When it comes to weathering the monsoons in the city, the ‘Stag’ ( maan mark) brand of umbrellas of Ebrahim Currim and Sons has stood the test of time.
Housed on NSC Bose Road for the past 70 years, the shop has helped thousands in the city stay dry during the rains, says manager Suresh M. Shah.
With the flagship store being opened in Bombay as early as in 1860, the brand has seen many changes over the decades.
“At first it was only umbrellas made of palm leaves and wooden sticks. These were status symbols used only by people like zamindars ,” says Mr. Shah. It was only later with mass production that the product became an accessory for the common man.
He adds, “Up until the 1960s, we used black starched cotton fabric sourced from Century Mills in Bombay; after that, nylon took over.”
After the 1970s, holding frames and three-fold umbrellas too became hugely popular.
While there are various models on sale in the store, Mr. Shah says it is the traditional ‘ thatha kodai’ that still holds a special place in people’s hearts. “We have many customers still coming in for repairing the umbrellas of their grandfathers or great grandfathers. They don’t give them up, as with each umbrella there are a million memories attached,” he says.
