Aashirwad Stores

I’m usually behind the counter at Shop Number 1 in the Gangotri Apartment building. It’s right there in Kandivali West, so we get a lot of people living in the building coming down for their daily stuff. The shop is small, but we try to cram in as much as we can on the shelves. You’ll find soap, biscuits, maybe some loose tea. It’s mostly just the basics that people forget to buy at the big markets. I’ve spent many years watching the kids in this neighborhood grow up. They used to come in for small candies and now they’re buying milk for their own homes. The fan overhead squeaks a bit when it’s on high, but it keeps the heat away during the afternoons. It’s a quiet life for the most part, except for when the school bus drops everyone off. We keep the front of the store tidy, but the back area is a bit of a mess with empty crates and cardboard boxes. I don't really bother with advertising because the neighbors know I'm here. If I'm not at the counter, I'm probably out back checking the stock or talking to the delivery boy about when the next bread shipment is coming. It’s just a regular neighborhood store where you can get what you need without much fuss. We don’t do anything special, just keep the doors open and the shelves stocked as best as we can every single day.