Rahamath Stores

Rahamath Stores is located right on Kathriguppe University Road, at New Bhatar 187. It’s one of those shops where we have stuff piled up almost to the ceiling. If you walk in, you might have to squeeze past a sack of rice or some crates of soda. I have lived in this area for a long time, so I know most of the people who walk through the door by their first name. We sell a bit of everything, from spices to household soap. The wooden counter is worn down in the middle from people leaning on it while they count out their change. It gets really busy in the mornings when students from the university are heading to class and need a quick snack or a pen. The fan on the ceiling wobbles a little bit, but it keeps the air moving when the heat starts to pick up. Sometimes the delivery trucks block the road for a minute while they drop off the milk, and the neighbors honk their horns, but that’s just how things go here. We don't have a fancy computer system; I mostly write things down in a big ledger book with a blue pen. My nephew helps me stock the shelves in the evenings. It is a simple shop and we don’t try to make it look like a big supermarket. We just keep the doors open and make sure there is enough sugar and tea for everyone.