Ram Maligai Store

Our store is number 652 in Mendonsa Colony over in Thamaraikulam. It is a small Maligai shop that has been serving this little pocket of town for a good while. We keep the usual things like rice, oils, and pulses. It is a quiet neighborhood, so we know almost everyone by their first name. The shop is a bit small, so we have to be smart about where we stack the bags. Sometimes the entryway gets a bit blocked when a new shipment arrives. We don't have a big team, just a couple of us handling the counter and the stock. We open up early because that’s when the ladies come out to get things for the day's cooking. It isn't a place with air conditioning or fancy aisles. It is just a room with shelves and a counter. We spend time cleaning the grains and making sure everything is fresh. If something is nearing its date, we move it out. It is a lot of routine. Sweep the floor, check the milk delivery, talk to the neighbors. We don't have a website or anything like that. People just walk in when they need a kilo of sugar or some salt. It is a very direct way of doing business. Being in Mendonsa Colony is nice because it feels like a community. We just provide the essentials and keep things running as best as we can without making things complicated. The shop gets quite bright in the afternoon when the sun hits the front window, and we usually have to pull the shade.