Hardware Plaza

Our shop, Hardware Plaza, is located at Shop No B/12, Plot No 239, in Kandivali West. We are right across the street from the Bhagawati Hotel, which is a big landmark around here. It’s a small shop but we’ve got shelves packed all the way to the ceiling with nails, screws, tools, and pipes. It’s a bit of a maze inside. I’ve been running this place for years and I usually know where every single nut and bolt is hidden, even if it looks messy to anyone else. It gets really dusty because of all the construction material, but that’s just how hardware stores are. We don’t have fancy displays or those bright lights you see in the big malls. It’s just me and sometimes a helper during the day. People from the nearby buildings come in when a pipe leaks or they need a new lock for their door. I spend a lot of time just talking to the regular customers about their home repairs. It’s not a high-tech business. We use a simple calculator and a notebook to keep track of sales. Sometimes the door sticks in the monsoon, but we haven't gotten around to fixing it yet. It’s a practical place for practical things. We don't try to sell people stuff they don't need. If they want a single screw, they can buy a single screw. That is just how we run things in this neighborhood.