Charilas Traditional Shop in Arkochori

The Charila Traditional Shop (Charila's grocery store) is located at Arkochori, in a wooded environment at the foot of Vermio, at an altitude of 600 meters, just 7 km from Naoussa and between the 2 ski resorts 3-5 Pigadia and Seli.

The old name of the village was Arkoudochori and according to tradition it took its name from the many bears that lived in the area, which benefited from the dense vegetation.

Shortly before the liberation of Macedonia, the Bey of the village sold it together with the mountain in 16 pieces named Ikari and since then the inhabitants have been exploiting it for logging and livestock.

Opposite the school, which has become a museum nowadays - it is moving to see the wooden desks of 1950 - because the few children go to classes in Naoussa, and in the central square of the village is the bachelorette party of Charila. Down there centuries-old linden tree Thousands of people enjoy coffee and appetizers every year because the traditional shop has been operating continuously for 100 years.

During the Turkish occupation, the building was the headquarters of Bey and the prisons operated in the basement. In 1910 the old headquarters of Turku Bey, was transformed into a grocery-cafe-tavern, and thus has survived to the present day.

In winter life is around her cast iron wood stove located in the center of the low-ceilinged hall of the old grocery store. A few more spacious rooms were built a few years ago, but the feel of a traditional shop is here. Besides, from here around the fire you have the view of it Mrs. Eudoxia who in the kitchen, over the pan for fifty years, makes them its famous omelettes with batzio or with potatoes and local sausages. Working for 50 years every day, we calculated with her that she will have made over 50.000!

Her brother, o Charilas - in whose name the shop is - the youngest of the eight brothers, has taken over the grill, while other members of the soybean are cooking in the pot. We singled out a stew with all three meats (lamb-pork-beef) together, the roasted aubergines with some special ointments, and of course the skewers and ribs.

Ο Paul who takes care of the clientele is out of heart, while the new generation, Christos Athanasiadis, despite being based and professional in Naoussa, comes on weekends to help… but also to buy something from the grocery store, since the supermarkets of the cities do not wear out in its products, since Charilas is still the only shop in the village!