Shah Babulal General Store

Shah Babulal General Store sits right on Metal Pur Road in the Alkapuri area. It’s an old part of Vadodara, and being near the New India Mill means there’s a lot of history around here. The shop itself is nothing too special to look at from the outside, just a regular place with a lot of stuff shoved inside. I get in early to beat the heat and start reorganizing the jars of snacks and the household cleaners. The shelves are made of old wood that has seen better days, but they hold up the weight of the flour sacks just fine. We get all sorts of people coming in, from office workers in Alkapuri to families who have lived here for decades. I often find myself chatting about the old days when the mill was busier. My hands are usually a bit dusty from handling the packaging all day. We try to keep things like matches, oil, and biscuits always ready because those are what people need the most. Sometimes the light in the back flickers, but I haven't had the time to fix the wiring yet. It’s a steady kind of work, just counting change and making sure the stock doesn't run out. There’s no big sign or loud music, just the sound of the ceiling fan and the occasional car horn from the street outside. We just stay open and wait for the regulars to drop by for whatever they need.