Goel Kiryana Store

Running a grocery store like Goel Kiryana Store at 270-A in Patparganj is a full-time job that never really stops. My family has been doing this for a while, and the shop is pretty much a second home to us. We stock all the usual things people need—dal, rice, flour, soaps, and whatever else folks in the building or the street might run out of. It’s a packed space because we try to fit as much as possible on the shelves. In the mornings, it’s always milk and bread that go first. I know most of the people who come in by their first names. We talk about the weather or the local news while I’m weighing out the sugar or packing the bags. Patparganj is a busy place, and there are bigger shops now, but people still come to us for the convenience and because they know us. I spend a lot of time checking the inventory and talking to suppliers. Sometimes the deliveries are late, or things get a bit messy, but that’s just how a small store works. We aren’t a big supermarket with bright lights; we are just a local kiryana store. We stay open pretty late to make sure anyone coming home from work can grab what they forgot. It’s hard work, but it’s a steady life here at 270-A, serving the neighborhood as best as we can. We try to keep things simple for everyone.