Alka General Store

You can find us in Sen Colony, right on Station Road in Jaipur. We are directly opposite Hotel Rajlaxmi, which makes it easy for travelers to spot us when they come out of the railway station. Being so close to the station means we see a lot of new faces every single day. People are always in a hurry, looking for a bottle of water, some biscuits, or maybe a toothbrush they forgot to pack. But we also have our regulars from the colony who come in for their monthly groceries. It is a mix of fast-paced energy and quiet neighborhood talk. The shop isn't very large, so I have to be clever about how I stack the boxes. Sometimes it feels like a puzzle. The noise of the trains and the station announcements is always there in the background. You get used to it after a week or two. I have been running this place for years and have seen the area change a lot. New buildings came up, but the store stayed pretty much the same. We don't have any fancy marketing or big banners. Just a simple door and shelves full of everyday things. I keep a diary of what needs ordering and I talk to the suppliers when they come by on their scooters. It is just a normal shop for anyone passing through Jaipur or living nearby. We have a small bench outside where some of the older men from the colony sit and talk sometimes. I don't mind it as long as they don't block the door.