Laxmi Cold Drink

Our shop, Laxmi Cold Drink, is right in Gate Bazar. We are very close to Arora Cinema, which makes it a good spot for us. People coming out of the movies are usually thirsty, so they stop by for a bottle. I’ve lived in West Midnapur all my life and decided to set this up because I knew the area well. It’s a simple shop. We have a few big coolers and stacks of crates against the back wall. It gets very hot here in the summer, so our coolers are always working overtime. Sometimes they rattle a lot, but they keep the drinks cold. I usually have one or two boys helping me out with the customers. We don’t have any special deals or big posters. We just sell what people want, whether it’s water or a flavored soda. The bazar is a noisy place, especially in the evenings when everyone is out shopping. We stay open late because that’s when the most people are around. The floor is concrete and we wash it down every morning before we open. It’s nothing special to look at, just a place to get a cold drink. We know most of the shopkeepers around here. We talk about the weather and the local news while we wait for the next customer. It’s a steady life and we don't ask for much more than that.