Chembur's Best Kept Secret?

Your aunt might be talking about the chai stall near the old Chembur Gymkhana, the one on the service road just off the main Sion-Trombay Road. It's not on Google Maps, no name on the board, just a guy named Prakash who's been brewing there for over 25 years. He uses a special blend of ginger and cardamom that's noticeably stronger than what you get in most places around here. If you go around 5 PM, you'll see a line of auto drivers and office workers, that's the best sign you've found the right spot.

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honestly I think your aunt's talking about the stall behind the old natraj market, not the one near gymkhana. its this tiny spot tucked between two paan shops where an older lady named savita makes chai in a brass pot, she's been doing it since the 90s. the trick is she adds a tiny pinch of black pepper along with the ginger, gives it this warmth that stays with you. go around 7am when she's just set up, the chai's freshest then and you'll see all the local uncles grabbing their first cup of the day

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Yeah, Prakash's chai is the one that comes to mind, but there's also a tiny stall near the Diamond Garden signal that's been around forever. No clue what it's called either, but it's right where the rickshaws queue up and the chai comes in those little clay cups.

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have u tried the chor bazaar route? not for selling to shops but the friday morning flea guys near mumbadevi, some of them buy vintage/retro pieces outright and pay better than the bale walas if ur stuff has any character. got 800 for a bunch of old levi's and band tees there. thing is u gotta go early like 6am and know how to hold ur ground, they smell desperation instantly

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one thing nobody mentioned, watch out for the weight vs piece thing. kabadiwalas and bale buyers pay by kilo so heavy stuff like denim and woolens actually earn more than fancy light stuff. i cleared a whole bag of old jeans to a guy in Malad for way better than what my branded shirts fetched. also wash everything before u show it, sounds obvious but dusty clothes get lowballed on sight.

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honestly the timing matters more than the platform. end of month is when people get salary and actually buy, so list ur stuff around the 1st or 2nd. also post pics in natural light near a window, not on ur bed with flash, makes a huge difference on OLX and insta thrift pages. i've flipped a lot of my old stuff this way and the same kurta that got ignored at 300 sold for 500 when i relisted it properly.

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