SCRUFFIEST SHOP COMPETITION

[Happy in Cyprus]

If ever there were to be a competition for the scruffiest shop in Paphos, the outlet below would surely be a serious contender. Gives an altogether different meaning to shabby chic, more like: "what a s***hole...how do they ever find anything in here"

A recent CL thread debated where it was possible to buy sheet foam from in Paphos, and someone kindly indicated where such a shop could be found. The other day I had need for some foam, so the guidance provided in the thread proved useful. The shop is actually in Alfredou Street, one of the little back streets of Paphos where a hive of family business ply their trade daily, as they have probably done for generations, regardless of what goes on in the EU or the wider World.

Manufacturing of all kinds can be found as you saunter along these these back streets. From wooden furniture making to poultry ware making to iron and steel workshops. In between these islands of traditional manufacturing are cool, modern shops selling the latest designer gear and glass trinkets for the home. Popping in to a few shops with some foam in my hand (anyone know the Greek word for foam?) I was eventually directed to where I needed to be: the retail establishment belonging to Christos Misirles. This shop gave the impression it had been there for centuries...and it probably has. And whilst the inside of the shop may look a disastrous mess (see pics below), I have no doubt that the two men who served there could place their hands on anything you wanted in a matter of seconds. Certainly my foam was found in no time at all, and broadly to the specs I was looking for. And at €12 for a huge sheet (ten times bigger than I wanted), a fair price too.

Places like this give character to an all-too-mundane retail World and remind us how shopping was done in days gone by. Footfall was steady in the time I was there, and this shop might well be here for decades to come. I hope so. For my foam I was taken to an adjoining premises, instructed to ascend some rickety wooden stairs, to a loft area where different thicknesses of foam were scattered in bundles on the floor. Having selected the thickness I required I carried it downstairs, the front door was once again opened, shut and locked and we went next door to pay for my purchase. I came away happy that I had found what I wanted and enjoyed an unusual experience in the process. Long may it continue to be that way.


One entrance to Alfredou Street.


The facade for Christos Misirles emporium


Right now...what was it I wanted?


An auditor's nightmare!


How on earth do they ever know where everything is in this place?

[lefkes]

I bet they know the price of everything to the nearest cent.Lefkes

[Mike Strand]

Reminded me of how I left my garage in Leicester when I moved out here!

[jagwheels]

Last time I saw something like this in the UK was about 25 years ago. It's a man's dream world & bet they would sell you 1 screw if that's all you needed

Loved it Lloyd

[Big Ears]

...... bet they would sell you 1 screw if that's all you needed

Who's going to be the first to reply to that!

[Pickles]

I too love these back streets, my family refer to the main one as Tin Pan Alley!

When I lived in Istanbul during the mid 80's there was a similar labrynth of streets behind the Grand Bazaar - but all the shops selling the same thing were in the same street so you didn't travel too far to compare prices!

The oddest shop ever though has to be the one there selling used tooth brushes!

[Paul Price]

Happy you now where it is after it hits you on the head!

[Robbie]

Do they have fire Insurance??

[trevnhil]

Probably not, you would have to buy that somewhere else.

Trev..

[Brenmar]

That's the man to go to for valve grinding paste!

[nosher]

The spray paint is a fairly recent addition; they used to have the black hose and chicken wire there.

[Happy in Cyprus]

Obviously the electric supply coming down from the ceiling to the cash register was installed by a pro

See something new each time I look: just noticed the display of working boots to the centre left of pic. 3. And the workbench vice hidden under a pile of red and white plastic chain, on the RHS of pic 4.

Reminds me of a sign I once saw above a managing director's desk: "An untidy desk is the sign of an untidy mind". Wonder what he'd make of this?

[Memory man]

It looks like there is a stairway to the upper sales floor!!

[Happy in Cyprus]

There is. I actually saw them go aloft, to the...ahem...loft!

[Memory man]

sort of reminds me of........

The two Ronnies sketch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi_6SaqVQSw

[Rav4man]

I notice it hasn't changed much from my visit about five years ago.

[SUET]

I wonder who has the good job of doing the stock take

[john B]

Wouldn't it be lovely to take a Health & Safety 'expert' there and watch their face!!!!!!!

Brilliant

John B

[mouse]

Maybe not scruffy but the most untidy and difficult to navigate shop MUST be paps in chloraka, whats with the shelf stackers out numbering the customers some days. seems most of the shelf stakers are employed by the distributers and not paps, as a result the only care about jamming their bit of shelf solid with what they have at the time and have a total disregard for edge labels and the fact that a paps customer might want to get past their pile of junk. The aisle stack policy is obviously operated by the Chloraka manager and not the paps group because it is not a problem in the other 3 paps stores.
I do my best to not get angry with the staff as they are mostly very good and are only carrying out orders from above, also I suspect the staff have to put up with bully boy managers, unpleasant hours and low pay.

[mouse]

Happy in Cyprus you should go upstairs it only gets better, and yes he did have the imperial size ballraces i needed to fix a jetski trailer, had early mini stub axles

[Happy in Cyprus]

You're right, mouse, the public shop area is only a small part of the whole building. I was only in the shop (and in the foam storehouse next door) but would have been fascinated to go, explorer-style, throughout the rest of the building. Goodness know what treasures lurk there.

[Pafosfan]

"An Auditors nightmare!"

I love that comment Lloyd! You are spot on! I would have resigned if ever assigned to that place for an audit. Great pics/story, the quirkiest things are often the most interesting.

[Tremigirl]

Just come back from a great few days in Istanbul and what Pickles said is just how we found it. At the backof the Grand Bazaar are streets selling all the same items. Button Street, Fruit Juicer street, Fake label street, Jeans street, Tea shirt street, Rivets street and so on.It was all so fascinating. Some of the shops were really scruffy but all clean. Amazing City if you get a chance to go there.

[Pickles]

Just come back from a great few days in Istanbul and what Pickles said is just how we found it. At the backof the Grand Bazaar are streets selling all the same items. Button Street, Fruit Juicer street, Fake label street, Jeans street, Tea shirt street, Rivets street and so on.It was all so fascinating. Some of the shops were really scruffy but all clean. Amazing City if you get a chance to go there.

Wow - so time does stand still then?! I can imagine it still even after almost 30 yrs - the energy of that place is amazing!

I really must revisit sometime!

[Pickles]

The shop in Lloyds first photo - Sentimenti - is a nice place and is great for slightly different gifts!

It's on the 1 way system just before the corner where the traffic lights and the newest Mavris leather shop are.

[john B]

That Moggie brings back memories of my firt car, bought it from the Brittannia car par in Elterwater, it had been crashed on Hardknot Pass and I thought....if it can get up there!!!
Drove it round the Lakes, then went to Hereford (chasing a girl and a dream!!) and blew the engine, cost me £15 for a gold seal engine from a scrappy in Ledbury...and another £15, they fitted it - such are memories made of....Thanks for that 'wallow'.

Cheers

John B

[treandaena]

Scruffy?
No that's how shops used to be in the old town, you could get any hardware from one shop and if they did not have it in they would say Avrio to you .
I could spend hours in these shops in the old town and in the coffee shops, the 1980, and early 1990s were great times to live Cyprus.

[Itwillalwaysbefun]

Maybe not scruffy but the most untidy and difficult to navigate shop MUST be paps in chloraka, whats with the shelf stackers out numbering the customers some days. seems most of the shelf stakers are employed by the distributers and not paps, as a result the only care about jamming their bit of shelf solid with what they have at the time and have a total disregard for edge labels and the fact that a paps customer might want to get past their pile of junk. The aisle stack policy is obviously operated by the Chloraka manager and not the paps group because it is not a problem in the other 3 paps stores.
I do my best to not get angry with the staff as they are mostly very good and are only carrying out orders from above, also I suspect the staff have to put up with bully boy managers, unpleasant hours and low pay.

I really find your remarks directed at the staff and management at Papantonios offensive. Why would you need to get angry at staff? You obviously know all about their wages and working conditions in light of your comments regarding same. As for bully boy managers I cannot believe you make such an observation on a public forum or even suggest that is the case. The fact that there is the need for shelf stacking so regularly proves the shops popularity. Then again you may think the staff should do it at night so they have to do even more unpleasant hours. I think the staff would enjoy a copy of the post