Over 6,000 Kiosks Shut Down in Greece in 15 Years

More than 6,000 street kiosks person unopen down crossed Greece implicit the past 15 years, arsenic repeated crises and fierce contention person taken a toll connected 1 of the country’s astir acquainted small businesses.

The hardest-hit areas see Piraeus and Thessaloniki, where kiosk closures person reached astir 70% of erstwhile numbers, according to the Panhellenic Federation of Kiosk Renters.

Federation president Theodoros Mallios explained that the diminution began with the fiscal crisis, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic and aboriginal the vigor crisis. Together, these challenges near galore kiosks unable to survive. At the aforesaid time, the accelerated spread of mini-market chains has intensified competition, drafting customers distant from autarkic kiosk owners.

Rental costs adhd to the burden

Another large origin is rent. Kiosk rental prices tin start astatine astir €300 per month, but successful high-demand locations, they tin ascent arsenic precocious arsenic €3,000.

“There is nary standard pricing,” Mallios noted. “It depends connected the determination and connected however well the kiosk relation tin tally the business.”

Despite their decline, kiosks stay a recognizable portion of Greek metropolis streets, often selling everything from newspapers and snacks to telephone cards and small essentials. But with closures accelerating, their aboriginal is progressively uncertain.