Shubhum Store

Operating out of Shop Number 34 on G.T. Road in Kanpur keeps us pretty busy. The traffic on this road never seems to stop, and the noise of horns is something we just got used to over the years. We deal with all sorts of household goods. The walls are lined with racks that go all the way up to the roof. I usually have to use a tall wooden stool to reach the things on the top, like the bigger tins of ghee or large washing powder bags. It’s a bit of a tight squeeze when more than two people are inside at once. Kanpur weather can be tough, especially in the summers when the heat stays trapped in the shop, but we just keep the fans running. We stock things like spices, matches, biscuits, and whatever else people in the 208023 area might run out of during the week. The floor is made of old stone that’s worn smooth from everyone walking in and out. We don’t have a computer or anything, just a thick ledger where we keep track of things and a calculator for the totals. It is a straightforward business. We open up in the morning, sort through the new crates that arrived, and stay until the street lights come on. It’s just how we earn our living here. Sometimes the shelves get a bit messy, but we know where everything is kept when someone asks.