Service Occupations

In rural areas, people lived in largely self-sufficient households well into the 20th century. Most of the necessary tools and food products were produced domestically.

In cities, the division of labor was more specialized, and the range of job titles grew increasingly diverse. Many different kinds of shops, specialty stores, and services emerged. For example, visiting a barber or dining at a restaurant became new forms of everyday luxury—affordable even for the working class, at least occasionally.

This display case is arranged to resemble the selection found in a 1930s general store. It includes items such as candy, tobacco, sugar, coffee, cocoa, and handkerchiefs.

Caption: Loimaa Market Hall, 1935.
Photo: Veikko Hulkko Collection.