Deep General Store

Being in Surya Shopping Center on Mira Road means there’s never a dull moment for Deep General Store. My shop is number twenty-four, and it’s tucked in between a few other businesses that have been here just as long. Mira Road has changed so much since I first started, but the shop stays pretty much the same. I spend my days rearranging packets of biscuits and making sure we haven't run out of the basic things like soap or cooking oil. The space is a bit tight, especially when a delivery of crates comes in and blocks the entrance for a while. I usually have a radio playing in the background to keep things lively while I wait for customers. It's mostly the families from the nearby apartments who come in. They know me by name and I know exactly what brand of tea they prefer. I don't bother with any big marketing tricks because people around here just want a fair price and someone they recognize behind the counter. Sometimes the monsoon rain leaks a little near the front door, and I have to put out a bucket, but we manage. It’s just a small local business trying to keep up with the daily needs of the neighborhood. I don’t think I’d know what to do with myself if I wasn't here at the counter every day. The work is constant but I like seeing the community every morning.