It is not always easy for Stargardtiens to recognize what a market woman or a shop offers. And the name of the shop doesn't sometimes help either.
Counter displays or market goods on the floor are generally a problem (see Self-service and Labels) I had to learn to recognize certain itmes: for example, oranges on the market are more green-yello than orange, distinguishing mangoes from papayas is sometimes difficult when they lie side by side on the ground and the whole legumes that are offered per kilo out of 50kg sacks all look the same to me. So I have to ask. In the supermarket, I am already known: When I unpack my cell phone to read a label with the electronic magnifying glass an employee comes running and asks me what I need today. This has never happened to me in Switzerland.
But also from the outside, the shops present themselves differently: There are hardly any shop windows. Some shop owners put their goods in front of the door every morning, so it is easy to see whether it is a shoe or household goods store. The pharmacy cannot do this and the facade is therefore used for advertising, which sometimes has nothing to do with the content of the shop. For the initiated (and those who can see them) the names may help: The small supermarket is called Cleanshelf and the butcher shop Doublevision.
This article is part of the series "Stargardt in Africa".