PLACE OF THE CONTEMPORARY COMMERCE IN THE SPATIAL STRUCTURE OF SMALL TOWNS AROUND WROCŁAW

Abstract

ABSTRACT The transformation of the Polish economy in the nineties led to the development of the services sector, often forced by missing alternatives. Along with the development of the capitalist system  in Poland the contemporary commercial facilities were appearing. They appeared in the big towns in the early 90s, and in small ones 10 years later. Authors define the place of contemporary commercial buildings1 in the spatial structure of small towns. Downtown as well as residential and suburban locations are taken into account. The subject to the analysis were 22 towns with population from  4 to 20 thousand inhabitants. Based on statistical data and the different types of locations it proved possible to determine trends that accompanied the development of new forms of trade in small Polish towns over the period of 10 years.