Mangalam Provision Store

This store is in the main bazar area of Vadodara, right near Raghukul School. Because of the school, we get a lot of noise and energy in the afternoons when the kids are let out. They all crowd around for candies or small toys, and it gets quite loud for about an hour. The rest of the day is spent dealing with the local families who come in for their monthly provisions. We have big metal bins for different kinds of rice and wheat. The shop is at A-1 and it is quite deep, though the lighting is poor towards the back. I have to use a torch sometimes to find the specific brand of cooking oil someone wants. We have been here for years, and the wooden counter is worn smooth from all the bags being slid across it. I usually eat my lunch sitting on a crate in the back while my son watches the front. We don't do any delivery; people just come and carry their own bags home. Sometimes the street outside gets flooded when it rains heavily, and we have to put wooden planks at the door to keep the water out. It is just a normal part of running a shop in this part of town. We keep things simple and just focus on keeping the shelves full of the basics that every household needs.