Abstract

This paper reports on observations in a public space, a pedestrian entrance/ exit to the concourse of a large transit hub in Manchester, UK. Selling "The Big Issue" magazine involves more than a friendly personality. Successful selling requires an awareness of, and ongoing attention to, the unwritten «rules» of public space. Invited to take a turn at selling "The Big Issue", and coached in embodied practices to solicit sales from passers-by, the author was instructed in the operation of a distinct «pavement culture» that was available to observation from the position of the seller.