It took a trip to the Amazon for Ashwini Kanetkar to realise her true calling. “Wherever I travelled, I was looking for the quirkiest things, whether it was in handicraft markets in small towns in Brazil or weekened flea markets in Austria.” And since she couldn’t have possibly fit them all in her home, the visual merchandiser decided to offer them to like-minded people in Pune, through The Little Quirkshop, started with an investment of ₹10 lakh from her savings and a loan from her husband. The small store sells products as varied as vintage film posters, clocks, lamps, mugs, coasters, doormats, cushion covers, photo frames, trays and magnets. “Every item in the store is meant to be amusing or unusual and we’re catering to urban, educated people who enjoy a little bit of humour in their everyday lives,” says Kanetkar, who sources the 200-odd items in the store from stores across India as well as from upcoming artists who are seeking a platform for their work. Next on the agenda: creative workshops on weekends, where artists will conduct sessions on different art forms.