis, I didn't feel safe passing by this area. However, the decision which was taken to blame the director of the shop for these safety problems. Not because it's an usual practice, but because she was a labour union activist. The story is long, and I don't know the recent developments. What I know is only what I could see during the photography practice, when I went to this place in the evening after not going there for months.
So, after a new law was imposed and shops are not allowed to sell any alcohol after 10 pm, it seemed to me that the place was rather empty. It wasn't 10 pm yet, and there were some young people waiting for their friends or discussing what to buy, and, of course, it was an ordinary weekday, but it felt more empty than it used to be. Maybe the new regulations for selling alcohol have created new habits and a new distribution in space? Maybe new meeting points were discovered and/or created? I don't know that since I don't live near Uzupis anymore.
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Comments
but what is the decision that was taken?
There was no decision - I think that the case for firing the director is still in court.
The organised community had two suggestions: first, to remove all alcohol but one particular kind, which is some ecological alcohol, produced by some of the members of the organised community (eco interests + business interests?), second, to stop selling the cheap alcohol which is popular among poor people who are "likely to cause trouble". None of these suggestions were implemented, but the new law, which is applied in all shops, doesn't allow selling any alcohol after 10. So the problem is partly solved. 10 is early
Actually, Iki is 80% owned by the Belgium consortium, Coopernic.
The other 20% is still held by the Ortiz family, who are either belgium or dutch.
Some who live in Vilnius can remember going to the first Iki market across the street from the former Nerija theatre in Antakalnis. It was the only place to buy French foods at the time.
Last year a law was implemented which prohibited all shops with dwellings above them, or in the same building to sell alcohol after 10 pm. A new law this year stopped all retail outlets in Lithuania from selling alcohol past 10 pm.
There are still long lines in this Iki on weekends, I end up in this part of town alot.
I wonder if the rule for selling no alcohol after 10pm in shops with dwellings above wasn't applicable to this shop before? Some not so new images of people rushing there with their bottles to the counters to make it in time vaguely live in my mind..
ps, a very good blog!