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

Amarsons, the Breach Candy department store in south Mumbai, has reopened less than a month after a fire. A Level 1 fire broke out at the store on the morning of October 20, 2026.

The store was completely gutted. Fortunately, it was closed at the time, so no member of staff lost their life. Amarsons sells household goods, clothes, garments, stationery, kitchenware and many decorative items. The shop was stocked for Diwali, but the fire burned the goods as well as the structure, flooring, fittings and shelves. Everything had turned black.

A banner now hangs outside the store, which stands diagonally opposite Breach Candy Hospital. It reads simply: "We are Open".

Bipin Vora, a partner in Amarsons, said, "Our whole team worked day and night and reopened the shop in a record 12 days. Work is still pending and repairs will continue, but the biggest thing is that we are back on our feet and ready to welcome customers."

Inside the 52-year-old store, one section is still cordoned off, where the fire must have been fiercest. Some shelves are empty, but most of the space is stocked, only less than before. A few glass tops looked cracked, but they have been securely tied up. Vora said some of the Diwali rush was missed, but a few last-minute shoppers did come. He said with a smile that longtime customers had told him they were hoping the shop would open before the festival so they could buy something from it.

Vora said, "This is one of the biggest challenges in our 52-year history. When the fire was raging, I was in a storm of emotions. First came relief that no one was hurt. Then, as firefighters arrived and fought the blaze, I was thinking about the loss and devastation, but one thing was certain: we would rebuild." He thanked those who helped during and after the fire, including the fire brigade, Gamdevi police, BEST and other government agencies. Vora said, "People neither see nor hear the story behind the scenes. I want to express my gratitude to these heroes. They deserve much of the credit for the reopening of the shop."

Susibhen Shah, who grew up on Peddar Road, said, "Amarsons was the first department store of its kind and our first choice for every celebration. When a report card was good, the reward was a trip to Amarsons. Diwali shopping was not complete without coming here, and family wedding shopping was done here too. All the fond memories are tied to this place, so I am very happy to see it open again."

Ananta Choksi, a Breach Candy resident, said, "Some shops sell goods and some become part of your life. For our family, Amarsons was always the other kind of shop. I have seen Breach Candy change many times. Tall buildings replaced old bungalows, small shops came and went, and the way people shop changed completely. Through all this, Amarsons endured. When good clothes and well-known brands were hard to find, people of south Mumbai came here to dress well. For many families, going there was an occasion in itself."

Recalling her husband, Choksi said, "My husband loved Amarsons, most of all its shirts. Whether it was a wedding, a festival or just a good day, he would come home with a new shirt, happy like a schoolboy. He is no longer with us, but whenever I pass this shop, I feel he is coming out with a shirt bag tucked under his arm, saying he had only gone to look!" Choksi said the store has served several generations. She said, "Amarsons grew up with our family. I shopped here when setting up my home. Our children got their school supplies and first good clothes here. Today our grandchildren go here for gifts. Three generations, each in a completely different world, and one shop met everyone's needs. Long before anyone talked about quick commerce, Breach Candy had it. If you needed a last-minute gift, a shirt or something for the house, you went to Amarsons and found it."

On the fire, Choksi said, "When its doors closed because of the fire, it felt as if the neighbourhood had lost a familiar voice. Seeing it open again feels like an old friend has come home. I will go in soon, and I know my husband would have been first through the door and straight to the shirts! Welcome back, Amarsons."