Mahima General Store

Mahima General Store is tucked away at shop 307 on Macharia Road. If you are in Naubasta, you probably pass by us. Kanpur is a busy city and this road stays quite active. We have been here serving the neighborhood for quite a while now. It’s a simple setup with shelves lining the walls from floor to ceiling. I usually sit near the front counter while my nephew helps with the heavy lifting. We sell all kinds of small things people realize they ran out of at the last minute. Soap, toothpaste, biscuits, and candles when the power goes out. The shop isn't very big so it can feel a bit crowded when three or four people are inside at once. We don't have any fancy signs or neon lights. Just the name board outside that’s seen a few rainy seasons. The street outside is often loud with rickshaws and bikes going by. Sometimes the dust from the road comes in, so we are always wiping down the glass jars. It’s a regular life here. Most customers are the same people who live in the flats nearby. We know what most people want before they even ask. It is just how things go in a local Kanpur shop. We open early and stay open until the street gets quiet at night. I keep a small radio behind the counter to listen to the news when it’s slow.