Tucked into the residential neighbourhood of Paldi, Ahmedabad, Tilla Shop and Café is the physical extension of the brand founded by designer Aratrik Dev Varman in 2011. Part textile boutique and part garden café, it has been one of the few spaces to offer a ‘craft and coffee’ experience since 2017, providing a sensory respite from the city’s bustle. With its modest, almost residential-style façade, the exterior doesn’t announce the presence of a high-street boutique or a café menu ideal for a leisurely afternoon or evening. It's this sense of understatement that perhaps makes stepping inside all the more surprising. Guests are initially welcomed to a shaded courtyard, almost fully enveloped by lush greenery, from creepers to potted plants, where dappled sunlight enters the outdoor dining area. Inside, visitors are greeted by Tilla’s range of women’s clothing, accessories, bags, home décor, stationery, and tropical art prints that also line the shop’s walls. Beside the store, on an elevated platform with a short flight of stairs, leads to the café offering a menu that spans cuisines and diverse tastes. The space has a warm, communal feel, with intimate seating arranged closely together. What immediately stands out is the juxtaposition of the pared-back interiors with an ornate chandelier that casts a warm glow. A canvas canopy stretches across the ceiling, the textile panels of which are printed in-house using a traditional ‘Leher’ block, featuring dark madder red patterns against an ivory background, adding both function and character. Pale walls are softened by rosy tones and plush seating, with art prints from Jisha Unnikrishnan’s Wild Garden Project adorning the space. The café has also hosted a variety of workshops, ranging from ceramic painting and origami for children to special events featuring authentic dinner experiences that highlight regional cuisines, such as Bengali, Tripuri, and Assamese, as well as painting showcases by multidisciplinary, award-winning artists like Pradipta Ray. Although it is a known fact that retail is evolving into environments where the focus is less on transactional commerce and more on creating a unique experience, spaces like Tilla show that the end goal of building a brand isn’t just about people buying and leaving, but about encouraging a value-based commerce that extends beyond the product itself. In turn, this approach is shaping how homegrown brands design and extend themselves into the physical world, upholding experiences and offering hybrid environments that invite customers to linger and connect.