Occupation of Yambol citizens in a long while had always been agriculture, animal breeding and crafts. And they were involved in wine-growing, as well. Already during the Turkish times the city had been famous for its rugs, sweet halva and fine artisans. The halva of Yambol was so popular that it was awarded with a silver prize at the First Plovdiv Fair in eighteen ninety two.

Trade was playing an important role in the life of the city after the Liberation. The traditional weekly market on Thursday was a meeting point for convoys coming from the Black sea harbors.  Picturesque and rich the markets were in those times.  Anchovy from Odessa, Beluga from the Danube, soap from Crete, hazelnuts from Anatolia, Egyptian henna, Bagdad dates and Izmir figs. As if the whole world gathered at the stalls of Yambol Thursday market. Soon the markets started to open twice a week – in front of the Bezisten and in the square of Kargona, where in nineteen and eight municipal shops were built.

Fairs took an important place in the life of the city. The spring fair went on for as long as three days. Tradesmen from different parts of Bulgaria, and even from neighboring countries, were coming there. Since eighteen ninety seven a Dyunusha had been organized. That was a three-day fair for selling livestock. Then another fair was organized. A lot of commodities were sold in those times; fertile was the land of Yambol
Tundzha divides the town into two main parts – First and Second neighborhood, known as the central part and Kargona. The first part comprised the center wogether with the Bezisten. Various small shops, offices and coffee shops were stuck around the Bezisten.  Like tentacles of an octopus from the surrounding square eight streets stretched out and led to all parts of the city.

The bridges over Tundzha were also very important to Yambolers – Lozarski, Chakmakov and Tanteleno small bridge… But most intriguing seemed to be the Bridge of sights. It was built on floating wood barrels and was tied with iron chains to the opposite willows. And while crossing it, the bridge was swinging and gasping and sighed with fear. That was how its name had occurred.

The traditional house of Yambol had been a single-storey structure, erected a meter or so above the ground and its furniture was very poor. But soon, both in Kargona and in the center, many two-storey buildings were constructed by wealthy people. Usually the first floor had a shop and the second – a sitting room. That sitting room contained the Ala Franca and the furniture was from Vienna. Changes affected poorer homes as well. The low table was replaced by a table of normal height, with rough chairs around it. The iron bed was the pride of every household.

 Until the Liberation the residents of Yambol made their clothing themselves. But when they began to construct the railway road all kind of people came to the town – Germans, Italians, with hats, in tight dresses and that was the first time they saw such  a style of fashion. Ala Franca garments supplied by famous fashion companies became a matter of reputation to wealthy Yambolers. Cloaks and breeches gave way to French tailoring and trousers. Ladies behaved like dandies, used lipstick and face powder like Philibelian babes. Silk dresses with wide skirts, fancy hats, mantles, gloves, umbrellas, small bags and many other French whims.
At that time the first hotels were built in the city. They offered more amenities than the old inns. Though, the inns, that the city was famous with for centuries, also continued to provide services. Mainly villagers who came to sell their wares stayed there as they were comfortable.  Every inn had its stalls for the animals, a well and a pub.

In the same old times Yambol citizens used pubs and cafeterias as places for relax. Men stopped at pubs on their way home to have a quick drink garnished with suitable appetizer. Cafeteria on another hand, that we have known for centuries also had its role of a gossip center and a place for chat. However European fashion replaced sofas with tables and chairs.

Restaurants also emerged and very soon they became the favorite place of wealthy families. Most frequented was the restaurant of Hotel Sofia where for the first time Yambolers saw the wonder called gramophone.
Beer-shops quickly became establishments for ordinary people and at the end of the nineteenth century, new, European type sweet-shops emerged in Yambol and these were favorite places for families to go.
That was how Yambolers used to live once. The city was expanding, work was getting on well; people were hungry for changes and adopted gladly the new and modern trends, coming from Europe.