Nitin General Store

Nana Peth is a busy part of Pune, and being at house number four means we see a lot of the daily commute. The shop has been here for a while. It’s a narrow space, so I have to be careful how I stack the crates of soda and the boxes of biscuits. The walls are lined with wooden racks that go all the way to the ceiling. I have a small stool I use to reach the top shelves, though my knees aren't as good as they used to be. Most of the time, I’m just standing behind the wooden counter, waiting for the next person. We sell a bit of everything, from notebooks for the school kids to matches and candles. The floor is concrete and stays cool even when it’s boiling outside. Sometimes the rain comes down hard and we have to pull the shutter halfway down to keep the water from splashing inside. It gets a bit damp then, and the smell of the old wood comes out. I don't really use a computer for the accounts; I still prefer my big registers with the red covers. It’s slower that way, but I like writing things down by hand. There isn't much to say about the place other than we open every day and try to keep the shelves from looking empty. It’s a plain, honest business. We don't have much room for more stuff, so we just stick to the essentials.