Archie

Our shop, Archie, is tucked away in Shaniya Apartment on V.P. Road. We are at Shop No.1, which makes it easy for people to spot us if they are walking from the Vile Parle station. The railway crossing is right nearby, so we hear the sirens and the trains going past every few minutes. It becomes a sort of background noise that we don't even notice anymore after a while. The shop isn't very large, so we have to use every inch of the walls to display things. It’s a bit crowded in here when more than three or four people come in at once. We spend our mornings dusting the shelves and rearranging the items to make space for whatever arrived the day before. The Glitorium sign outside is a bit faded from the sun, but it still does the job. Vile Parle West is a busy area, especially in the evenings when everyone is heading home. Sometimes the traffic at the crossing gets backed up right in front of our door, and the honking can get a bit loud. We have a small stool behind the counter where we sit when things are quiet. The floor is a simple tile that’s easy to mop. We know most of the people who walk past every day, like the guy who sells snacks on the corner. It is a simple life in a small shop, just doing what needs to be done.