Sri Raja Rajeshwari Stores

We are located right on Bazar Street in Pudupattinam, at number 6/171A. It is a small shop, but we try to keep a bit of everything on the shelves because you never know what someone might need at the last minute. Every morning starts about the same way. I unlock the shutters early, usually before the sun is fully up, and start moving the crates around. The milk delivery comes first, then the newspapers. Bazar Street starts getting noisy around 8 am. It’s a lot of lifting and reaching for things on high shelves. Sometimes the inventory gets a bit messy, especially when we get a big delivery of rice or sugar bags. I try to keep things organized, but on busy days, it is tough. Customers come in and talk about their day or the weather. We have been in this spot for quite some time now. Some people have been coming here since they were kids, and now they bring their own children. It’s not a fancy place with bright lights or air conditioning. We just have the ceiling fans and the open door. In the rainy season, the water sometimes splashes near the entrance, so we have to keep mopping. It is just me and a couple of helpers most of the time. We stay open until the street goes quiet at night. It is a steady way to live and we like being part of the neighborhood.