Alexandra Bozheva

This research aimed to fulfill the gap in studies of retail development in postsocialist cities. The analysis revealed that the pattern of retail evolution in Saint Petersburg was affected by external factors: changes in macro-economic and consumer environments and by the degree of government involvement into the process of retail transformation. The process of post-socialist transformation produced forms of retailing that are not characteristic to contemporary Western markets. The way of retail development in the city was also influenced by the arrival of international retailers. The internationalization of retail stimulated the development of power retailing in the city. The structural changes in St. Petersburg retail were accompanied by spatial changes. The transformation process continues. There are still many out-dated forms of retail, such as kiosks and open-air markets. The St. Petersburg's retail market is far from saturation, there is a potential for replacement of old forms with news forms of retailing.