Kulich Julianna - Török Róbert: „A good merchant is the benefactor of the world”. Two centuries of Hungarian trade (Budapest, 2016)
81 State Department Stores Department stores became the victims of the nationalisation in 1948-49. Renowned department stores of long tradition that could survive the economic crisis and the world war, continued operating within the State Department Stores chain but with a new name. For example, Ruttkai’s famous Hungarian Fashion Hall was turned into “Otthon” (Home) Department Store, Goldberger’s Paris Grand Department Store was renamed as Fashion Hall. ?e Corvin joined the chain named Budapest Great Department Store. In the countryside former department stores or fashion shops were re-opened as members of the State Department Stores chain after the nationalisation. Stores had their own specified area: “Otthon” (Home) was a specialist in home decor, “Aranypók” (Golden Spider) was a specialist in clothing, while “Úttörő” (Pioneer) was the favourite of children. ?ere were some co-operative stores as well, mainly in the countryside, that continued operating within “ÁFÉSZ” and later “SKÁLA” chains. ?e State Department Stores were connected tightly, they didn’t even have separate accounting. ?ey received relative independence from 1966 when Centrum Department Stores Company was set up. All the stores continued their work under the nam of Centrum Department Stores. ?e main store was Centrum Corvin but other stores have also gained great fame, such as the Újpesti Centrum. From the 1970s new, modern stores started sprouting within the chain. In the countryside, the stores were called “Centrum” and they became an essential part of the country people’s everyday life. ?e whole town dressed from and furnished their homes from the Centrum. ◆ State Department Store’s stall at a countryside fair, 1950s
