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Athens Council Targets Hundreds of Abandoned Kiosks (video)


Athens city council plans to withdraw the licenses of hundreds of abandoned street kiosks in a bid to clean up the streets and free up pavements for pedestrians, it has said.
Out of a total of 931 street kiosks, the city council is withdrawing the licenses of 323 street stores, it said in a statement. The plan also involves demolishing kiosks, many of which have been left crumbling on street corners.
“The reduction of abandoned kiosks by one third frees up areas for pedestrians and significantly helps in the operation and upgrading of the city landscape of Athens,” said Athens mayor Giorgos Kaminis.
The renowned Greek kiosks are to be found on every street corner selling newspapers, cigarettes, candy, soft drinks and other goods.
The first kiosk in Athens opened in 1911 on Panepistimiou Street, and the idea of the ‘periptero’ soon spread all over Greece and became an institution.

When kiosks started hanging the newspapers, people would gather around to look at the headlines, often starting discussions based on the news.
In neighborhoods, the kiosk owner was known by all and he knew everyone and everything happening on the street. He would tell customers all the neighborhood gossip or discuss with sports and political developments.
Recession hit kiosks hard with a forced hike prices driving many people away. When in the past people would buy candy or soft drinks from the kiosk, now they would go to the supermarket to get the same things at a lower price. It was the beginning of the end.

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