Mahadev General Store

Running a general store like Mahadev General Store in Bhandup West is all about the early mornings. We have to be open before the workers head into the Vatva GIDC area, so we are usually pulling up the shutters while it’s still a bit dark out. Our location near the Coronation Way Bridge Compound means we get a lot of people passing through. We stock everything from bags of rice and flour to small packets of biscuits and individual soaps. It's a bit of a squeeze inside with all the crates stacked up, but we know where everything is. The shelves are packed tight because people always need something different. One person wants a specific brand of tea, and the next needs a new bucket. We spend a lot of time checking our inventory and talking to the delivery drivers who bring the fresh milk and bread. It’s dusty work, especially with the construction that always seems to be happening nearby. We don't have fancy displays or anything like that. We just use old wooden counters and some metal racks. Sometimes we run out of change, which is a bit of a headache, but the neighbors are patient with us. It’s a steady rhythm of weighing out grains and bagging up groceries. We’ve been here long enough that we know most families in the bridge compound by their first names.