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The Maharashtra Store - Choc-a-block with
goodies.
 They
are back to waiting for their school bus at street
corners. Bright school children in smart uniforms
and smarter shoes, fancy bags and fancier water
bottles make a pretty picture, no doubt, but it
must have cost their parents a pretty packet too.
We checked out The Maharashtra Store,
one of Pune's popular department stores to find
out more.
'The Maharashtra Store: An exclusive
department store' reads Kiran Mutha's business
card. This custom notified shop has been around
for 90 years and was originally called the
'Ambica Cheap Stores'. It was later renamed
as 'The Maharashtra Cheap Stores' and more
recently as 'The Maharashtra Store'. A huge section
of the store has been demarcated to display items
essential for school. The sheer variety of water
bottles and tiffin boxes, pencil boxes, bags and
stationery - imported and Indian, can leave children
spellbound and parents bewildered. Mr. Mutha seriously
believes in the adage that 'consumer is the
king' and it is to his credit that he considers
every single customer special. This is precisely
the reason why he stocks an assortment of goods
to suit different pockets. Asserts Mr.Mutha, "We
wish to cater to every single customer who walks
in to the shop.  Consumers
should feel comfortable here and know that they
will be able to find what they want within their
budget." What about growing consumerism,
isn't it bad? "Of course not," is
his emphatic reply. "we have to move with
the times," he asserts and continues,"I
wish to provide my customers an opportunity to
see what's available across the world."
What about parents, does he find any change in
their attitude to spending money especially where
their kids are concerned?
"Quite simply it boils down to the income
at one's disposal. Earlier, salaries were lower,
choices limited and foreign goods virtually inaccessible
to the common man, all that has changed today.
What has remained unchanged is that children will
continue to remain top priority for parents and
there will always be a desire to provide them
with the best," he points out.
 Coming
to imported items, why this blind faith in them?
Reasons Mr. Mutha, "Perhaps, consumers
have bought imported items earlier and found them
to be of better quality and more durable. Even
the colours of some of the imported goods are
so attractive that you cannot blame one for getting
lured into opting for them. Finally and more importantly,
consumers are increasingly attaching a premium
on quality, even paying more if necessary."
Sounds sensible. One would hardly like the 'yellow
rice' packed lovingly by Amma to take on
the colour of the cheap plastic box as well, right?
We left relatively reassured that consumerism
was not such a bad word after all.
Contact:
Mr Kiran Mutha,
The Maharashtra Store,
# 74, M.G.Road, Pune
Phone: 6343525
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