We were on our way to Chennai on May 22nd, 2012 to gather data from customers for the group project. Feeling exceptionally hot on that day, we stopped on our way to get some soft drinks and water. Time being the constraint, we halted at the first decent and likely place we spotted.
"Hi Look Hot & Chill" on Gandhi Mandapam Road is a juice centre of sorts. Not carrying my camera-cell phone with me, I felt miserable at the prospect of not being able to capture at least the name of this joint! Hi Look (for short) shows typical signs of a tiny shop later expanded into a bigger one - faded wall on one side, an even lighter wall on the opposite and markings of a partition that once stood in the middle. There are tables, chairs (not very comfortable but clean) and fans inside the shop placed for the customers use. There is a fridge too, that keeps all the soft drinks and water cold. The choicest of fruits are on display and juices are made fresh as orders come in. For the hygiene-conscious customers, juices are served in disposable cups.
Hi Look does not cook/prepare anything that has to be consumed immediately on its premises other than fresh juices. However, it sells soft drinks, tetra packed juices, tetra-packed buttermilk and curds (dahi), bottled water, biscuits, wafers and chips and other sundry items such as toothbrush/toothpaste, soap cakes, sachets of shampoos etc. They also have local sweets, candies, toffies, chocolates and biscuits from the local baker.
Hi Look caters to the locals living in the vicinity (these are people from the lower economic classes), passers-by who stop for a quick cold drink/juice, a chocolate or a pack of biscuits. Located very near to a zerox shop, people waiting for their photocopies come for quick, short purchases, to quench their thirst or simply to wait under the shade! There is a bidi stall a few paces away from Hi Look. From the looks of it, Hi Look and the bidi shop serve as main gossip spots for the locals and the owners of both places seem to enjoy the information that is constantly exchanged.
On my way out, I halted a few minutes to chat with the person behind the till whom I was hoping would be the owner. He was neither the owner nor spoke Hindi but managed a few English words. He gave me most of the above information about his customers. When I asked him about the omelette stall just outside his joint (one can get fresh omelette with plain bread or an omelette sandwich), he said, "People omelette smell no. Outside smell, outside!" I think he was trying to say that since many people do not like the smell of egg being cooked (because it stays indoors for a longer time) and because people may object to being served juice (or soft drinks etc) in a place that serves non-vegetarian food, he set up a stall outside the shop so that his egg-loving customers are well fed and happy as well.
Now that is what is called catering to a variety of customers and keeping each of them happy!
p.s. Do enjoy a glass of cold watermelon juice without water and sugar if you happen to be in the area. It is hygienically prepared and one does not fall ill the next day either!
"Hi Look Hot & Chill" on Gandhi Mandapam Road is a juice centre of sorts. Not carrying my camera-cell phone with me, I felt miserable at the prospect of not being able to capture at least the name of this joint! Hi Look (for short) shows typical signs of a tiny shop later expanded into a bigger one - faded wall on one side, an even lighter wall on the opposite and markings of a partition that once stood in the middle. There are tables, chairs (not very comfortable but clean) and fans inside the shop placed for the customers use. There is a fridge too, that keeps all the soft drinks and water cold. The choicest of fruits are on display and juices are made fresh as orders come in. For the hygiene-conscious customers, juices are served in disposable cups.
Hi Look does not cook/prepare anything that has to be consumed immediately on its premises other than fresh juices. However, it sells soft drinks, tetra packed juices, tetra-packed buttermilk and curds (dahi), bottled water, biscuits, wafers and chips and other sundry items such as toothbrush/toothpaste, soap cakes, sachets of shampoos etc. They also have local sweets, candies, toffies, chocolates and biscuits from the local baker.
Hi Look caters to the locals living in the vicinity (these are people from the lower economic classes), passers-by who stop for a quick cold drink/juice, a chocolate or a pack of biscuits. Located very near to a zerox shop, people waiting for their photocopies come for quick, short purchases, to quench their thirst or simply to wait under the shade! There is a bidi stall a few paces away from Hi Look. From the looks of it, Hi Look and the bidi shop serve as main gossip spots for the locals and the owners of both places seem to enjoy the information that is constantly exchanged.
On my way out, I halted a few minutes to chat with the person behind the till whom I was hoping would be the owner. He was neither the owner nor spoke Hindi but managed a few English words. He gave me most of the above information about his customers. When I asked him about the omelette stall just outside his joint (one can get fresh omelette with plain bread or an omelette sandwich), he said, "People omelette smell no. Outside smell, outside!" I think he was trying to say that since many people do not like the smell of egg being cooked (because it stays indoors for a longer time) and because people may object to being served juice (or soft drinks etc) in a place that serves non-vegetarian food, he set up a stall outside the shop so that his egg-loving customers are well fed and happy as well.
Now that is what is called catering to a variety of customers and keeping each of them happy!
p.s. Do enjoy a glass of cold watermelon juice without water and sugar if you happen to be in the area. It is hygienically prepared and one does not fall ill the next day either!
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