Street walk

Ibrahim Sahib Street in Bengaluru has managed to stay aloat in spite of lockdowns because of its affordable wares from across the country.

Aditi Subramanian

When you need an occasion where do you head? To the mall or a boutique, probably. This is because wellknown brands enjoy the unfaltering trust of its customers and heavily rely on their reputation in the industry. And that costs money.

Have you ever wondered if you could get a glam look with unlabelled fashion? What is known as fast fashion is costly, because the socalled “fast fashion” is after all a brand too. Now there is a movement among conscious consumers to patronise local and small businesses. This not only saves money for buyers but also sustains unorganised small and street businesses.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused many multi-dollar companies to cut production and do mass layoffs. While these companies were able to survive the pandemic, because they are large corporations with reserve funds many were not that lucky.

Small local businesses were brought down on their last leg and are still struggling to stay afloat. These businesses rely on their local customers for sales. Be it food or fashion, these small shops and street stalls provide the neighbourhood shopping experience and, the thing that we Indians love to do -- the chance to bargain.

This also fuels the local economy and helps keep small businesses afloat. So if you shop at these places, not only are you saving your own money but ensuring the survival of the small fish. And given the times, we must support them.

Local businesses surround us. Bangalore, a city that proudly showcases its malls and skyscrapers, is also the home to local markets that sell a wide range of products at affordable rates.

One such market is Ibrahim Saheb Street in Bangalore. The area is always bustling with life and has managed to stay afloat after two lockdowns. It is a one-stop place for its clothes and accessories. It is dotted with bright and colorful kurtas, dupattas, sarees, blouses and jhumkas. Buyers spend hours roaming the street, bargaining, and munching on snacks from the small eateries that are scattered throughout the area.

Contrasting to the employees at malls, owners of the local small businesses here are well-aware of where the cloth is manufactured and its history. For instance, Arif Zafar, a small-business owner buys the authentic Banarasi shawls en masse directly from those who make them from scratch. He ensures that the quality of the products he sells is not compromised, and sells dupattas and stoles that have intricate designs. These cannot be found in the mainstream stores.

Much like all the stores and stalls in Ibrahim Street, Arif sells his products at an affordable rate. “People from different parts of Bangalore come here to buy scarves and dupattas because the average price of these pieces is only 250 rupees. Customers specifically come to my shop because I sell a custom printed pattern that cannot be found in other shops,” he says, while proudly showing-off a stack of cheetah- print scarves.

However, the pandemic has caused a decline in the people who visit local markets. This has adversely impacted the owners of these shops, and the rumours of a potential third wave have multiplied the fears of these business owners. “I had to completely stop my business during the lockdown. I had no means of earning, and my savings are over. The last few months have been forgiving and I get 75% of the income that I used to earn prior to the pandemic. However, if there is a third wave, I don’t know how I’ll feed my family,” says Ansaaf (name changed), an owner of a stall that sells earrings, necklaces and other accessories. His stall has jhumkas, studs and other earrings of different colours and styles at a price range of 30 to 300 rupees.

The families of those who sell these products face the brunt of the dog-eatdog corporate world and now have a constant fear amidst the rising cases looming over them. Hence, the next time you shop, support small businesses and think local.