Small shops on the way to extinction from market competition

It's been 20 years since I opened the store every day at the same time and in the same location.

Naim Krasniqi is the 58-year-old who left Switzerland and returned to Kosovo to continue his life here.

According to him, for the Krasniqi family, the store in the center of Pristina is the only source of income.

"I returned in 2001 from Switzerland and so I started working sometime in March, at that time I had small children and I was forced to withdraw because I could not reach them all, so I have been working for five or six years paused. Meanwhile, since 2011, I, my wife and my son have been working here, so it's a family business."

He says that although the store is in the center, the biggest work comes from passers-by.

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This is because citizens make large purchases in well-stocked markets, and only go to his store for quick purchases.

"A proverb says 'The big fish eats the little ones.' I work here with my wife and son and neither of us can get a salary, a salary of 200 euros, it has not happened. But it's necessary here, they say it's better to work badihava, than to live badihava, because you have no other way to do it", added Krasniqi further.

Considering the damage caused by the pandemic, the owner says they are facing bankruptcy.

"Only the boy's work, because I had not kept this bar," he says. "During the pandemic, what did they say about it, it is destruction all over the world, but we are tired, even so we are tired as a state and as businesses. Now these big businesses have jobs and it is normal that people are also oriented there, while only passers-by buy here. We are facing bankruptcy, I mean only the son's work, that I had not kept this bar, it is a waste of time."

Twice as old as Krasniqi's shop, is Defrim Hasan's shop.

He says that his family has been working with this business for over 40 years.

Large markets and shopping centers have made it difficult for the markets in the neighborhood, says Hasani, and he adds that the transit road helps them maintain their business.

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"Yes, our market has very early origins, from 82-83. Earlier, we had it in Breg te Diellit, then this point was opened later, somewhere in the 90s."

Faton Berisha talks about the challenges that have gone through to keep the shop for so many years, showing that the raw material of flour and fresh fruits and vegetables are what the customers are regular for.

"As a family business, we opened in 1993 and work from now on as a family chain. The whole family depends on this. They come from the city because we are known for flour, as well as for the quality of trees and vegetables."

Berisha agrees with the opinion of the first two. According to him, compared to previous years, the work has decreased due to the large markets.

"It's preventing us from working, now people are divided into classes, villagers go to big markets and citizens come to us because of the quality", declared Faton Berisha.

In the event of elections, citizens say that when they have to do bulk purchases, they go to hypermarkets, while for daily purchases they frequent minimarkets.

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In addition to the hypermarkets and stores in the neighborhood, citizens also use the city markets, especially for buying fruits and vegetables, because of the freshness offered there.

But, there is something that old craftsmen have and with which they compete with big businesses. They continue to have the notebook to receive "summer".