Somisetti Chalamayya Kirana & Generals

Our family runs this kirana shop in the Main Bazar area on Eluru Road. Vijayawada is a fast city, but in the bazar, things feel a bit more traditional. Somisetti Chalamayya is the name on the board, and we have been here for a long time. We sell mostly food items like dals, spices, and rice. The shop is full of smells from all the open bags of grain. It is a bit cramped inside because we try to stock a lot of variety. You might have to squeeze past a sack of onions to get to the counter. It is not the most organized place, but we know exactly where the turmeric is and where the salt is kept. We do not do any fancy marketing. People come because they know us and they know we have what they need for their kitchen. The floor is old stone and it has worn down over the years from all the walking. We open early in the morning before the sun gets too high. By the evening, the bazar is crowded and we are busy till late. It is hard work, standing on your feet all day, but it is what we do. We just want to keep the shop running like it always has been. Simple and straightforward, without any of those modern bells and whistles you see in the big new malls.