In the age of 10-minute deliveries and flashy online grocery apps, the charm of your local kirana shop is slowly fading. The convenience of ordering a packet of chips or a bottle of shampoo from Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, or Blinkit has made these small neighbourhood stores seem outdated to many. But for those who grew up in towns and smaller cities, these shops are more than just a place to pick up daily essentials. They are a reminder of human connection.
Speaking of which, a user on X named Aaraynsh shared a touching experience from his hometown. He went to a sweet shop to buy a samosa, but UPI wasn’t working and he had no cash on him. As he fumbled with his phone, unsure of what to do, the elderly shopkeeper looked at him kindly and asked, “Kiske ghar se ho?”
Upon hearing his father’s name, the shopkeeper immediately recognised the family and said, “Singh sahab ke ladke ho? Koi baat nahi, baad mein de dena.”
Will delivery apps ever have this connection and level of trust? Never.
The picture attached to the post shows a traditional mithai shop – rows of namkeen and sweets, a giant steel plate filled with orange boondi, colourful mithais in the glass counter, and an elderly man calmly managing his store, surrounded by a familiar setup that hasn’t changed much in decades.
Have a look at his post here:
Went to buy a samosa in my hometown today. After picking it up, UPI was down and I had no cash.
The shopkeeper looked at me struggling for 2–3 minutes and then asked, “Kiske ghar se ho?”
I told him my father’s name, and he replied, “Accha, Singh sahab ke ladke ho? Koi baat nahi,… pic.twitter.com/smIuJJtz5z— Aaraynsh (@aaraynsh) April 12, 2025
The post struck a chord with many others who shared their own memories. Some recalled how local shopkeepers would let them take groceries on credit, trusting families to clear dues at the end of the month. Others reminisced how, in small towns, one never needed an ID. Just a familiar face or a father’s name would do.
Have a look:
In small towns, surnames carry stories, not just identities.
— Aryannn🪐 (@relatablehuyrrr) April 12, 2025
Yeah Just like in small towns the Kirana stores save many people. They give groceries to some families in credit and they repay it over time. I used to bring all our groceries and at the end of the month my dad used to pay. It’s a beautiful gesture of trust and relationship.
— Priyanshu (@that_tallguy_1) April 12, 2025
Mai doodh bhi aise hi laya hu thodi der pehle 😂😂😂
— Mr. Anonymous (@N0T_DEPRESSED_) April 12, 2025
Relatable.
I grew up in a small town. My dad was amongst the very few private medical practitioners. Pretty much everyone knew him and given I resemble him a lot, I never had to utter my name to get things done.
— Sumit Ramani (@RamaniSumit) April 12, 2025
This happened in cities too, atleast back when I was a kid. I never paid, always took my moms name and then my mom would come in the evening and pay
— reubence (@reubence_) April 13, 2025
It’s wholesome, Somehow people in small town keeps operating the same way and I hope it keeps that way. We built connections even without much effort with people
— Abhay (@KaunHaiAbhay) April 12, 2025
In the age of apps, there’s still a world that runs on relationships!