One morning I looked at our neighborhood Telegram chat room and saw an invitation to a new store, or cafe, or cultural space - all at once, a little bit of everything - that had recently opened on Srednaya Podyatskaya Street. I didn't have any special plans for the day, so I decided to take advantage of the invitation.
To begin, I want to tell you a little about the origin of the name of this store. "Where's Grandma?" - is a reference to a great work of literature.
The most famous novel by the 19th century Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky is his novel "Crime and Punishment". The novel is about the difficult choice and mental torment of a young man, a student.
Student Rodion Raskolnikov is very poor, he struggles to earn the cheapest accommodation and a piece of bread, but he has many beautiful ideas that he dreams to realize. Raskolnikov considers himself a special man, capable of achieving great goals, making discoveries, and doing a lot of good, and only the lack of money prevents him. To get money, Raskolnikov kills an old woman, a cruel moneylender; he thinks that her life is not too important compared to his great goals. But having already committed this crime, Raskolnikov realizes that he cannot endure the torment of conscience.
The novel is set in nineteenth-century St. Petersburg. The heroes of the novel walk the same streets that the author of the novel, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, walked. The novel does not give the exact addresses, but the descriptions make it possible to guess in which houses the events unfold. In the house on Srednaya Podyatskaya Street lived an old woman moneylender. The name of the store is reminiscent of this literary character. "Where's Grandma?" - asks the signboard.
However, this is not the only association that arises when looking at the name of the store. The sign also contains a hint of a popular 1960s movie and other innuendos. The store is located in the basement floor and is divided into several areas: one room sells souvenirs and goods for creativity, another you can buy a cup of tea or lemonade, and the third holds various meetings and events.
Near the cash register you can buy a postcard with a picture of Fyodor Dostoyevsky on it and immediately send it to your friends.
On the day I visited the store, the third room was exchanging unwanted clothes and there was a "Box of Heroes" event. "Box of Heroes" is this box to collect toys and other small gifts for sick children. Children end up in hospitals and have to endure difficult, painful medical procedures. Children receive prizes from a special chest as a reward for showing patience and courage during an injection or dressing.
| ○ | ○ |
|---|---|
| Smartphone | Google Pixel 3a |
| Location | Saint Petersburg, Russia |
This is my entry for the #marketfriday challenge by @dswigle.
I wish I had this kind of cafe next to my house. Apart from the fact that I love the aesthetics of the place I think that the idea of donating unwanted clothes or toys is just a wonderful, and it is something that we should see more often in our stores and cafes.
I like the idea of donating unwanted clothes and toys, I think throwing away good things or keeping unnecessary things at home is completely wrong behavior!
What an interesting place!! I can see how that would become a very popular place here. I can only imagine if I were to get a postcard from a friend that visited there! It is the intrigue that pulls everyone in like that.
Where's Grandma? What a clever name for the store! That is a really nice way to make a collection for sick children. I imagine it is with great pleasure that these are handed out.
do differ in many ways, which makes us interesting and unique, but, there are many ways in which are so much alike.I want to thank you for being a part of the #MarketFriday Challenge. I have personally found there is always so much to learn about people, where they live, and how things are done in different parts of the world. For me, reaching out across the globe and learning about different cultures through their markets, especially local markets and farmers' markets, has been such a rewarding experience. We have become a melting pot of culture, but, it is still the rituals, festivals, food, architecture, even your language/languages that separate us... and what is normal for us? There are unwritten rules that rule our social behaviors. I see this as allowing for increased tolerance between cultures and nations, and opportunities to come together on an even playing ground. I have learned so much about all of you and it has been an amazing experience. We
Fridays are all about the #MarketFriday Challenge! Looking to take part in it? Here is how:
Take pictures! Be creative!
5. Drop the link into the MarketFriday comment section so I can find itUse the MarketFriday Community Platform to post #hive-196308 (this is not required, but appreciated)
**7. You must put #MarketFriday by @dswigle somewhere on your post.
As always, please remember! #MarketFriday loves you!
Upped and reposted
I wish this store good luck - I'll be stopping by occasionally to see what's going on there! Thank you!