K.R. Enterprises

Up on the second floor at 36 Thalayari Street, things are usually moving. West Mambalam is a crowded neighborhood, and our building is no different. The stairs are a bit steep, so we tell people to take their time coming up. K.R. Enterprises is basically just two rooms. One is for the paperwork and the other is where we keep the stock. We do a lot of trading and brokering for different goods. It’s a lot of sitting at the desk and making calls. The window looks out over the street, so we can see the fruit sellers and the shoppers down below. It gets noisy in the afternoons. We have a small stove in the corner to make coffee. My brother and I started this after we left our old jobs. We didn't want to work for a big corporation anymore. It’s much better being our own bosses, even if the space is small. The walls are covered in old calendars and notes we’ve pinned up. We try to keep the files in order, but sometimes they pile up on the floor. It’s a real business, run by real people who get tired and frustrated just like anyone else. We don't have a receptionist. If the phone rings, whoever is closest picks it up. It’s just how we do things here in Mambalam. There is always something to do.