Bismi P M A General Store

Our store is at 4/223 on the Morappur Road in Karimangalam. It’s a general store, so we carry a little bit of everything. You might see stacks of soap next to bags of rice or some plastic buckets hanging from the ceiling. It’s a bit cramped inside because we try to fit in as much as we can. People from the nearby houses come in for their daily needs. We know who likes which brand of tea and who always forgets their change. The Morappur Road is always loud with trucks going past, so we have to raise our voices sometimes. We open early in the morning before the sun gets too hot and stay open until late evening. My son helps me with the heavy lifting, like moving the big oil tins. We don't have any fancy scanners, we just calculate everything by hand or with a small calculator. The wooden counter is worn down from years of use. It’s a basic life, but it’s ours. We don’t have a website or anything like that. We just stand behind the counter and wait for the next person to walk through the door. It’s about being there for the neighborhood and making sure we have what they need. Sometimes we get travelers stopping by who are just passing through Karimangalam. We give them directions and maybe sell them a bottle of water. It is nice to meet new people even if it is only for a minute or two.