Kirti Stores

Ratanpole is one of those places in Ahmedabad that never really seems to sleep. Our shop, Kirti Stores, is tucked into Zaveriwad, which is always packed with people looking for one thing or another. If you know this area, you know how narrow the lanes can get and how much shouting and honking goes on. We’ve been operating out of here for a while, just doing our thing every day. The 380001 zip code is busy, and we’re right in the thick of it. Most days start early because the market picks up fast. We spend a lot of time just arranging the stock and helping whoever walks through the door. It’s not a large space, but we make it work. Sometimes it gets a bit cramped when too many people come in at once, but that’s just the nature of being in Ratanpole. We don’t have a website or anything like that; we just open the shutters in the morning and close them when the sun goes down. Most of our customers are locals who have been living in this part of Ahmedabad for years. We know their names and what they usually look for. It’s a plain, honest way to spend the day. We don’t try to be anything we aren’t. We just keep the shelves full and keep the shop running as best as we can. It’s a lot of work, but it keeps us busy.