Ashapuri General Stores

Ashapuri General Stores is a place we have run for years in the 380001 area of Ahmedabad. It is a family thing, so there is usually one of us behind the counter at all times. We sell the basic stuff that every house needs, like salt, sugar, soap, and some basic medicines. The shop is tucked away on a busy street and it can be quite loud with all the horns and people shouting outside. We have a small fan that blows air around, but it mostly just moves the heat. The walls are painted a pale color that has faded over time. We don't really bother with decorations because the products themselves take up all the room. Customers usually know exactly what they want, so they come in, pay, and head back out into the heat. We try to keep our prices fair based on what the wholesalers charge us. Sometimes we have to deal with broken items or leaky bottles, which is just part of the job. It is not a glamorous life, but it is a steady one. We see the kids in the neighborhood grow up and start coming in to buy things for their own families. That is just how time passes for us here. We don't have any big mission, we just keep the doors open and the shelves full as best as we can. It’s just us and our shop.