Machhi Ram Store

Up here in Ludhiana, at Basti Jodhewal, you will find Machhi Ram Store. We are right at number 1, and the zip code is 141001. The winters here get really cold, so we spend a lot of those months wrapped in sweaters while we wait for people to come in. The shop is filled with all sorts of stuff piled up. We know where everything is, even if it looks a bit cluttered to someone else. It is a family thing, mostly. We don't spend money on advertising or anything like that. Word of mouth is how people find out about us, or they just see the sign while walking by in Basti Jodhewal. We spend our mornings checking the bags and making sure nothing is spoiled or broken. The floor is old cement and it stays cool even when the sun is hitting the front of the building. We have a small radio that plays most of the day just to have some background noise. It’s a lot of manual work, carrying sacks and stacking tins. We don't have a big team, just a few of us who know the routine. We've seen the neighborhood change a lot over the years, but Machhi Ram Store stays pretty much the same. We like the consistency of it. It is honest work and it keeps us busy from morning until night. We just keep stacking the shelves and greeting the people we know.