Empire Printery

You’ll find Empire Printery at Unit No 5 on the 1st Floor of Vimal Ud in Matunga West. We are situated right across from the Star City Cinema. If there’s a big movie playing, the whole street gets packed with people, which makes getting deliveries in and out a bit of a headache. Inside the unit, it’s all about the machines. They make a rhythmic thumping sound that you stop noticing after the first hour of work. The smell of ink is everywhere—it’s on our hands, our clothes, and even seems to be in the walls. We have these large worktables where we stack the fresh prints to dry. Space is tight, so we have to be careful how we move around. The floor is stained with different colors from years of spills that never quite came out. We don't have a fancy waiting area; usually, people just stand by the door while we finish up whatever is on the press. It’s a loud, busy environment where we’re constantly checking the alignment and making sure the paper doesn't jam. The windows are usually kept closed to keep the dust away from the ink, so it can get a bit stuffy. We take our breaks when we can, usually just standing by the window watching the cinema crowd. It’s a straightforward printing shop, nothing more and nothing less. We just focus on the machines and the paper.