Das General Store

Being located in Bauria, specifically near the Fortgloster area, means we are part of a very old neighborhood. Our store on Station Road is where people stop when they don't want to go all the way to the main market. We keep a lot of household essentials stacked up, sometimes right up to the ceiling. It’s a bit of a squeeze to get behind the counter if we’ve just had a delivery of bottled water or soda. The fans hum all day long to keep the air moving, especially during the summer months in Howrah. We know which neighbors prefer which brand of tea and we try to keep it ready for them. The shop gets a lot of dust from the road, so there is always a rag nearby to wipe things down. It isn't a place for window shopping. People come in knowing exactly what they want, like a kilo of sugar or a bar of soap. We use an old wooden drawer for the cash and keep our accounts in a thick register. It’s a simple way of doing things, but it has worked for us for years. You can hear the trains whistling nearby and that usually tells us it's about to get busy again. Life here is mostly about these small interactions and making sure the shelves aren't empty when someone needs something for their dinner.