D Usman

D Usman is located right on the ground floor of Building Number 172 in Masjid Bunder West. If you know this area, you know it’s one of the most crowded places in all of Mumbai. Our shop is small and usually stuffed with boxes from the floor to the ceiling. We deal in general goods and trading, which means our stock changes depending on what’s available and what people are asking for. The building is quite old and has that specific smell of dust and old wood that you only find in this part of town. Usman himself is usually around, sitting near the entrance and keeping an eye on the street. We don’t have a fancy computer system to tell us what’s in stock; we just look at the shelves and know. It’s a busy life, with handcarts constantly blocking the entrance and couriers dropping off packages. We don’t have air conditioning, so we just leave the front door open and hope for a breeze, which rarely comes. Most of our customers are other traders or locals who have been coming to us for decades. We don't bother with polished talk or trying to look bigger than we are. We are just a ground-floor shop in a busy market, trying to make a living and keep the business going for another year. Even when it rains heavily and the streets flood, we usually find a way to stay open for those who need us.