OGRE SHOPS
Ogre’s range of shops is wide today, but how was it in the past? What were Ogre’s shops like during the interwar period in the 20th century century and later during the Soviet occupation period? Shops are an integral part of everyday life. Food, clothing, and household items are regular daily necessities. While shopping, few […]
Ogre’s range of shops is wide today, but how was it in the past? What were Ogre’s shops like during the interwar period in the 20th century century and later during the Soviet occupation period? Shops are an integral part of everyday life. Food, clothing, and household items are regular daily necessities. While shopping, few people think of documenting a shop’s interior, which is why photographs of shop interiors, unlike popular tourist attractions, rarely make it to the museum.
Until World War II, Ogre was still a relatively small town; the demand for various goods increased in summer when many vacationers and tourists visited Ogre. The 1928 tourist guide for Ogre states: “In Ogre Park, the lime-tree-lined Brīvības Street leads to the hotel-restaurant “Esplanāde” and next to it “Apgāde” – a firewood and fodder shop. Brīvības Street also has pharmacist Šīrons’s “Ogre Pharmacy” and a bathing establishment, Pūre’s bakery, Kūrmāja (a spa house), and several commercial enterprises.” Also listed were shops: Kalniņš’, Kroeser’s, Meijersons’, Kacens’, Balodis’, Kauliņš’, Krūze’s, Bērziņš’, Vics’, Kļaviņš’, Skuja’s, and Jansons’ grocery stores. Ogre also had several sausage workshops and butcher shops, some “colonial goods” (imported goods) stores, haberdashery, perfumery, drug, book, wine, firewood, and oat shops. Several businesses also served as workshops, especially for goods like shoes, clothes, and furniture.
Although Ogre had various shops and regular market days, a press record indicates that these did not always meet the residents’ needs. For example, in the “Ogres Ziņas” (Ogre News) of May 14, 1938, one can read the headline “Ogre Needs a Food Shop”. It stated: “The population of Ogre has now significantly increased, so another convenience is needed — a food shop. Currently, good lunches are available in guesthouses, the spa house, and the station buffet, but these are what are called expensive dining places. Not everyone wants to go to a restaurant, guesthouse, or buffet, so a food shop in Ogre could thrive, and the city would also benefit financially from it.”
After World War II and the Soviet occupation of Latvia, the economy was centrally planned, private property was denied, and state-owned enterprises were established. Ogre in the 20th century 60. century was transformed from a resort into an industrial city, which led to a rapid increase in population. The Ogre Consumers’ Society was responsible for the city’s network of shops. Shops were grouped by numbers; only a few were given names. In everyday life, people referred to them by their location or street name, for example, the central delicatessen.
Some quotes from periodicals:
“Ogre residents often shop at the Kolkhoz “Juglas zieds” agricultural products store at Tīnužu Street No. 1, as it offers a relatively rich assortment of goods.” (Padomju Ceļš, 17.12.1957.),
“One of the most frequently visited shops in Ogre is the so-called “big shop” (on J.V. Staļina Street, now Brīvības Street No. 17/19), which offers a wide selection of various food products and sweets. The saleswomen here work courteously, gladly listening to customers’ requests and suggestions.” (Padomju Ceļš, 19.02.1957.), “Long gone are the days when Ogre residents traveled to Riga to buy fabrics, shoes, or manufactured goods. Now, sometimes the opposite happens: Riga residents come to us to shop. People particularly enjoy visiting the fabric section.” (Padomju Ceļš, 31.05.1960.)
Alongside praise for various turnover and visitor achievements, there are articles criticizing the consumer society or saleswomen for insufficient supply, impolite service, poor quality products, or dirtiness and unsanitary conditions. Excerpt from the press:
“– There are no matches and no salt, – the saleswomen at the railway workers’ shop in Ogre replied these days.
– Why are such common and necessary goods missing? – customers wondered in confusion. [..] In all months of the first quarter, the shops of the Ogre Consumers’ Society fulfilled and exceeded their turnover plans. However, this could be further increased if the society had a distribution warehouse to store all goods. Now they are stored in various places, which creates difficulties when preparing goods for transfer to the shops. The normal operation of the shops is also hindered by the lack of sufficient space for storing goods. They are stacked one on top of another without any specific order. This is the case in shops No. 2, 6, and 10, the food commission shop, and elsewhere.” (Padomju Ceļš, 04.04.1957.)
In the image gallery, we offer a small insight into the daily life of Ogre’s commercial enterprises during the pre-war and Soviet periods.
“OGRE KANGARI” HIKING TRAIL
We invite you to explore the hiking trail to better discover the hills of Ogre. View the photo gallery and read the story on the museum's website or Facebook page. By looking at historical images, you can compare how the city has changed over time. We have marked the route in the "BalticMaps" map browser. The “GPX” file is convenient to use with the LVM GEO mobile app. The total length of the hiking trail marked on the map is 14 kilometers (7 kilometers in Pārogre and 7 kilometers in Ogre center and Jaunogre). The hiking trail winds through both the urban part of the city (with asphalt, cobblestone, and gravel surfaces) and green areas (park paths and pedestrian-trodden forest trails without special amenities).
