Deepak General Store

This Deepak General Store is the one in the Shivpur area of Varanasi, located on Central Jail Road near Sunbeam Varuna. It’s a bit of a different vibe here compared to other parts of the city. The road is always moving with traffic going towards the highway. We get a lot of people stopping by who are just passing through, but our main business is the families living nearby. The shop is filled with everything from cleaning supplies to snacks and dairy. It’s a bit of a tight squeeze when the milk crates arrive in the morning. We have to move the stools and clear a path. I spend most of my day sitting near the entrance so I can see who’s coming in. We don't have fancy air conditioning, just a couple of ceiling fans that hum all day long. The walls have some old calendars hanging on them, and the counter is a bit scratched up from all the coins and bags. We just keep our heads down and do the work. There’s no mission statement or anything like that; we just want to make sure the shelves aren't empty when someone needs something for their dinner. It’s a long day, starting before the sun is fully up and finishing well after dark. We’re just a regular shop doing regular things for the people around Shivpur, keeping the staples in stock and the doors open. We've been here for years and hope to stay.