Lakshmi Store

Lakshmi Store is over in the Chungam area of Avalukkunnu. It’s a quiet enough part of town, mostly residential houses and narrow lanes. Our shop is just a simple room filled with the things people forget to buy at the big market. We have plenty of tea, coffee, matches, and the usual vegetables that stay fresh for a few days. The floor is just plain tiles and we have a wooden bench outside where some of the older men sit and talk sometimes. We don't really have a set schedule for putting things out, we just do it when we have a spare moment. Sometimes the cat from next door wanders in and we have to shoo it out. It’s a very informal place. We write down what people owe us in a small notebook if they don’t have the cash right then. That’s just how it works in a place like this. You hear all the local gossip while you're weighing out some sugar or lentils. The shelves are a bit mismatched because we added them one by one over the years. It isn’t the most organized shop in the world, but everyone finds what they need eventually. We just keep things moving along day by day without much fuss. The bell on the door doesn't always ring when someone comes in, so we have to stay alert.