Malhotra Brothers

Malhotra Brothers is our family business. We run the Malhotra Books House over in Pacca Danga. It’s an old neighborhood, and we’ve been here since my father’s time. The shop is filled from floor to ceiling with books. It smells like old paper and ink, which is something I’ve grown to love. We mostly deal with school and college textbooks. Every year when the new term starts, the place gets absolutely packed. It’s chaos, but we know exactly where every book is hidden in the stacks. We don't use a computer for inventory; it's all in our heads and some old ledgers. My brother handles the customers at the front, and I manage the stock in the back. Pacca Danga is a good place for a bookstore. There are always students walking around. We also keep some stationery and pens. The shop isn't modern. We still have the same wooden counters from thirty years ago. They are worn smooth from years of people leaning on them. Sometimes we have tea with the regulars who just come in to chat about the local news. We don't do any big advertising. People just know where Malhotra Brothers is. If a book isn't in stock, we try to get it from the distributors in a few days. It’s a slow, steady business and we like it that way. We open early because the morning air is best for cleaning the shelves. We close for lunch.