Set against the backdrop of the picturesque town of Serampore, this special tea stall is an outlier that negates business principles and propagates honesty and integrity. Functioning over a century now, the self-service chai shop has become the epitome of communal responsibility, which challenged all concepts related to business.
Right in front of the Chitrakali Babu cremation site stands a tea stall operating under rather extraordinary principles. Its clients simultaneously turn patrons and owners here. Every day, owner Ashok Chakraborthy lays down the stall, stocks his wares, and heads for work, leaving his shop to its customers.
Here, the customers brew their own tea and pour for other customers while payments are settled by simply putting money into an unguarded wooden cash box. It is not even governed by a contract, however, but by something much stronger—personal honor.
Despite potential risks, this unconventional model flourishes. Visitors contribute their dues with remarkable honesty, often returning to clear unpaid balances. Chakraborthy has never faced major payment defaults, underscoring the deep-rooted social contract that binds this community together.
Such trust-based practices are not unique to India. In Nagaland, for example, unmanned vegetable stalls have been in place for decades with a similar concept whereby customers take what they need and leave payment in an open cash box. In Kerala, many stores exist on the principles of trusts wherein people can buy from or donate goods to those who may need it.
The concept of Serampore’s tea stall is such a heartwarming representation of community, friendship, and trust in a world that thrives on profit. It proves that, under the right circumstances, people can collectively nurture a business they value as much as its owner.
