National Hardware And General Store

Running National Hardware And General Store in Khandala keeps me on my feet all day. We are located right around Jaigad and Wated, so we get a lot of people passing through who need something for their house or a repair job that can't wait. It is not a very big shop, but we try to keep the shelves full of the basics. You will find nails, some hammers, plastic buckets, and those little things like light bulbs or tape. Sometimes the dust from the road gets inside and I have to spend the morning wiping down the counters. It’s just the way it is here. My brother helps out on the weekends when the farmers come in from the nearby villages. They usually need something for their irrigation pipes or just a new padlock for a gate. We don't have a computer system that works right, so I mostly write everything down in a big blue ledger. It takes longer but I know where every rupee goes. The fan in the corner is loud, especially when it is hot in the afternoon, but it keeps the air moving. I have lived in this part of the country my whole life and I like knowing the names of the people who walk through the door. If someone is short a few coins, I usually let it slide because they will be back next week anyway. It is a simple life and the work is honest.