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Dusty roads, flies swarming on the fruits and vegetables being sold out in the open. And dry fruits? Nobody has even heard of them. This is what Tambaram used to be a few years ago. Now it has all changed and one of the game-changers is ‘Ottanchathiram – Fruits & Vegetables Shop’ on Grand Southern Trunk Road, Tambaram.
The imposing façade tempts one to enter the shop and see for oneself what is on sale. And that ‘one’ is not disappointed.
There are plenty of fruits: You name it and you get it. There are many new varieties of fruits like dragon fruit, passion fruit, golden pears from China, varieties of apples - Washington, green, Fuji and apple Gala - that are affordable. They also sell seasonal fruits like watermelon, jackfruit, oranges, and seedless grapes from Australia.
Once you are satiated with the fruit section, throw your glance at the dry-fruit section. Power-packed nuts like almonds, pista, figs and cashews sell like hot cakes, declares shop assistant Mahalakshmi, who is in charge of the dry fruits section.
Vegetables are all farm fresh and tempt you to buy the dark green ladies finger, shiny pototaes, scarlet red tomatoes or cream-coloured cauliflower.
You will turn into a glutton once you step inside the shop, remarked an old woman customer who has decided to taste all the sweets and savouries. After gorging on the milk halwa and Mysore pa, it is only proper we take litres of fruit juices to quench our thirst and neutralise the effect of consuming snacks and shorteats!
An inaugural profit of Rs 40,000 has made the sales personnel happy. The shop, that has branches in Palavakkam and ECR, does more business during the weekends, enlightened Mahalakshmi.
Catering to the early risers and those who get home late, the shop is open from 7 a.m. till 11 p.m. on all days.
R Sowndarya
R Sowmya
P Selva Priya
E Tamil Selvi
P Merlin Sheela
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