About a year ago a small bakery opened at the end of my street in Pune. It's run by a young couple, Rohan and Meera, who'd worked in hotels in Dubai and came back to start their own business. Before that, the building was an empty electrical shop with its shutters down for years.
The opening day was a Sunday morning. They'd put up a banner and balloons, and they handed out free samples of cardamom buns and coffee to anyone who walked past. There was a small ceremony where Meera's grandmother cut a ribbon and broke a coconut at the doorway, which is a common tradition here for good luck. By nine there was a queue down the pavement, mostly neighbours who were simply curious. I went with my father, and we ended up buying a whole loaf of sourdough, which was a first for him.
I think it's been good for the area, mainly for social reasons. Our street used to be a place people drove through, but now there are two small tables outside the bakery, and in the evenings you'll see retired people chatting or students working on laptops. It's created a kind of meeting point. It has also employed three young people from the neighbourhood. On the other hand, its prices are higher than the old corner shop's, so not everyone can afford to go regularly, and there's been a bit more traffic. But overall, I'd say it's brought life back to a corner that felt neglected, and I really hope it survives.