Mumbai: Amarsons store in Breach Candy reopens less than a month after fire

Amid the carnage and destruction from recent fires here is a message of hope Putting the amar eternal literally into Amarsons the Breach Candy store has bounced back from a Level1 fire which broke out on the morning of October 20 2026Bouncing backThe store was gutted but fortunately suffered no casualties among staff as it was shuttered at the time of the fire Amarsons retails household goods fabrics garments stationery kitchenware and many decorative items It was stocked to the hilt for Diwali and then the fire consumed products and shop infra floor fittings shelves charred and black reflecting the mood of the momentBusiness as usual at Amarsons on Thursday PicShadab KhanToday less than a month later a banner on the outside of the store which is located diagonally opposite the Breach Candy Hospital South Mumbai states simply lsquoWe are OpenrsquoBipin Vora partner at Amarsons said ldquoOur entire team worked tirelessly to reopen in a record 12 days Naturally there is still work to be done and renovations will follow in due course but what matters most is that we are back on our feet and ready to welcome our customers once againrdquoSpaces going places shows the resilienceThe heroesWalking inside the 52yearold store one witnessed that a section had been cordoned off where the blaze must have been intense A few shelves remained empty but generally entire spaces were stocked with just fewer wares than before Some glass tops seemed cracked but these were safely secured Vora said ldquoWe missed some Diwali rush but we did get lastminute Diwali shoppers We have our loyalists they told us they hoped it opened in time so that they could buy something from the store in time for the seasonrdquo smiled VoraHe added ldquoThis is one of the biggest challenges in our 52yearold history When the fire was blazing there was an absolute whirlwind of emotions within me First of course I heaved a sigh of relief that nobody was injured Then as our firefighters converged and fought the fire I was just wondering about the losses extent of damage but one thing I was quite certain that we will rebuildrdquo He has a list of services to thank who collectively helped during and postblaze which include the fire brigade Gamdevi police BEST and other public agencies ldquoPeople do not see or hear the backstory I want to acknowledge these heroes A large part of the credit for reopening goes to themrdquo said VoraThe Breach Candy retail landmark after the fire PicAshish RajeWelcome backSusieben Shah who grew up on Peddar Road said ldquoAmarsons was the first departmental store of its kind our goto destination for all celebrations A special treat or reward for a good report card meant Amarsons Diwali shopping was incomplete without visiting and buying here and so was family wedding shopping All fond memories are associated with this place and so I am delighted to see that they have reopenedrdquo she concludedFor Breach Candy resident Ananta Chokshi ldquoSome shops sell things A few become part of your life For our family Amarsons has always been the second kind I have watched Breach Candy change many times over the years Old bungalows gave way to tall buildings small shops came and went and the way we shop changed completely Through all of it Amarsons stayed When good clothes and wellknown brands were hard to find it was where South Mumbai came to dress well For many families a visit there was an occasion in itselfrdquoThe wares are back on display PicShadab KhanChokshi recollected ldquoMy husband loved Amarsons and above all he loved its shirts Whenever there was a wedding a festival or simply a good day he would come home with a new one pleased as a schoolboy He is no longer with us but every time I pass the store I still think of him walking out with a shirt bag under his arm telling me he had only gone in to lookrdquo Chokshi said the store has served generations She explained ldquoAmarsons grew with our family I shopped there when I was setting up our home Our children found their school things and their first good clothes there Today our grandchildren go there for gifts Three generations each living in a very different world and the same shop served all of us Long before anyone talked about quick commerce Breach Candy already had it If you needed something at the last minute a gift a shirt something for the house you simply went to Amarsons and it was thererdquoAbout the fire Chokshi said ldquoWhen the fire closed its doors it felt as though the neighbourhood had lost a familiar voice Seeing it open again feels like an old friend coming home I will go in soon and I know my husband would have been the first one through the door heading straight for the shirts Welcome back Amarsonsrdquo