Chembakam Super Market

Out in Puthenchantha, Varkala, you will find our supermarket. Most people know the area because of the temple or the markets nearby. We chose this spot because it's where the locals actually live and do their shopping. It is different from the beach side of Varkala which is all tourists. Here, it is just regular life. We sell everything from vegetables to washing powder. The vegetable crates arrive early and we have to sort through them to make sure nothing is bruised. It’s a lot of work and your hands get dirty pretty fast. The aisles in the shop are a bit narrow so you have to be careful not to knock things over with your bag. We have a couple of fridges that hum quite loudly but they keep the drinks cold which is the main thing. The roof is corrugated metal so when it rains it sounds like a drum inside the shop. You can’t even hear yourself think sometimes during a heavy downpour. We don't use any fancy computer systems for everything. A lot of it is just done by memory and writing things down on paper. It works for us and our customers don't seem to mind. We just want to be a place where you can get your groceries and maybe hear a bit of gossip about what is happening in Puthenchantha.