Showcase stores were a type of grocery store in the People's Republic of Bulgaria. They were established in the late 1960s in the central parts of the country's largest cities.
Their concept was to offer rare and unusual goods at higher prices compared to the subsidized prices of mass-market products, which were typical of the trade network operating under constant shortages. For example, early greenhouse vegetables, canned goods (otherwise intended for export), and imported items like citrus fruits and bananas were sold there.
However, this trade practice failed to supply showcase stores with enough goods, and during the developing trade crisis (starting in the mid-1980s), they became and are still remembered for their long queues, especially around holidays. The quantity per person was limited, and people would start lining up from dawn.
In Plovdiv, many older residents, if asked about the Showcase Store, would direct you to the building located at the corner between the masterpieces of Plovdiv's urban planner Josef Schnitter — the current UniCredit Bulbank on the Main Street — and its twin on “Otets Paisiy” Street. For years, the iconic building was one of the most important landmarks in the city center.
The building is also known as the "House with the Heads" and is believed to be designed by a Swiss architect. In the basement of the building, there are supposedly preserved remains of the Roman Stadium of ancient Philippopolis, which could be properly exhibited, similar to the nearby H&M store.
In 2019, the building was sold to a Plovdiv entrepreneur, and in the summer of this year, it was fenced off with construction panels. From the signs there, it is understood that part of it will house an establishment from a fast-food restaurant chain. According to the informational signs, the upper floors are expected to include a hotel section.
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