Maryam Tex

Maryam Tex is over here at No. 6 Nanthavana Thottam. If you know the old bus stand, you can’t miss the area, though our place is a little tucked away. It’s a busy spot with lots of noise from the street, but once you step inside, it’s mostly just the smell of new fabric and maybe some dust in the air. We’ve been at this for a while now. The shelves are pretty packed with all sorts of materials. Sometimes it looks like a mess to an outsider, but we know where every roll of cloth is. Or at least we try to. My cousin helps me out most days, and we spend a lot of time just moving things around to make space for new arrivals. The floor is concrete and stays cool even when the sun is hitting the front of the building. We don't have any fancy displays or bright lights. Usually, we just use the natural light from the doorway to see the patterns clearly. Customers come in and we chat for a bit while they look through the stacks. It isn’t a fast process. Picking out the right texture takes time. We have a small stool in the corner if someone needs to sit. The tea stall nearby brings us some chai in the afternoons. It’s a simple way to spend the day, really. We just keep things moving and try to stay organized.