Proof of just how important RUCH kiosks were during the shortages of the period can be seen in Stanisław Bareja's 1980 film Teddy Bear, an iconic comedy mocking the absurdities of communist-era Poland. In one scene, a resolute salesgirl, confronted by customers complaining about some toxic shampoo they had bought, shouts: ‘Gentlemen, this isn’t a hair salon, it’s a RUCH kiosk! I have meat here!’ It became one of the most popular quotes in Polish cinema.
In other words, during the communist era, it felt as if saleswomen were purveyors of life and death. They decided who bought a given product, and who left the counter empty-handed. They could always keep a scarce product aside for their favourite customers, whether it was a piece of meat or a new vacuum cleaner.
Ironically, it was in these shops that the politically policy of transferring full power into the hands of the people was best realised. Although the shop microsystem made saleswomen a privileged class in their own way.
It’s important to keep in mind that shop shelves were usually bleakly empty during the communist era. When people heard certain goods were due to be delivered, they would queue up in lines that nowadays you only see at the launches of limited Nike series or the new iPhone.
If you wanted to buy your dream product, you had to queue for hours or even days. The problem led to a new profession called a ‘stacz’, translated as a ‘stander’, a person who would hold your place in a queue for the right fee.
‘Tuberculous spring water’, or Polish-style soda water
Among the objects that could be emblems of the communist era in Poland, street soda fountains were among the most important. These characteristic trolleys with their attached gas cylinders could be seen in Polish towns starting in the 1950s. The vendors pushing them along would use them to produce soda water and sell it to people. There were two options available: basic carbonated water, and the more expensive version which had fruit syrup added. In a country where Coca-Cola was considered an imperialist beverage and orangeade a costly treat, these sparkling water dispensers became part of the urban landscape.