#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. However, from the mid-1960s, Norilsk stores began to receive their own names. For example, in 1961 in the center of Leninsky prospect under construction, at house No. 28, a grocery store No. 31 was opened. Signs Food and Bakery appeared above its entrance group – in the Leningrad style. In 1964, it was one of the first to receive its name and was called Lakomka (Gourmet), and in 1978 it changed its specialization and was called Diet.
The central department store was also one of the first in 1963 to receive its own name – it became Talnah.
In 1964, grocery store No. 1 was renamed into Yenisey, and Fur Products and Hats became Hantayka (a short name of the Hantaiskaya river).
Following them, Gifts became Northern Lights, grocery store No. 3 turned into Sayany, the Shoes store was named Severyanka (means a northern woman), Detsky Mir (Kids’ World) was renamed into Severok (Little North) in honor of the local children’s TV hero, and Cultural goods became Cosmos.
In the Norilsk trade department, when giving names to shops, local toponyms were preferred.
The restaurants Lama (a local lake’s name) and Taimyr, the fish store Ayan (a local lake’s name), the grocery store Putorany (the plateau’s name), and also the simpler names – Norilchanka (a Norilsk woman), Severyanka (a northern woman), Polyarny (Polar), Sever (North) have remained in the memory to this day.
In the last issue of the History Spot photo project, we talked about the snow removing problem in Norilsk in different years.
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Text: Svetlana Samohina, Photo: Nornickel Polar Division archive
