Shopping for everyday essentials in Mumbai’s heritage markets isn’t just an errand, it’s an experience steeped in time. This monsoon, stroll down Dava Bazaar in Kalbadevi, and you’ll stumble upon Ebrahim Currim & Sons, the city’s oldest umbrella store. This isn’t just a shop — it’s a living fragment of Mumbai’s mercantile memory. 

Established in 1860, the store stood witness to the construction of Crawford Market (now Mahatma Phule Market) in 1869. It sheltered generations of Mumbaikars from torrential downpours long before they sipped on royal faloodas at Badshah Cold Drink House in 1905 or queued up at the nearby grand Edward Cinema, which first opened its doors in 1914 and is now in quiet decay. Few places in the city hold history with such weathered, graceful dignity.

The store has stood through time, and so has their brand, Stag umbrellas. So, naturally, we prepped ourselves for the rains to come, by going on an umbrella -hopping spree at the store.