Mahalaxmi Trading & Co.

Mahalaxmi Trading & Co. is based out of the Poorna Market area in Thiruvallur. Specifically, we are on the first floor of the Nookambika Complex. Our shop is number 10. It’s a very busy part of town because the Durgalamma Temple is right nearby, so there are always people around. Being on the first floor means we have to carry everything up the stairs. It’s a bit of a workout every day. The complex itself is quite old and has that typical market feel. There are other shops selling all sorts of things, so it’s never quiet. We do trading work, which means we deal with a lot of suppliers and local buyers. Our office is mostly filled with boxes and samples of what we sell. We have a small desk where we keep our ledgers and do the bookkeeping. It gets quite hot in the afternoons, but we have a small fan that helps. Manavala Nagar is a place where everyone knows each other in the trade business. We spend a lot of time on the phone or talking to people who drop in to check prices. We don't have any fancy decorations. It's just a place of business. Sometimes the stairs are crowded with people going to the other shops, but we managed to make it work. The stairs are a bit narrow, so you have to be careful when two people are passing. We share the floor with a couple of other small businesses. Sometimes the smell of incense from the temple wafts up into the office. It’s a busy, noisy, and lived-in space.