Sri Balaji Stores

Kodigehalli has changed a lot, but our store on the Thirdly main road stays pretty much the same. We are a neighborhood provision shop. We sell the basics like rice, pulses, oil, and soap. The shelves are packed tight, and sometimes you have to reach way back to find what you need. We get deliveries every couple of days, and then the whole floor is blocked by sacks of grain. It’s a lot of lifting and carrying. We know most of our customers by their first names because they’ve been coming here for years. We use a simple notebook to keep track of things. It isn't a supermarket; it’s just a local store where you can get your daily needs. The floor is a bit uneven, and the fan makes a clicking sound when it’s on high. We don't have a website or anything like that. People just walk in, tell us what they want, and we weigh it out for them. Sometimes children come in with a few coins for some sweets. It’s a quiet life, except for when the school across the way lets out. We stay open late most nights because that's when people realize they ran out of milk or sugar. It’s a practical job that keeps us connected to the community. We just do our bit to keep the local kitchens running and the pantries full.