Astha Gems

Our shop is actually inside Flat No. 1 at Thulasi Apartments. The building has two numbers, Old No. 6 and New No. 11, on Kuppusa. It’s a bit confusing for delivery people sometimes. Since we are in an apartment building, it feels more like a home than a store. We have the front room set up with our cases and stones. We started here because it was convenient and we just stayed. My sister and I handle most of the daily tasks. We wake up, open the shutters, and wait to see who stops by. We have a lot of regular neighbors who come in to chat or look at what’s new. The light in the flat is pretty good for looking at gems during the afternoon. We don’t have a lot of fancy equipment. We use what we’ve always used. There is a small kitchen in the back where we make coffee. If you’re looking for us, look for the Thulasi sign. It’s a residential street, so it’s not as loud as the main markets. We like the pace here. We don't feel the need to move to a bigger place. This flat has everything we need to do our work. We keep the gems locked away safe at night. It’s just a normal part of our life in the neighborhood. We don’t have a big neon sign, just a small one by the door. It’s worked for us so far.