Light years of retail in just twenty-five

In the beginning there were queues. These were followed by open-air markets (one of the most famous – or infamous – was located on pl. Defilad square, in front of the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw in the 1990s). Then hypermarkets started to appear and the subsequent generations of shopping centres. Unlike what was on offer at the beginning, there’s certainly nothing to be embarrassed about the latest stage. We can be proud of such centres because they are often even better than the average European standard. However, the most fascinating aspect in the evolution of retail is how it has been shaped by the social transformation that has taken place in the country. Changes, changes, changes... Poles are known for their entrepreneurial, ingenious and exceptionally resourceful spirit. The Polish language includes the expression ‘Polak potrafi’ (‘a Pole can do’) – and not without reason. When the market was freed up, many business op