Soumiya Stores

Soumiya Stores is situated in Sri Kaliamman Nadar Pettai in the Melur area. It is a quiet little corner compared to the main highway, which is nice for a change. We opened this place to provide for the families living right around here. You will find mostly food items and household stuff on our shelves. We don't have a lot of space, so we have to be careful about what we stock. My kids sometimes hang out in the back after school while I work. People come in to chat as much as they do to shop. It’s that kind of neighborhood where everyone knows everyone else’s business. We keep the doors open all day to let the breeze in, though it gets quite warm in the afternoons. Sometimes we run out of things if the supply truck is late, but we tell people to come back the next day. No one is in a huge rush around here. We use an old scale for weighing out things like sugar and dhal. It’s been here since the start and still works perfectly. The floor is concrete and we keep it clean as best we can. It is just a modest shop run by local people for the locals. We might not have everything, but we have what matters for a normal day. It is a peaceful way to spend time.