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V.Balasubramani
Guest
The trunk box survives test of time - The Hindu
The shop can be singled out in the city. With six-decade service to its credit, the “Salam Kairasi trunk box shop” at Melapudur in Tiruchi is not a strange place for majority of the citizens.
The business was at its peak during the 1950s and 1960s when the trunk box formed part of the marriage gift for the bride.
Till the advent of leather suitcases, the trunk box was the convenient and preferred baggage.
The dwindling patronage for the trade is reflected in the number of traders which has come down to one from 20. The strength of skilled workers involved in making it has dwindled to just three from about 200.
“We are the fourth generation traders in trunk box in our family,” says K. Abdul Salam with a pride in his face
The shop markets five types of boxes — the smallest is 22 inches and the biggest is 36 inches.
The trade has witnessed a new lease of life in recent years.
“Hostel students, police and defence personnel and traders patronise us,” Mr. Salam says.
The trade witnesses its peak sale between May and July when the hostel students make a beeline to the shop. “The other nine months, it is difficult to run the business and foot the salary bill for the workers. However, I manage the financial burden through other source of income,” Mr. Salam says.
Read more: The trunk box survives test of time - The Hindu
The shop can be singled out in the city. With six-decade service to its credit, the “Salam Kairasi trunk box shop” at Melapudur in Tiruchi is not a strange place for majority of the citizens.
The business was at its peak during the 1950s and 1960s when the trunk box formed part of the marriage gift for the bride.
Till the advent of leather suitcases, the trunk box was the convenient and preferred baggage.
The dwindling patronage for the trade is reflected in the number of traders which has come down to one from 20. The strength of skilled workers involved in making it has dwindled to just three from about 200.
“We are the fourth generation traders in trunk box in our family,” says K. Abdul Salam with a pride in his face
The shop markets five types of boxes — the smallest is 22 inches and the biggest is 36 inches.
The trade has witnessed a new lease of life in recent years.
“Hostel students, police and defence personnel and traders patronise us,” Mr. Salam says.
The trade witnesses its peak sale between May and July when the hostel students make a beeline to the shop. “The other nine months, it is difficult to run the business and foot the salary bill for the workers. However, I manage the financial burden through other source of income,” Mr. Salam says.
Read more: The trunk box survives test of time - The Hindu
