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Imperial
Hosiery- Parents, this is the shop to go for
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 There
was a time, not very long ago, when canvas shoes
meant Bata, raincoats - Duck back, compass boxes
- Globe and Tiffin boxes - well, Steel. Not any
longer. It is variety that seems to add spice to
a child's school life. We checked out an all-time
favourite shop that overflows with parents a few
days before schools reopen for the new term, to
find just how they were coping with the changing
times
Imperial Hosiery: Established in 1932, this
well stocked shop has reasonably priced goods and
is known for not letting their customers down. A
hit with parents of school going children, Kirti
Shah, the Proprietor, seems to be an expert in mind
reading. He seems to know just what each parent
is looking for and presents it with a flourish even
before it is asked for. School uniforms, socks,
cardigans, handkerchiefs, raincoats, swimming costumes,
fancy dress gear, you name it they have it.
What's more, Kirtibhai knows the rules of
each school and even the idiosyncrasies of the school
principals. So he will make sure he stocks just
the right shade of cardigan for St. Mary's girls
and the right length of shorts for Bishopites.
Ask him about today's kids and he admits they are
extremely smart with a mind of their own, most of
them have a stubborn streak and demand exactly what
they desire. Prod him a bit about whether this demand,
in keeping with the definition of Economics, remains
mere desire or is it backed by the ability and willingness
to pay and he has his explanation ready "Most
parents listen to what the kids have to say; after
all, the kids are more tuned into goods that are
of interest to them, but, you will be surprised,
the final decision, even today is taken by the
parent.
 It’s
only the odd parent who gets bullied into buying
something s/he doesn't want. "However,"
he continues, "most parents do not hesitate
to buy what is necessary." And what about
the mind-boggling variety of goods that has hit
the Indian shores, will he be able to cope with
it? "I welcome competition, variety is needed
to keep us on our toes, I personally do not have
to fear the influx of imported goods because of
the tremendous goodwill Imperial Hosiery has generated.
The sheer trust of my customers can keep me going
for another century."Besides," he
continues in the same vein, "the ultimate
beneficiaries are the customers and they deserve
to be satisfied," he concludes in all earnestness.
Kirtibhai does have a point, remember the days of
rubber raincoats, could you dream of putting it
away neatly in your school bag, what about those
steel dabbas, which you needed to rest against
your tummy, before wrenching it open, compass boxes
that got rusty in no time and.... Well, like it
or not, Consumerism is here to stay.
You too can meet the affable Mr.Kirti Shah
at 294/295
M.G. Road, Camp;
Phone: 613 0254. |
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