Nishpanna Store

Nishpanna Store is a small spot in Koorkenchery, over in the Alathur area. It is a quiet place where life moves a bit slower than it does in the bigger towns. I open up the shutters every morning and the first thing I do is wipe down the counter because of the humidity. We have shelves lined with all the basics—shampoos, snacks, cooking oils, and those little jars of sweets that the kids like to buy on their way home from school. The shop is small enough that I can reach almost anything without having to walk too far. I spend a lot of my time chatting with the neighbors who stop by more for the conversation than for the actual shopping. We have a small television in the corner that is usually tuned to the local news, but mostly it is just background noise. The Alathur region is very green, and sometimes when it rains, the water splashes right up to the doorstep. I keep a stack of old newspapers under the counter to help dry the floor when people walk in with wet umbrellas. It is just a simple life here, running the store and making sure we have enough change in the drawer for the afternoon customers. We don't have any big signs or advertisements; people just know where we are.