Rakshnasri Oil Store

Our shop is at 20, Sathya Nagar in Arumbakkam. It’s a small oil store and we have been here for a good while now. If you walk inside the first thing you notice is the smell of the different oils we keep in the big drums. It’s a very distinct smell that stays on your clothes all day. We spend a lot of our time filling bottles and containers for the people who live nearby. The floor can get a bit slippery if we aren't careful so we are always mopping up drips. We don't have any fancy displays or bright lights, just the shelves and the counters. It’s a local business through and through and we know most of our customers by their first names or at least by what they usually buy. Arumbakkam is a busy place and Sathya Nagar has its own rhythm that we have become a part of over the years. Some days are slow and we just sit and talk while waiting for someone to come in. Other days it feels like everyone needs oil at the exact same time. We just try to be honest and give people what they need without any fuss. It’s not a glamorous job but it is steady and it keeps us connected to the neighborhood. We are just regular people running a regular store.