Heat spell hots up biz for iconic sharbat shops, juice vendors in city

Kolkata: Heritage sharbat establishments and street vendors alike are cashing in on the heat spell as people make a beeline for cool and refreshing beverages to beat the soaring mercury, which has been hovering around 38.2°C-34.2°C mark. With sharbats, lassi, juices, ice-creams and even the modest nimbu paani topping the popularity list right now, iconic shops, such as Paramount and Ralli Singh, as well as street vendors are doing brisk business. So much so that some vendors have shifted to selling juices for the time being.
The trend is more visible in the central business district, where thousands of people come to work at different offices and markets every day.

Paramount off College Street has been a favourite haunt for over a century. Renowned for its daab sharbat—a tender coconut concoction—Paramount has been witnessing a surge in footfall. "We saw a 50% increase in the number of customers this week," said Partha Pratim Majumdar of Paramount. "As there are several education institutes and the Boi Para in the vicinity, we keep getting a steady flow of customers throughout the day." "Paramount's daab sharbat is the go-to drink this scorching summer," said Arjun Mitra, a second-year student.
Ralli Singh on MG Road has been serving up cool thandais since 1890s. On any given day, the place is crowded with customers, jostling for beverages, strawberry milkshake and badam sharbat being the most sought after. "In summer, we always see a spike in the number of customers. Thousands come to Burrabazar every day, and most of them stop by for a refreshing drink here," said a manager of the shop.
In the bustling CBD, street vendors are adapting swiftly. Deepankar Das, who usually sells snacks near Esplanade, has added lassi and fruit juices to his fares. "Given the heat, many of my customers skip lunch at times and opt for lassi or fruit juice instead," said Das, whose stall is close to GPO. "Selling beverages amid this heat has proved to be a good business decision." Salim Khan, a vendor on Esplanade Row, has introduced a variety of juices. "In the afternoon, we get a queue of people waiting for their drink," he said.
A popular ice cream outlet on Park Street has people walking in even at 11 pm. "We serve several varieties that are a big hit with people. Many have been coming for ice creams as late as 11 pm," said a manager.