A Historic Look into Shop Shelving

When looking back throughout history there are a few common themes that remain true throughout. Themes including war, the advancement of technology and medicine are some examples. Another example though is the continued development of trade. Now as this is a shop shelving blog, it’s the way in which shelving has developed in line with trade that it is interesting. Here is a look at how shop shelving might have been used throughout history.

Shop Shelving and the Romans

Widely considered to be a civilisation that gave us many systems, some still used in this day and age, the Romans where great pioneers of trade. Although market places and places to trade goods where nothing new, it was perhaps the Romans that brought together market places and specific selling locations, where a whole manor of goods could be found displayed on shop shelving. The shelves where most likely constructed from a local woods and attached to a cart or collapsible stand that could be placed under a tent like construction. The shop shelving could be used to display fired pottery and beaded jewellery made form shells or other natural products. If you have seen the Hollywood film Gladiator, I believe they have faithfully rein-acted a market seen where wooden shop shelving is clearly displayed. 

Shop Shelving in Medieval Times Through to The Victorians

In some ways shop shelving never really changed from Roman times right up to the Victorians. Market stalls where probably still the most common way to sell produce. Farmers and local vegetable growers would be able to trade their items as opposed to a modern day row of shops. The shops that did exist in medieval times however would of almost certainly used wooden shop shelving, although they may have used sturdier metal brackets forged most likely from Iron.

The Victorians and Modern Shop Shelving?

It was the perhaps the Victorians who truly embraced the idea of shopping high streets, as well as having a market area. Shops where established that sold a whole manor of items and used mainly wooden shop shelving, due to its cheaper production cost.  As the decades moved forwards, shop owners needed to find ways in which there shelving could be moved around and wood, would likely be proving to be fragile and unsuitable for continued movement. Shelving constructed from steel or aluminium started to be developed and mounted on to casters (wheels) - bringing us to the modern day. Super market shelves are still constructed from metal and now feature designs such as moveable shelves for height adjustment and storage.

It’s interesting to learn of how shop shelving has changed throughout history and although this is only a speculative snap shot, it would be fascinating to learn how other historic civilisations displayed their wares.