City Perfumers

You’ll find City Perfumers over at 162 Sheriff Devji Street in the Chakla area. If you’ve ever been to this part of Mumbai, you know it’s one of the most crowded places you can imagine. The street is narrow, and there are always handcarts and motorcycles squeezed in everywhere. Our shop is right there in the thick of it. We have glass jars lining the walls, filled with all sorts of different liquids. The lighting inside isn't the best, but we know where everything is kept. It’s a very old-school way of doing things. We don't have a computer at the front; we just use a simple book to write down what people buy. It gets very hot in the summer, and the small fan above the door doesn't do much, but we’re used to it. Customers come in and want to smell five or six different things before they decide. We don't mind. It’s part of the day. The smells from the street—spices, exhaust, and cooking food—all mix with the perfumes in our shop. It’s a unique environment, for sure. We don't do any big marketing campaigns. We just open the shutters in the morning and wait for the regulars to stop by. It’s a simple business built on being in the same spot for years and knowing the people who walk past our door.