"A' Putia"
"A' Putia", which in Sicilian dialect means' the shop', is a place where goods were exhibited, stored or sold.
The term "putia" probably derives from the Greek "apotheke", that is warehouse, deposit. In the past centuries, in Sicily, the term "putia" indicated a food or craft shop, there was the putia of the "scarpàru", the shoemaker, the putia of the "custurera", the seamstress, the "putia du varveri" , the barber. There was also "a putia ro vinu", a place where wine was sold in bulk, but which also served as a generally male meeting place, in particular for the working class.
It is still possible to find "putie" in Sicily, small food shops where you can find a selection of the best typical Sicilian products.
