Govind General Stores

Govind General Stores has its home in Pune City, specifically in the 411002 neighborhood. It is a very old part of the city with narrow streets and lots of people walking around. Our shop is tucked in among many others. I’ve spent most of my life working here. The day starts quite early when the milk crates are dropped off on the sidewalk. I have to drag them inside before the sun gets too high. The shop is usually dark inside until I flip the main switch. We keep everything people might need in a hurry. From toothpaste to cooking oil, we try to have it in stock. It’s not a big supermarket, so things are stacked quite close together. You have to know exactly where everything is or you’ll spend all day looking for a single packet of spice. Most of our customers are locals who have been coming here for years. They come in to buy their daily bread and stay for a few minutes to talk about their kids or the local politics. We don't have any fancy signs or advertisements. People just know we are here. Sometimes the street outside gets blocked by a truck, and it gets very loud and dusty. We just keep serving whoever comes through the door. It’s a steady job and it keeps us connected to all the people living right around us.