How this boutique owner ditched the city life and let all her dreams come true, in Goa
When all roads led to GOA
Moving from city life to sit by the ocean days and nights, Isprava talks to Anjali Mody,
owner of the boutique, AND SO, on business, life and dreams coming true in Goa
She left the city of Mumbai for a better life. All roads led to Goa. Anjali Mody, owner of decor boutique AND SO realised a life immersed in nature was the way to live happiest. And so, she left her hectic lifestyle in the city for calmer, cooler pastures. “After a holiday to Ubud in 2017, I realised being around nature played a very big role in how I felt through the day. It soon became a craving, and while it took a year to expand my business to Goa, looking back, these last two years here have passed like the wind, and I can safely say that a simpler life is a happier life.” quips Anjali.
Much like the simple lifestyle in Goa, Anjali’s boutique AND SO has a philosophy that is simple: to curate well designed, well made products under one roof that tell a strong story and are within reach. This need became clear to the entrepreneur when she was executing interior design projects in Mumbai and Delhi about 5 years ago. “I had to have my team run from one end of the city to the other, just to find a good pair of towels. That’s when I thought to myself, there just has to be a better way of doing this. I dreamed of a spot that had everything you could possibly need for a home, or a restaurant or even a hotel. A place that was one central spot for good Indian products, and that were well priced and well made. And voila, one year later that dream manifested in AND SO”, recalls Anjali.
The Goa outpost is located in Porvorim, in the heart of the city. Anjali got the opportunity to open up a large space in Goa, and she couldn’t have grabbed it at a more perfect time. Goa was transforming into a trendy spot to buy a home or invest in luxury holiday homes. And at the end of the day, every home needs furniture— AND SO became and continues to be the only boutique in Goa that has everything under one roof! Her goal is to garner the interests of the emerging “woke” generation in India, who are becoming increasingly conscious of their choices. Those who are in constant search for products that speak to them, and in turn tell their story.
Goa inspires the young maverick in many ways. “Goa gives me space to think. That in itself creates a stage for inspiration everyday. I am inspired by people, the way Gelato sits on a cone, the way leaves overlap a lamp post in the wee hours of the morning. It is a wide canvas that keeps changing colours”, says Anjali. She believes that putting your head down and doing the work is the true essence of dedication. And she is confident that her time in Goa will teach her the value of good friendships, clarity of thought along with an upward and unwavering trajectory.
The dream? “ With the launch of my 30,000 sq ft furniture factory in Pilerne, Goa, this will mark the beginning of greater things to come for AND SO. I want AND SO to become a household name in India, and be remembered as a company that brought the life of craftsmanship back to India through Goa.”
When it comes to her love for Goa, her reasons will tempt any next person, looking for an escape. She loves Goa for the fact that it allows her to control the pace at which she operates. “Unlike a city, it is as hectic as you make it. And that joy of being able to control the decisions you make on a day-today basis is liberating.” She spends Sundays on the beach with her husband, friends and two dogs—and it is this one single day, close to the ocean, soaking in the sun, and appreciating how lucky she is that really seals the deal for her each time.
We know this feeling. Do you? Come on over to Goa, and experience its splendour at an Isprava villa of your choice. Just like Anjali, you may never want to go back to your city home.
