Udhayam Stores

We are located at number 18 on Mandaveli Street, right near the Puludhivakkam bus stop. Udhayam Stores has been a part of this Madipakkam area for a while. People know us as the place to grab whatever they forgot on their main grocery run. We keep a good stock of lentils, soaps, and those small packets of shampoo. The shop isn't very large, so we have to stack things pretty high on the shelves. Sometimes I need a ladder to reach the top rows. It’s a bit of a squeeze when more than two people are inside. We get a lot of commuters who are waiting for their bus or just got off one. It’s a busy corner with lots of dust from the road. I usually spend the first hour of the morning just dusting the jars. We don't have a computer, so all the prices are memorized or checked on the stickers. My son helps out sometimes in the evenings when the crowd gets bigger. We have a small fridge for cold drinks, but it’s often full of milk packets instead. The tile floor is a bit cracked in the corner, but it doesn't bother anyone. It’s just a normal neighborhood shop. We try to stay open as long as the buses are running. It feels good to see the same faces every day.