Mohammed Ifran

In the middle of Madan Pura at Mumbai Central, Mohammed Ifran has Shop No 210 in the Mico Layout. This part of Mumbai is always moving, and the shop is right in the thick of it. It’s a small space, like most of the shops around here, and we have to stack things high up on the shelves to make everything fit. The street outside is narrow, so there’s always a bit of a scramble when a delivery truck tries to get through. We spend our days dealing with customers who pop in and out, and there’s always a lot of shouting and honking from the main road. The shop floor is concrete and stays relatively cool even when it’s humid outside. We don't have any glossy brochures or a website. Most of our regulars just know to come to shop 210 when they need something. We keep a ledger on the counter to write down what goes in and out. Sometimes the rain comes down so hard we have to pull the shutter halfway just to keep the water from splashing inside. It’s a busy, cramped way to work, but it’s what we know. We’ve been here for years, and the shop next door has been there just as long. We just keep our heads down and get on with the business of the day. It’s hard work, but we like the people in this neighborhood.