Aggarwal General Store

Our place is at 1172/2 in Kashmir Nagar, Ludhiana. We are quite close to Gaushala Road, so there is always a bit of a breeze and the sound of cows and bells in the distance. This store has been part of the family for quite a long time. It’s a brick building with a heavy metal shutter. Inside, it smells like a mix of spices and laundry detergent. We keep everything from large sacks of flour to small packets of shampoo that cost a rupee. Ludhiana gets very cold in the winter, so we usually have a small heater near our feet while we wait for customers. In the summer, we drink a lot of cold water from the clay pot in the corner. We don't have a website or a fancy sign. Most people find us because they live just down the street. We do our billing by hand in a big ledger book with red covers. It’s slower than a computer, but it’s how we’ve always done it. Sometimes the neighbors come in just to ask for change or to check the time. We don't mind. It’s a community thing. We try to keep the shop organized, but with so many small items, it always looks a bit cluttered. It’s just a regular general store for regular people who need to pick up some tea or salt on their way home.