Help with a translation: коммерческий отдел

[Andrea Gregovich]

Hello SEELANGERS!

I'm wondering if anyone knows of a good English translation for a Soviet
concept.  In a novella I'm translating set in 1990, two characters run into
each other in the коммерческий отдел of the универмаг and discuss buying a
bottle of коммерческая водка.  The author has explained to me some of the
things that went on in 1990 in attempt to ration products and manage
shortages, such as the <<книга покупателя>> ration books.  This коммерческий
отдел is part of the larger rationing scheme, where you could buy the
otherwise rationed products at a much higher price, hence the "commercial
vodka".  I'd prefer not to footnote this, and I may find a way to add a
line of text to explain it, but I'm wondering if there's an already
recognized English translation for the коммерческий отдел, or if anyone has
any brilliant ideas for what to call it.  The "commercial department"
doesn't make any sense in English.

Thanks in advance!
Andrea Gregovich

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