Sterling

Sterling is located in the Shamji Building on R. B. Marg in Noorbaug. Our unit is 1/10. This building is really old and has that specific smell of old wood and dust that you only find in South Mumbai. We have been here for a very long time. My father worked here before me, and I just sort of took over when he retired. We deal with various goods, mostly hardware items and some industrial supplies. The walls are lined with shelves that go all the way to the high ceiling. We have to use a very tall wooden ladder to get things from the top. It’s a bit dangerous but we are used to it by now. The office part is just a small desk in the front with an old calculator and a pile of invoices. We don't use much technology here. It’s mostly pen and paper. Noorbaug is a very busy area with a lot of narrow lanes and people carrying heavy loads. We know all the other shopkeepers around here. We usually have tea together in the afternoon when things slow down a bit. The light in the shop isn't great, so we have a few extra bulbs hanging from the ceiling. It’s a simple business. We buy things, we sell things, and we keep the records in our books. It has been like this for forty years now. We haven't changed much. Sometimes we stay late to count the inventory.