Jatin & Co.

You can find Jatin & Co. right on Station Road in Bageshwar. Being so close to the police station means there is always something going on outside our door. It’s a narrow building, and we’ve packed it full of tea chests and weighing scales. I usually start my morning by sweeping the front step and getting the ledgers ready. The mountain air can be cold, so we keep a kettle going in the back for ourselves. People coming off the buses at the station often stop in to buy something before heading further into the hills. We don't have any fancy displays, just the tea in big wooden boxes like it’s always been. My father started this, and I’ve just kept it going the same way. The floors are old wood and they creak when you walk over to the storage area. Dealing with the suppliers can be a headache when the roads are blocked, but we make it work. We aren't trying to be the biggest place in town, just a reliable one where you get exactly what you pay for. Most of our regulars are locals who have been buying from us for decades. It’s a straightforward business with no bells or whistles. We just sell tea and keep the records in our handwritten books.