Karnataka Traders

Our place, Karnataka Traders, sits right on the Main Road N.H. 17 in Padubidri. We are in the Girija Chandra Complex, which is easy to find because we are directly opposite the Corporation ATM. Being on the highway means there is always a sound of trucks and cars zooming past our door. It is a noisy spot, but it brings in people who are just passing through as well as the locals who live nearby. We deal with a lot of different trading items, so the shop is usually full of boxes and crates. It’s not a very big space, so things can get a bit cramped when a big shipment comes in from the city. We usually start the day by sweeping the front because of all the dust that blows in from the road. The ATM across the street is a good landmark for people who haven't been here before. We don't have a big staff, just a few of us who know where everything is kept. It’s a simple operation. We talk to the farmers, the builders, and the neighbors who stop by to chat for a few minutes. Sometimes we sit outside on the bench when it’s quiet, just watching the highway traffic go by. It’s a steady kind of life here in Padubidri. We don't try to be anything we aren't. We just open the doors, do our trading, and go home when the sun goes down. It's been that way for years.