Amritha Venketakrishnan is on a mission to take the family-run Hindustan Trading Company to greater heights. She has started Madras Art Store near Alwarpet

This store near Alwarpet promises to be a hot destination for professional and amateur artists, hobbyists, students and even children. Selling everything from wax crayons to imported paints and stationery items, the Madras Art Store has something for everyone.

For, Amritha Venketakrishnan, 27-year-old proprietor of this shop, it is a challenge to expand her family business and at the same time be different.

The store is a unit of Hindustan Trading Company, a 65-year-old store selling art products and stationary items. “The company was started by my grandfather, P.V. Narayanan, in 1948 at Sowcarpet. Back then, it was selling cashewnuts and glass feeding bottles. A few years later, my father P.N. Venketakrishnan took over the mantle. He finished his class X and dropped out of school to look after the business. He started another store near Ajantha Hotel on Royapettah High Road. Meanwhile, my uncle was taking care of the Sowcarpet store. When the Deccan Plaza hotel was being constructed where Ajantha stood, we had to move out. But, customers requested my father to start a store in the neighbourhood itself,” says Amritha.

The store shifted to the adjacent complex. It was still selling gift articles and stationary products. “The idea of selling art material was given by our customers themselves. But, a chance encounter with an art material importer at an exhibition was what diverted the business towards art supplies. Imported art material were hard to find some 20 years ago. My father was not sure if this would work. But he took the risk and succeeded. Slowly renowned artists and even hobbyists started frequenting the store,” she says.

Their most famous customer was M.F. Hussain. “He visited the shop twice. Artist Achuthan and art director Thota Tharani are also our clients,” adds Amritha.

Now, Amritha wants to carry forward this legacy. She has been spending time at the store right from her school days. “My summer holidays would be spent at the store. After finishing my college I decided to take over my father’s business. But it took me four years of working here to take the next big step: of expanding,” she says.

She is looking to create a new set of clientele. “My target is art students and graphic designers. For niche requirement, people may still have to come to my father’s store,” says Amritha, who will be managing both the stores.

Madras Art Store is at F1-F2, First Floor, Mookambika Complex, No. 4, Lady Desika Road, Mylapore. For details, call 89391 77621. The store is opening on February 21.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Downtown / by K. Sarumathi / Chennai – February 20th, 2016