Arvind General Stores

Arvind General Stores is situated on the Main Road in Purana Bairhana, Allahabad. This part of the city, with the 211001 pin code, is always moving. Being on the Main Road means we get a lot of noise from the cars and the rickshaws. I open the shop every morning and the first thing I do is wipe down the counter because of the dust from the street. We sell all the basics that a household needs. We have flour, lentils, soaps, and those small toys that children always ask for. The shop has been here for a long time, and the wooden shelves have seen better days. They are a bit bowed from the weight of all the jars and tins. I spend most of my day standing behind the counter, weighing out things or bagging up groceries. We have a lot of regular customers who live in the back lanes of Purana Bairhana. They know me and I know them. We talk about the weather or how the price of onions is going up again. It’s a lot of manual work, especially when the new stock arrives and I have to carry the heavy bags inside. The light in the shop isn't great, but we know our way around every corner. It’s a simple life, and we are just here to provide what the neighbors need for their kitchens every day.