Suresh Pan Shop & General Stores

Suresh Pan Shop & General Stores is right at 175 SV Road in Vile Parle West. It’s a corner spot, so we see everyone walking by. It’s a small shop, really more of a stall if you look at it from the street. We sell all sorts of things besides pan. Cigarettes, biscuits, cold drinks, even some basic stationery items. It’s a bit crowded in here because we try to fit as much as we can on the shelves. I spend most of my day standing or sitting on a small stool near the front. SV Road is always congested with traffic, especially in the evenings when everyone is trying to get home. The noise is constant but I like watching the world go by. We’ve been at this address for decades. My father started it and now I’m the one here most of the time. We know the names of almost everyone who lives in the apartments nearby. They stop by for a chat or to pick up something they forgot at the bigger market. It’s a simple life. We don’t have fancy displays or air conditioning. Just a few fans to keep the air moving. In the monsoon, we have to put up plastic sheets to keep the rain out. It’s just how it is. We stay open pretty late because there’s always someone needing something. The light from the streetlamp keeps the front of the shop bright enough at night.