Lovely General Store

Lovely General Store is located on Lalwani Press Road in the Azad Nagar part of Bhopal. It’s a bit of a hectic area, especially when the press is busy and the trucks are moving in and out. I’ve been running this place for a good few years now. The name "Lovely" was already there when we took it over, so we just kept it. The shop is full of everyday things like toiletries and snacks and household items. I spend a lot of my time just keeping the dust off the bottles because the road outside is so busy. It feels like I’m always cleaning something. We get a mix of people coming in—some are just passing through and some have lived on this road for decades. I like hearing the different stories people tell while they are waiting for their change. Sometimes the power goes out and we have to use candles or a small torch to find things for the customers, but no one seems to mind much. That is just life in Bhopal. I don't have any help, so if I need to go to the bank or something, I have to pull the shutters down for half an hour. It’s a small operation, just a simple room with shelves and a counter. I don't try to be anything I’m not. We just have the stuff people need at a price that isn't too high.