Shah Wholesale Mart

Our shop is tucked into Shop No 1/2 at the MR Tiwari Chawl in Santacruz East. It’s a bit of a trek if you aren't familiar with the Ge Palya Bommanahalli area, but we’ve been here long enough that most locals know the way. Being a wholesale mart, we deal with a lot of boxes. There’s always someone unloading a truck or stacking crates of goods onto the floor. It can get a bit cramped in here, especially when a fresh delivery arrives and we haven't cleared out the old stock yet. We carry all sorts of things that local shops need to keep their own shelves full. My shirt usually has some dust on it by ten in the morning from moving things around. It’s hard work, but it’s what we know. The chawl has its own character, very different from the big malls you see popping up elsewhere. We know the other shopkeepers around here, and we usually share a cup of tea in the afternoons when things quiet down for a few minutes. We don’t have fancy lighting or air conditioning that works all the time, but the fans keep the air moving well enough. Customers come in with their lists, and we go through the aisles to find what they want. It’s a straightforward business. We just try to get the orders right and keep the inventory moving so nothing sits for too long. There is always something that needs to be restacked or counted. (259 words)