Kutubali A Ariwalla

Being on Abdul Rehman Street means there's always something going on outside our doors. We are in Nasrulla Mansion, specifically units 131 and 133. It's right across from the Central Bank. The building is one of those old Mumbai structures with high ceilings and thick walls. Inside, we have stacks of goods that reach almost to the top. It can look a bit messy to an outsider, but there is a system to it. We've been here for a long time. My father handled things before me and his father before him. The name Kutubali A Ariwalla is what people know us by. We don't do much advertising; the sign above the door is enough. Most of our customers have been coming to us for decades. They know where we are. Dealing with the traffic on this street is a challenge every single day, but we've learned to ignore the noise. We keep a ledger on the desk, though we have a computer now too. It's a mix of the old ways and the new. We don't spend money on fancy furniture or big displays. The focus is just on getting the work done and making sure people get what they came for. It’s a busy life here in the heart of the market. Sometimes the electricity goes out for a minute and we just wait it out. It's just how things go. We keep a fan going near the desk to stay cool, but it mostly just moves the warm air around the room.