As grocery apps like Zepto and Blinkit continue to dominate urban shopping habits, a Bengaluru techie’s social media post has sparked a lively debate about whether India’s neighborhood kirana stores can still hold their ground.
In a post that quickly caught fire on X (formerly Twitter), Amarnath Shivashankar shared the story of a humble grocery shop in his Bengaluru neighborhood that’s doing more than just surviving—it’s thriving. The store, which has been around for four decades, hasn’t just kept pace with the times—it’s sprinted ahead in its own way.
“This store near my place has been around for 40 years. They accept UPI, cards, cash—whatever works for you. They deliver to your doorstep. They even send groceries abroad through a courier service,” Amarnath wrote. “The quality is excellent. They’ve figured out how to make it work. That’s real innovation.”
He praised the store for keeping up with changing customer needs without losing the personal touch, even as big players like Reliance Mart, D-Mart, and lightning-fast delivery apps have taken over much of the grocery space.
While celebrating the store’s resilience, Amarnath made a pointed observation about modern shopping behavior: “This is capitalism, not socialism. People will go where they get value, convenience, and quality. That’s the bottom line.”
The post triggered hundreds of responses, with users chiming in from both sides of the fence.
Some hailed the post as a reminder that small businesses can survive if they’re willing to adapt. But others saw it as an exception, not the rule. One user commented, “The problem isn’t innovation or service—it’s that a few giant corporations control most of the supply chain now. That’s not a fair playing field.”
There were also voices of cautious optimism, drawing from history. “We’ve seen this before,” wrote another user. “When Ola and Uber showed up, people thought autos were done for. Then came the Metro, and people feared buses would vanish. But everything found its place eventually. The market adjusts.”
At a time when algorithms and logistics are dictating how we shop, the story of one well-run kirana shop reminds us there’s still room for trust, familiarity, and good old-fashioned service. For now, at least, the local store isn’t just surviving—it’s setting an example.
