R.Perumal Iron & Steel Merchant

You can find us right at No. 1 on Seetharamchetty Road. This is Rathinasamypuram, and we’ve been part of this neighborhood for quite a long time. R.Perumal started this business with just a small stack of iron. Now the yard is much bigger, but it's still the same basic idea. We sell iron and steel to whoever walks through the gate. It might be a contractor or just someone needing a few rods for a small repair at home. The street outside can get pretty cramped when the delivery trucks try to turn around. It’s always a bit of a scramble to get the loading done quickly so we don't block the neighbors. We don't have any big marketing plans or a social media page. We just answer the phone and talk to the people who come in. Most of our days are spent moving heavy metal around and writing out receipts by hand. It’s manual work, and it’s tiring, but it's what we know how to do. The local tea stall is just around the corner, which is where we usually take our breaks. It’s a straightforward business without any bells or whistles. We just stay open and wait for the next customer to show up. It gets really hot in the afternoon, so we drink a lot of water and keep the fans going in the small office area. My son helps me out with the books now, so that's one less thing I have to worry about.