If you are looking for arts and crafts then there
is no better place than Sheela's to visit.
For over three decades since its inception in
1966, Sheela's has been the focus of tourists,
Non Resident Indians, art lovers and art curators
visiting Hyderabad. Its unmatched variety of handicrafts
coupled with reasonable prices has made this arts
& crafts store a favourite of all.
Located in the Lal Bahadur Stadium complex, Sheela's
resembles a mini museum of arts and crafts. The
wide range of handicrafts lined along the shelves
speak volumes about the collection. From Hollywood
stars to the Bollywood stars - all have been Sheela's
loyal customers. "Sheela's handicrafts
have become a rage with discerning visitors from
all over the world for over 30 years now",
says the proud owner of Sheela's - Mr Shanker
Daswani in an interview with Hyderabad-best.com.
 Can
you tell us something about Sheela's showroom?
Sheela's Arts & Crafts showroom was opened
in 1966 by Late Sri Vasudev Lalchand. During
those days there were few handicraft shops in
the twin cities. So Sheela's is one of the oldest
shops on Indian handicrafts. Since thirty six
years we've been giving quality service to the
customers by maintaining a reasonable price on
all items. Even though the size of the shop is
small,we have a wide range which no other shop
in the twin cities has. We have NRIs, foreign
tourists, corporate houses, cultural institutions
and educational institutions as our customers.
Tourists and NRIs who come to Hyderabad every
year do not visit any other store in the twin
cites, except Sheela's.
 Can
you tell us about the different handicrafts available
in your showroom?
We have a variety of sandalwood figurines from
Karnataka and Rajasthan. Then we have stone artifacts
from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, decorative and
utility articles made of brass from Uttar Pradesh
and Karnataka, rosewood 'mandapams', wall
panels, tables, leather utility items like purses,
wallets and a good collection of batiks and kalam
kari works. We also specialise in brass figurines
(icons) varying in size from 3 inches to 50 inches
which no other shop in Hyderabad has. We also
make mementos as per the customer requirements.
Apart from this, we have Indian ethnic jewellery
made in Indo-Western style, Pembarthi oil lamps
and 'diyas' varying in size from 2 inches
to 50 inches, flower vases ranging in size from
3 inches to 40 inches . Many of these items are
liked by Hollywood stars who frequent our shop
whenever they are in the city. Some of the Tollywood
and Bollywood stars are also our regular customers.
 What
is the speciality of Sheela's when it comes to
dealing with the customers?
Sheela's has established an unbreakable bond
with its loyal customers over the years. We treat
the customer as part of our organization. We do
not employ cheap strategies to increase our sales.
First of all we have a price tag on each and every
item in our showroom. Unlike other handicraft
shops, we do not quote the price on seeing the
customer. Our motto is to sell the items honestly.
We do not encourage bargaining in our shop. We
also take up after sales service like repairing
and exchanging the damaged items. Due to these
reasons, the customers feel free to come to our
shop.
What about the prices?
As I said earlier prices are very reasonable.
Even though Sheela's is not located on the main
road, people still throng our shop because they
have an unflinching faith on our handicrafts which
are sold at reasonable rates. And the price ranges
from Rs 5 to Rs 50,000 depending upon the object.
 What
are some of the prized possessions of Sheela's?
There are many items which can be considered
as our pride possessions. Silver jewellery and
sandalwood figurines, brass icons, and bronze
figurines which have traditional antique looks,
rose wood inlay works, sandalwood articles, stone
ware, bidriware, ebony wood articles, marble ware,
brass ware, shawls, semi precious stone studded
with silver jewellery, kalamkari works, and antique
brass statues of Indian and Nepal gods are some
of the prized collection of Sheela's.
In what way Sheela's is different from other
arts&crafts shops in the city?
Our shop is known for variety, reasonable prices
and excellent customer service. These are three
important factors which differentiate our shop
from others in the city. Ninety per cent of the
customers are close to us since more than three
decades. It is through their word of mouth that
we get new customers.
How did the demand for arts & crafts change
over the years?
Customer awareness about the arts & crafts
has widened over the years. Few years ago handicrafts
were considered a luxury item. But now handicrafts
have become a decorative item in every office
and household. They are also used as a gift item.
Due to this increase in demand, unhealthy competition
has crept into the market and has led to the deterioration
in the quality of the product. But Sheela's has
always stuck to the standards and never sold substandard
items to compete in the market.
Address: Sheela's Arts & Crafts,
17, Lal Bahadur Stadium, Hyderabad-500 001. Phone:
323 6944
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