Shree Siddhivinayak Chemist & General Stores

Being on New Prabhadevi Road means things never really stop. Our shop, Shree Siddhivinayak Chemist & General Stores, is at Shop No 38-A. It’s a mix of a pharmacy and a general store, which keeps us on our toes. One minute I’m looking for a specific medicine and the next someone wants a loaf of bread or a bottle of shampoo. Mumbai is always moving, and we are part of that. The shop is small, like most places in this part of town, but we use every inch of wall space. Sometimes the deliveries arrive all at once and the sidewalk gets blocked for a minute. We try to be quick. People stop by on their way to the station or after visiting the temple. It’s a lot of responsibility handling the chemist side, making sure the dates are right and everything is stored correctly. The general store side is more about the daily hustle of snacks and toiletries. The lights hum a little bit, and there’s usually a stack of newspapers near the front. We know most of the people who live in the nearby buildings. They mostly come here when they are sick or just need something to eat. It’s a basic business, nothing fancy about it. We just keep the shelves stocked and the counter clear for the next customer. It is a long day but we get by fine and the neighbors know us.