Thoda Sa Localpanti, Dher Sare Customer Care

The story of Pick Me - a cosmetic store in Fancy Bazar, Guwahati

-Dilip K. Sarma

The owner of Pick Me, the cosmetics store

It was early 1970s in Phasi Bazar (Fancy Bazar). A girl in her late teens came into Pick Me in tears. The people in Pick Me were friends of her eldest brother. She complained that at "Goenka" (a cloth shop) they were ignoring her. Looking at the distress of the "akoni bhani"* (little sister), a small team from "Pick Me" was sent along with her. Under the caring watch of the "dadas", "akoni bhani" was attended by all the salesmen & manager of the establishment. It must be an exaggeration, but I had also heard that "akoni bhani" after being attended for an hour and also being served with cold drinks & piping hot vegetable chop from Robin Cabin across the road, had finally declared, "I am in no mood to buy anymore!"

Pick Me, Fancy Bazaar, Guwahati, Assam

Named by Nirode Chaudhury, the Assamese writer and columnist, Pick Me was started by Anisul Haque in the early 1950s. Though they even then offered the best "ladies" cosmetics, (those days cosmetics, perfumes were meant exclusively for women. May be just coconut/Lakshmi Vilas hair oil, talcum powder and at best Nivea Cream were for men), perfumes, vanity bags in the town, it was a variety shop selling also cooking stoves to toys. It was only in 1990s after his eldest son Ahsan Rajeeb joined the business in 1989 (and later his brother Jabir Sazzed), it solely became a "House of Cosmetics, Imitation Jewellery, & Other Novelties". It was also the single point outlet of many "Beauty Parlour Items" at a wholesale price.

Anisul Haque, like many Lakhtokia's old Assamese Muslims knew that "Phasi Bazar" had become "Fancy Bazar" and it would be difficult to withstand the "cut throat" competition from business-savvy Marowaris with deep pockets and strong clannish loyalty. But the sheer pride of being the original inhabitants (the southern strip of Old Gauhati, from west to east, was inhabited by old "better off" Assamese Muslims), didn't allow some of the Lakhtokians to surrender and they, in turn, created, unknown to them, a social clan for themselves by helping each other and seeking patronage even from outside (President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed's ancestral house was also here in Lakhtokia though he had a foot in Barpeta too). They quietly and without much fuss played the "local card" as it was evident in the starting story.

Inside Pick Me - the staffs

These were just inferences of events of years that have gone by. But I asked Ahsan, why they at Pick Me [or, may be Abdul Hai (now son Montu Hai) 's Hotel Nova, situated at the first floor of the same building] survived and others didn't. He said others were not solely dependent on the businesses and had other sources of income. They took the easy way out by renting out their buildings. Anisul Haque believed in hard work of just being there and customer care and he had successfully passed this on to his sons. Ahsan told me that being the largest seller of cosmetics, they get stuff at a discount from agents and they pass on some benefits in form of discount to all customers. You will get 5-10% discount without asking for it. And some old customers even 15 -20%. Most things you would get there. But if you don't get something, you are requested to wait and they will fetch it from somewhere nearby and give it to you, sometimes at a price lesser than the fetching price. Cosmetics, perfume selection do take lot of time and no one at "Pick Me" is in a hurry despite the heavy rush. If you look slightly aged, you're offered a seat in those cushioned high stools.

What is my take after so many visits (to pick up my perfumes) to "Pick Me"? It is simple & straightforward: Thoda sa localpanti, dher sare customer care.

The "Lakhtokia Resistance" in Phasi Bazar may be the future Assamese model of entrepreneurial journey. However, they better remember the "dher sare" part too!

Post Script: 

• Some of you may be offended by these politically incorrect undemocratic conclusions of mine. But hey! Who said the 'business' of running businesses is democratic or politically correct!?

• *Akani Bhani ultimately retired last June (2019) as a Professor & HoD of medical college.

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