After 1890, Macedonia witnessed a significant expansion of its banking network, culminating in the foundation of the Banque de Salonique in 1888, which came in response to the flourishing trade and the hopes of the European states of maximizing their profits.
The founding of more banks (the Bank of Mytilini, 1899; Anatolian Bank, 1906; Beogradska Zadruga, 1908) and the gradual improvement in loan requirements, combined with the growth of the railways, drastically altered the structure of the local market.
The trade fairs lost their importance, ceding their place to the shops that took over the cities and towns. Because of their high prices in comparison with rail fares and the erecting of borders around the new Balkan nations, the caravans either changed their age-old routes or disappeared altogether.
Conversely, the railway stations were transformed into transportation centers and headquarters for commercial agents. Thus, villages evolved into new commercial centers (e.g. Gevgelija), while old centers (e.g. Serres) lost their traditional clientele with the change in trade patterns.
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