Video Recommendations: A History of British High Street Shops

I just wanted to share two video links with you that I really enjoyed and thought others might two. The videos follow how shopkeeping and businesses  on Great Britain's "high streets" changed over a century, from the Victorian era through the 1970s. 

The rise and decline of High Street shops parallel what has happened to Main Streets all across the US and Canada, small businesses gave way to large supermarkets, followed by big box stores. 

Of interest to the modern day consumer is some history about shady business practices, such as incorporating cheaper (and unhealthy/potentially harmful) ingredients in order to boost profits during the Victorian era. We're all aware of the garbage fill ingredients in many packaged foods today. Profits are a manufacturer's bottom line.

Another topic that caught my attention was the transition from small, personal shops to large impersonal supermarkets. Automation made food very affordable. But it also changed the shopping experience. Today, I see a sector of the population trying top regain that small shop, personal experience, by shopping farmer's markets, or patronizing locally-owned businesses. I love visiting our farmer's markets in summer. The stall vendors are often eager to engage with me, telling me about their products and asking questions about how my family does meals. I imagine shopping 100 years ago involved similar exchanges.

And of course, there's a bit of drama between the people enlisted to experience the various periods. But that's par for the course.

Anyway, I thought the videos were very entertaining and somewhat informative. If you find yourself indoors and wanting something new to watch online, here they are:

What Was It Like To Be A Victorian, Edwardian, and Inter-War Shopkeeper? | Turn Back Time | Absolute History

World War Two, the 1960s, and the 1970s | Turn Back Time | Absolute History