Aggarwal Cement Store

Our shop is number 60 in the New Grain Market over in Samalkha. This market is a very busy place, especially when the harvest comes in, but we stay open all year to sell cement. It gets incredibly crowded with tractors and wooden carts, so it’s often a real struggle to get a delivery truck into our specific spot. The shop itself is quite narrow but goes back a long way, and it's filled nearly to the ceiling with heavy bags. We have a small wooden counter right at the front where we talk to our customers and write out the bills by hand. The ceiling fan has a bit of a wobble and makes a clicking sound, but we need it for the heat. We have been part of the Samalkha community for a long time and know all the other shopkeepers around the grain market. We usually get together for tea in the late afternoon when things quiet down a bit. It’s a noisy and dusty place to work, but it feels like home to us. We don't bother with any big advertising or fancy signs. People just know to find us at shop sixty. The floor is always covered with bits of jute and white powder. We spend a lot of time sweeping, but the dust just comes right back. That is just how it goes in a place like this. We finish our work, lock the doors, and head home for dinner.