The word “dukhan” comes from the Arabic “dukkān” meaning “shop” (in the Middle East, dukhan means “store”, and in modern Kazakh, düken has the same meaning).
In the Caucasus and Crimea, dukhans were small restaurants or taverns where simple food and wine were served.
Georgian dukhans existed up until the early XX century.
Such establishments were usually located in cool semi-basement rooms.
The owners of dukhans were called dukhanshchiks (dukhan keepers).