Rathna Store

Rathna Store is located at No 124 on School Street here in Manali. It is a very simple shop in a busy part of Chennai. Being right on School Street, we see a lot of students and parents walking past every morning and late afternoon. We sell everything from notebooks and pencils to dal, rice, and sugar. I start my morning by putting out the daily newspapers and checking if the milk supply has arrived. The shop is small and the shelves are made of old wood, but they hold a lot of weight. I have lived in Chennai all my life, so I am very used to the heat, even when the shop gets a bit stuffy in the summer. I usually have a small radio playing some old songs in the background. It keeps me company during the hours when things are slow. We do not have a fancy digital checkout system. I just write everything down in my book and figure out the change in my head. It is a bit old-fashioned, but it has always worked for us. People come here because it is convenient and they know they can get their daily essentials without any fuss. Sometimes we have a bit of a crowd in the evenings when everyone realizes they need something for their dinner. I do my best to keep things moving. It is not about being the biggest store, just about being reliable for the people living nearby.