Updating The Grand Bazaar

Since I am a frequent visitor to the Grand Bazaar and the hans, or workshop areas, surrounding it, the news of the planned restoration project is welcome. However, there is a part of the plan that I am not so eager to see implemented. According to reports, Vakko and Migros have both applied to the Grand Bazaar management association for stores in the renovated space.

Vakko is known for luxury clothing and accessories and stores can be found around town, including in most of the large shopping malls. Migros, an international supermarket chain, is also to be found in every neighborhood as well as in large shopping centers. First of all, I want to make it clear that I personally have nothing against either company, and frequent stores of both brands in malls near my home. However, I feel that allowing these large corporations to have spaces in the Grand Bazaar may be opening the historic area up to headaches in the future.

To me, the Grand Bazaar represents small, independent merchants. Unfortunately, more and more shops in the bazaar are selling knock-off T-shirts, handbags and jeans in addition to an amazing amount of cheap items geared for tourists in search of bargains. It seems that slowly stores are being taken over by inexpensive, poorly made imports that do not have any actual connection to Turkey.

In spite of the continuing influx of shoddy imports, there are fortunately still a large number of merchants who sell items produced in Turkey. When I take guests on shopping expeditions, we focus as much as possible on those stores that sell goods produced in Turkey. My friends have marveled at the diamond setters carefully making jewelry by hand -- one diamond at a time. They admire miniatures painted in the Ottoman style on sheets of paper over 100 years old. Hand-painted pottery contains colors and patterns that are distinctly Turkish, offering a memento of Turkey that is both beautiful and useful.

It is the smaller stores that I am afraid will suffer if large corporations are allowed to begin acquiring merchandising space in or around the bazaar. Many of the long-time merchants are already suffering from the effects of the global economic crisis. Wandering through the bazaar a week ago, I was surprised to see how many of the small shops had recently closed due to rising costs and a drop in sales. With each small storeowner forced out of business, I feel that we lose a small part of what makes İstanbul's Grand Bazaar unique.

If anyone is inclined to shop at large national or international chain stores, there are numerous shopping malls spread out across the city to choose from, each one filled to the roof with name brand goods. If one or two big name corporations are allowed to open stores in the bazaar, where will the line be drawn about even more corporations moving in and even possibly forcing the smaller shops out of business?

I asked merchant friends in the Grand Bazaar how they felt about the proposed addition of Vakko and Migros stores. All voiced the opinion that neither brand was really well suited for the bazaar, and by allowing in one or two large commercial operations, the small stores will eventually be forced out of business. No one I spoke with felt that allowing big name stores into the bazaar would be a good idea. They seemed to think that the end result would be the transformation of a historic landmark into yet another shopping mall, and the experience of the real, traditional bazaar would be lost among the brand name stores vying for attention.

My hope is that the city will rethink this idea. The renovations are definitely needed and long overdue. However, I feel that it would be better to encourage artisans to open stores in the bazaar and offer financial incentives, if needed. The Grand Bazaar should be a showplace of Turkish crafts, just as it once was.