Shree Ganesh Novelty

Down here at F-1 in Ajmal Palace, Shree Ganesh Novelty is where we spend most of our days. Nalasopara in Surat is a busy area, and being in this building means we see a lot of different faces every day. We carry a bit of everything, mostly the kind of stuff you realize you need at the last minute. If you need a gift box or some imitation jewelry for a wedding, we usually have something on the shelf. The shop isn't huge, so things get stacked up pretty high sometimes. You might have to wait a second while I climb the ladder to reach a box. I’ve lived in Surat my whole life, so I know how people like to shop. They want something decent but don’t want to pay those high prices you see in the big showrooms. We keep things simple. The floor gets dusty because of the street outside, so I’m always sweeping. It’s a family-run thing, really. My brother comes in during the afternoons so I can go home for lunch. We don’t do much advertising; people just know we are here in the palace building. Sometimes we run out of change, and I have to run to the next shop to get some coins. It’s just a normal life running a small business like this one. We stay open late most nights because that's when people are walking back from work.