Tag #152775 - Interview #101503 (Vladimir Khalfin)

My grandfather owned a big store before the revolution. He sold food, groceries, clothing and shoes and haberdashery. Grandfather inherited this store from his father. Grandfather provided well for the family. His children started working at the store when they reached the age of 7-8. Only members of the family worked at the store. There were no other employees. After the revolution the Soviet authorities nationalized the store, but my grandfather’s family kept a part of the house where they lived. They had 3 rooms, one room was my grandparents’, another was their sons’ and one other room was for the girls. After losing his store grandfather had to do something else to make a living. He learned to make winter coats and his sons assisted him in this business. Farmers kept sheep and my grandfather purchased sheepskin from them. Grandfather and his sons made good coats and had many clients. They got money or food products for their work.