Vijaya Hardware

Shanti Bazar is a busy place to run a shop. Vijaya Hardware is right near the Bata showroom, so we get a lot of people walking by. The shop is packed from floor to ceiling with all sorts of things—nails, hammers, pipes, and buckets. It’s a bit hard to find things sometimes, but we know where everything is hidden. The floor is concrete and usually has some dust from the cement bags. We open up early because the contractors like to get their supplies before starting work. It’s a lot of lifting and carrying heavy boxes. We don't have a computer system; we still write things down in a big ledger. The ledger is old and the edges are curled. Sometimes we have a chat with the customers about their houses or the weather. It’s a local kind of place. We don't use any fancy displays. Everything is just out on the shelves where you can see it. The fan overhead wobbles a bit, but it keeps the air moving. Being near the Bata showroom makes it easy for people to find us. We’ve been in Shanti Bazar for a long time. We know the families around here. It’s not a quiet job, but it’s a good one. We just keep the shelves stocked and help people find the right size screw for their project. It’s simple, honest work and we wouldn't have it any other way.