Mini shop, giant reputation

The nondescript tuck outlet called Mini Shop has been a favourite with North Campus students for an obvious reason: great snacks at great prices. A report by Ritika Chopra.

Situated on Bungalow Road (bang opposite Kirori Mal College back gate), the nondescript tuck outlet called Mini Shop has been a favourite with North Campus students for an obvious reason: great snacks at great prices. Yes, a quick stopover at the Mini Shop is best described by youngsters as a budget-friendly affair.

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“A mini meal at the Mini Shop is high on flavour and light on the pocket. That’s the reason why you’ll find a lot of students hanging around here often,” said a student of Hindu College.

Started in 1969, this place offers a range of snacks and drinks, including pastries, patties, burgers, hotdogs, kathi roll and 30 different kinds of milkshake. But most North Campus students drop in here to savour Mini Shop’s fruit beer and chocolate éclair, which cost only Rs15 and Rs18 respectively.

The menu, however, hasn’t always been the same. It has evolved over time, informed owner Rajan Vermani. “Before I took charge from my father, the Mini Shop was known for its chocolate tea. Famous personalities such as Gulshan Kumar and Vinod Dua used to come often to savour this specialty. A lot of the stuff served now (pastries and milkshakes) was not available in the early seventies,” he said.

The most recent change was made two months ago. Apart from fruit beer and milkshakes, the tuck shop now also serves mocktails. And this change, informed Vermani, has been made on request of his young customers. “Looking at the market demand and the suggestions made by a lot of students, we added four varieties of mocktails to the menu,’ he said. Mini Shop remains open from 8am to 10pm on all days of the week or as Vermani puts it “on all 365 days of the year!”