Ashok Shah General Stores

We are right across from the Bank of Baroda here in the City Mills Compound. Ashok Shah General Stores has been sitting at this spot for quite a while now. Ahmedabad can get really hot, so the shade from the building helps a bit in the afternoons. Inside, it’s mostly boxes and rows of whatever people in the 380001 area are asking for this week. We carry basic groceries, some stationery, and things like light bulbs or cleaning supplies. Dealing with wholesalers takes up a good chunk of the morning. There’s always someone coming in asking if we have a specific kind of soap or a certain size of cooking oil. We try to keep it all sorted, but sometimes the back room gets a bit messy with empty crates and packing paper. The floor is old stone and it’s seen a lot of foot traffic over the years. We open the shutters early because the workers around the compound start their day before most people. It’s a lot of standing on your feet and counting out change. We don't have any fancy displays or anything like that. Just the items on the shelves and us behind the counter. Sometimes the power goes out and we just sit by the doorway until it comes back, watching the people go into the bank. It’s a steady way to spend the day, watching the street and helping the neighbors get what they need for their houses without making a big fuss about it.