Maheshwari General Store

Maheshwari General Store is located on Narishala Road in the Shastri Nagar area. It’s a bit more of a residential neighborhood compared to the main roads. Things move a little slower here, which I don’t mind. I usually start the day by pulling up the metal shutter and putting out the stand with the newspapers. We carry all the usual things—spices, soaps, batteries, and cooking oil. The shelves are made of old wood and they lean a little bit under the weight of the jars. I try to keep things organized, but sometimes the delivery guy just drops boxes wherever there is space. It takes me half the morning to sort through it all. We have a lot of regular customers who come in every single day, mostly for small things they ran out of. We chat about the neighborhood and who is moving in or out. It’s a quiet kind of life. I keep a plastic chair near the counter so I can sit down when my legs get tired. The floor is concrete and easy to wash down. We don’t have any big signs or bright lights to attract people. Most people find us because they live just a few houses away. It’s just a plain, simple store where we try to provide what’s needed for the kitchen and the house without making a big deal out of it. The walls are painted a dull yellow that has started to peel in the corners. I keep meaning to fix it but just never get around to it. I usually have a cup of tea around four.