A One Spices

If you walk down Pudupet Street in Alandur, you’ll probably smell us before you see the sign for A One Spices at number 43. The air around the shop is always thick with the scent of whatever we’re packing that day, whether it’s turmeric, chili, or something else. It’s a small space, and we use every inch of it to store bags and jars. We’ve been here a while now, and the neighbors are used to the sneezing that happens when we’re handling the hotter peppers. We don’t have a big corporate setup. It’s just us doing the grinding, weighing, and bagging by hand. My clothes always smell like cumin at the end of the day, no matter how many times I wash them. Alandur is a busy neighborhood, and we get a lot of foot traffic from people looking for something fresh for their dinner. We don’t put a lot of money into fancy packaging or labels. We figure the product inside is what matters most to the people who buy from us. Sometimes the shop gets crowded when a big delivery comes in, and we have to stack bags right up to the ceiling. It’s hard work, and the dust gets everywhere, but it’s what we know. We just want to keep the shelves stocked so when someone walks in, they find what they need for their kitchen. It is a simple trade.