Thread of life

A small shop in Dhandeeshwaram provides material required to carry out tailoring, art and craft work

He sources his wares from Mumbai on a wholesale basis, and is therefore able to reap steady profits.

MHU Thread Centre meets the requirements of those engaged in tailoring, art and craft work. The owner of this 300 sq.ft. shop, Umar sits amidst piles of lining cloth material and a sewing machine. Around the shop, there are laces, bobbins, hooks, buttons, zippers, sewing machine oil, different varieties of thread, craft paper, material for quilling, colourful beads of various kinds, tailoring kits, tailoring books, DIY (Do it yourself) kits, lining material, 'falls' for saris and cloth material sold in rolls.

With all of these things, the shop resembles a godown. Previously located on Velachery Main Road near the Dhandeeshwaram bus bay, it is now on a narrow lane in the same locality. Passers-by on the main road can easily miss this shop. However, by virtue of its reputation , it draws customers.

Says Raj, a tailor in the neighbourhood, “Umar

bhai ’s shop is a tailor's paradise, for he has stocked on all that tailors need. I don’t have to go all the way to Parrys to get something as small as laces or beads. Earlier,

bhai just used to have tailors for customers. Now, anyone looking for minor design solutions visit the shop. ” Umar is assisted by his wife in running the shop. There are two others, who function as support staff. He sources his wares from Mumbai on a wholesale basis, and is therefore able to reap steady profits.