“Without tiendas it’s a dead neighbourhood”: The socio-economic importance of small trade stores in Cochabamba, Bolivia

Trade stores – small-scale, home-based shops selling daily household necessities – are ubiquitous across low income, urban neighbourhoods of developing countries. Surprisingly, while the informal economy literature on marketplaces and small-scale enterprises continues to expand, neighbourhood trade stores and their unique dynamics in urban environments remain comparatively overlooked. Through a qualitative case study focusing on the socio-economic dimensions of trade stores in a Bolivian neighbourhood, we reveal the complexity of their significance to the everyday micro-geographies of urban places. Not only are these shops essential outlets for routine wares but also, vis-à-vis a number of more nuanced roles, trade stores play a critical part in configuring the day-to-day survival and opportunities of local residents.