Amrita Shawls

We have this spot in Sarvodaya Enclave. It isn't a huge showroom, mostly just shelves full of shawls. We spend a lot of time folding and unfolding things for people who stop by. Delhi winters are when it gets really crowded in here. There’s usually someone sitting in the corner doing a bit of embroidery or checking the fringe on a wrap. We started out small and stayed that way. The light in the shop isn't great in the evenings, but we know where everything is kept. You can smell the wool when you walk in. Sometimes we have tea with the regulars who have been buying from us for a decade. It’s quiet in the summer, so we just organize the stock and wait for the weather to turn. We don’t do much advertising. People just know the address. Sometimes the delivery guys struggle to find the gate, but they get here eventually. We have piles of different colors, some plain and some with patterns. It's a simple business. My hands are usually a bit rough from handling the fabric all day. We just make sure the quality is okay before anything goes out the door. It’s not about being the biggest shop in the area, just about having enough variety for the locals who need something warm. We just keep the shop open and hope the winter is a long one this year.