Madhuri Rajan Thalkar

The shop is at number 114 in the J B Estate Municipal Shopping Complex. We are right in Panvel, very close to the Bhaji Market. You can usually smell the fresh vegetables and hear the sellers calling out from our doorstep. Being in a municipal complex means there are always people moving through the corridors all the time. It’s a small space, but we make the most of it by keeping things tidy. We have a lot of regular people who drop in while they are doing their grocery shopping for the week. The complex itself is quite old and has that specific look to it that you find in government buildings. We spend a lot of our time organizing the stock and talking to the neighbors. It’s a very local atmosphere. Everyone knows everyone else's business around the market. Sometimes the crowds in the Bhaji Market make it hard for people to get to us, but they manage to find a way through the stalls. We don't have any flashy displays or big lights to attract attention. Just a simple counter and some shelves for our items. We've been here long enough that we don't need to explain where we are to the locals anymore. It gets hot in the afternoons, so we have a small fan that runs all day to keep us cool. It’s a simple way to earn a living. We see the same faces every week.