Before there was a chain store, there was this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_republic
Banana republic is a pejorative term for a small, often Latin American or Caribbean country, which is politically unstable, dependent on limited agriculture, and ruled by a small, wealthy and corrupt clique. Coined by O. Henry, American humorist and short story writer in reference to Honduras. "Republic" in his time was often a euphemism for a dictatorship, while "banana" implied an easy reliance on basic agriculture and backwardness in the development of modern industrial technology. Frequently the subject of mockery and humour, and usually presided over by a dictatorial military junta that exaggerates its own power and importance. "The epaulettes of a banana republic generalissimo" are proverbially of considerable size, usually portrayed in satire with a pair of mops.