Balaram Rice Store

Down on Black Bridge Main Road in Amalapuram, we’ve got our little rice store at number 65. It’s a basic shop where we sell different kinds of rice by the kilo or the bag. We’ve been here for a while, so most of the people in the area know where to find us. The storefront isn't anything special to look at. We usually have a few open sacks out front so people can see and feel the grain before they buy it. It’s a bit of an old-school way of doing things, but that’s what works here. We spend our mornings weighing out portions and tying up bags with twine. My hands are usually a bit rough from handling the heavy jute. The street outside can get quite noisy with all the bikes and cars going past the bridge. Sometimes we just sit on the wooden stools near the counter and wait for the next customer to walk in. We don't use any fancy computer systems; we just write everything down in a ledger. It’s simple and it works for us. If someone has a big order, we help them carry it out to their vehicle. We aren't trying to be a big chain or anything. It's just a local store where you can get your rice and have a quick chat about the weather. It’s a quiet life and we like it that way, just serving the neighborhood.