Apollo

Out here in Ayroor, things move at their own pace. Our spot is at Sreejith S Pulari, which is basically a local landmark if you know the Varkala area well. Being part of the Apollo name means we stay quite busy with people coming in from all over the Trivandrum district. The building is right near the P.O. which makes it easy to find for those who aren't from around here. I remember when we first started, the shelves were mostly empty, but now they are packed with everything people might need. The floors are white and we try to keep them clean, though people bring in sand from the road. We don’t have any big speeches or fancy mottos. We just stand behind the counter and help whoever walks through the door. Some days the sun is so bright it reflects off the glass cabinets. We have a small radio that plays local news in the background. It’s a simple setup. My colleague Sreejith is usually around to help out with the heavier stuff or to sort the inventory. We know most of our customers by their first names because they’ve been coming here for years. It’s a good feeling to be part of the community in Ayroor. Even when the power goes out, we just keep the doors open and use flashlights if we have to. It’s just how things work in this part of Kerala.