Bucharest stands out with a unique feature in the Romanian urban landscape, perhaps even in Europe: a remarkable density of streets named after old crafts and trades. This characteristic is particularly evident in the Old Town, the historic heart of the city, where streets still carry names such as Lipscani, Șelari, Cizmăriei, Negustori, and Băcani. Each of these names evokes a world of the past, full of charm, where commerce and social life intersected naturally.

Bucharest and the heritage of craft-named streets

Băcani Street is a prime example of this urban heritage. It preserves the memory of an old commercial profession and holds a special significance in Bucharest’s cultural identity.

Listed among Historic Monuments, the street houses buildings that played a central role in the city’s commercial life, still bearing traces of the prosperity and refinement of former times.

Although many buildings on Băcani Street are today in advanced stages of decay, they still retain the imprint of an era when their shop windows were filled with exotic products and delicacies brought from around the world. 

The charm of the era and luxury trade

This area was frequented not only for shopping but also for the experience of refined tastes and social encounters. It was a place where the urban bourgeoisie discovered culinary novelties, and refinement intertwined with the daily life of the city at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.

The popular expression “green belly” (burta verde), often humorously used today to describe someone with a hearty appetite, has surprising origins. It comes from the distinctive attire of the grocers, who wore green aprons during their work. 

This detail is also mentioned in contemporary literature, such as Ion Slavici’s story Cel din urmă armaș, confirming the defining role of this feature in the professional identity of the grocers.

Grocers: between tradition and modernity

The word “băcan” has Turkish origins and initially referred to a “seller of fresh and dried vegetables.” In reality, however, the activity of Bucharest’s grocers extended far beyond this narrow definition. 

They offered a wide range of products, many considered luxurious: various types of teas, Jamaican or English rum, Sibiu and Verona salami, fine cheeses like Emmental and Parmigiano, French sardines in tins, and Italian pasta.

Moreover, these merchants also sold cosmetic products, such as toothpaste and hair-growth pomades, reflecting their openness to Western influences and modernity. 

By the end of the 19th century, around 1899, many of the grocers operating in Bucharest were of Albanian origin, with a long tradition in the food trade, firmly establishing themselves in the city’s economic landscape.

Over time, Romanian merchants increasingly asserted themselves in this sector, opening grocery and delicatessen stores that became symbols of quality and elegance. A notable example is the firm “Pop și Bunescu,” recognized for excellence and a strong reputation in specialty food trade.

Băcani Street, a vibrant urban stage

Băcani Street was not just a place to shop; it was a true stage for urban life. Here, bourgeois citizens, civil servants, housewives, and curious intellectuals would meet, all drawn to the refined culinary offerings and the lively atmosphere. 

Shops were carefully arranged, their windows attracting attention with exotic goods and luxury products, while the interiors were filled with the aromas of spices, aged cheeses, and freshly ground coffee.

This lane functioned as a barometer of urban living standards and the evolving tastes of Bucharest residents. Imported products from distant corners of the world reflected a closer connection to international markets and a clear aspiration toward refinement and cosmopolitanism. In a rapidly developing city, grocers’ shops were more than simple points of sale, they were symbols of progress and sophistication.

Memory and heritage

Today, Băcani Street remains an important landmark for Bucharest’s commercial history. Its buildings, even in their current state, retain the mark of the past and evoke the charm of an era when trade and culinary culture were essential to urban life. 

As the modern city expands and transforms, historic streets like Băcani offer a window into the past, reminding us of the origins and evolution of the capital.

Visiting Băcani Street is thus a journey into a bygone world, where the “green apron” was not just an expression but a symbol of a respected profession, and the scent of spices and freshly ground coffee reflected the refinement of a bourgeois lifestyle attentive to details. 

This lane represents a living heritage, continuing to inspire nostalgia and revealing the secrets of a sophisticated urban life, preserving the memory of a time when commerce and culinary culture were intricately intertwined.

Credit foto: bucurestiulmeudrag.ro

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