Rashtriya Emporium

If you walk down Bapu Bazar, you’ll find us at 31 Dhula House. Rashtriya Emporium has been a fixture here for years. The building itself has so much history, though the walls could probably use a fresh coat of paint if we ever found the time. We spend most of our day surrounded by the things we sell, stacked up high on the shelves. It’s a bit cramped, but we know exactly where every single item is kept. Bapu Bazar is a loud place. You hear the vendors shouting and the rickshaws weaving through the crowds all day long. We start our day early, pulling up the shutters and setting things out. There’s a specific way we like to arrange the display, even if it gets moved around by the first few people who walk in. We don’t have a big marketing department or anything like that. It’s just a few of us making sure the shop stays running. We drink a lot of chai and talk to the neighbors about how business is going. Some days are slow, and we just sit and watch the tourists go by. Other days, we don't even have time to eat lunch until four in the afternoon. It’s a simple life, focused on the shop and the people who step inside to see what we have. It is how we have always done things.