Sundargarh: Alok Patra, who runs a small tea stall on Hospital Chhak Road in Sundargarh district, believes in the adage “If there is a will, there is a way”. So much so that it inspired him to start his business when he was struggling to find a job.
Alok belongs to Salipur in Cuttack district. His brother introduced him to Sundargarh district when the two had come to the city in search of work in 2009. Alok was working in a construction company, but irregular salary payment forced him to quit.
For 10 years, he has been running his shop successfully selling many varieties of tea like special, masala and red tea.
“Just a tea kettle, some glass tumblers, an oven and some other necessary articles were my assets. With that, I have been running my business and keeping my pot boiling,” Alok said.
Alok leaves bed in the wee hours and goes to his shop early in the morning. He has a good number of customers. Customers would be waiting for his tea before his arrival at the shop. His elder brother Amulya also helps him to run the tea stall.
The tea at Alok’s shop is brewed the traditional way, slowly, and is made using high quality tea leaves, fresh milk, cardamom and ginger. The aroma of ginger and cardamom enhance the tea’s flavour, said Alok.
“We’ve noticed that tea is preferred by most of our customers. 80 per cent of them ask for regular tea,” Alok said.
While he has customers belonging to all age groups, as the tea stall is situated at Hospital Chhak, the regulars are mostly retired persons, VIPs and the elderly who visit the stall for their daily dose of tea and khatti.
Alok said he is earning Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 daily. “I am trying to educate my children and run my family with this,” he said with confidence. Alok’s simplicity and politeness have added to the success of his business.
PNN