Kashmir Treasures

Being in the World Trade Centre at Cuff Parade feels a bit different than a street-side shop, but inside 41-Arcade, things are pretty relaxed. Kashmir Treasures is tucked away here where it's a bit cooler than the humid Mumbai air outside. We spend a lot of time unpacking crates that come in. Most of the day is just spent moving things from one shelf to another or talking to the other shop owners in the arcade. It’s a small space, really, but we make it work. The World Trade Centre has a lot of history, and we’ve seen plenty of shops come and go over the years. We stay because we like the routine. There’s a specific smell of wool and wood that stays in the air here. Sometimes the lights flicker a bit in the afternoon, but we’re used to it. We aren't trying to be the biggest shop in the city. We just have our things from back home and we show them to whoever comes through the door. Usually, it’s quiet until the lunch break when people from the nearby offices wander in to get out of the heat. We sit on the little stools we have and wait for the next delivery. It’s a simple life. Nothing too complicated or loud. Just us at number 41, doing our own thing every day.