The early eighteenth century economic journalist, Daniel Defoe, emphasized the number and specialization of London's food markets. By contrast, Addis Ababa had only one big market in our period, Arada, South of Giyorgis Church, though there were other smaller local markets for foodstuffs, notably at Cherquos and Fitber near the Gibi. Such local markets, of course, further disclose the strongly village character of Addis Ababa, already noted above. The great Arada market was held in the open air, all day and every day, except Sundays, but with the largest market attendance on Saturdays. Various kinds of commodities were sold at the Arada market but the market was itself divided into fifteen specialized areas for different commodities. 

 Source: Research by David Chapple, made before the 1974 Revolution