Me, my place, and I: exploring consumer-place attachment in Brazil’s Northeast region

Abstract

Consumers, whether more or less consciously, attach their identity to places in order to give meaning to their lives. In this research, we discuss the process by which consumers attach their identity to commercial settings, based on the extended self and place attachment theories. Through observations, in-depth interviews, and discourse analysis, this study explores the bonds people make with a place, taking a Brazilian heritage market as a research context. The findings suggest that the link between consumers’ identities and commercial settings occurs in different forms, based not only on their self-narratives but also on the physical space.