This research aims to highlight the evolution of commerce activity in Suceava city. It should be noted that for this town, the commerce is a historical legacy because since from its documentary attestation (the fourteenth century) Suceava was one of the largest commercial centers of the Moldavian Principality. Today, after the period of the communist regime characterized by a strong industrialization, Suceava has become a powerful trade center. The paper presents the transition of Suceava from a commercial dimension perpetuated since medieval times until the late nineteenth - early twentieth century to an industrial dimension started timidly in the early twentieth century and continued into an advanced form after the Second World War, during the communist regime. The paper also presents the return to a commercial dimension, after the communist regime.

Our research does not hesitate to present the economy transformation in a mainly tertiary one, in terms of changing the functionality of some areas in the city that once represented some strong industrial areas. Although in the North-East Region and, therefore, in Suceava, the salary level was one of the lowest nationally, the area became attractive to shopping centers developers, which started in 2002 to invest in opening of large stores instead of former industrial enterprises. In a short time, the area of modern retail space per thousand people became the largest in the country.

Given the historical and current context in which commerce prevails in the local economy, we chose to make a series of proposals for the expansion of tourism in Suceava in correlation with the activity of shopping centers from the local market.