The Consumer Price Index (CPI) attempts to answer the question of how much more (or less) income does a consumer require to be as well off in period 1 as in period 0 given changes in prices, changes in the quality of goods, and the introduction of new goods (or the disappearance of existing...

Introduction: corner store folklore -- From grog shops to grocery stores -- The keys to modernization -- Trust brokers on the road -- Avoiding the middleman -- Making small business big -- Conclusion: looking backward, moving forward