About Prem-La

Prem-La, which is Bhutanese for “love and eternity”, is the oldest store in New England dealing in the art and culture of the Himalayas. Started in 1974, Prem-La has now been in business for 30 years.

The doors of Prem-La first opened at 10 Mt. Auburn St., in Cambridge, introducing to the Boston area the wonderful crafts of Nepal and surrounding regions. Prem-La provided not just products from these areas, but also served as a fountain of information for those wishing visit Nepal and a cultural center for Nepalese people in Cambridge. Unfortunately, only five years later in 1975, the original owners of Prem-La were almost forced to close their shop when they received job transfers.

But the sun wasn’t ready to set on Prem-La. One of the young immigrants for whom the store had become so important, Pralhad KC, stepped up and took upon himself the management of the store. Pralhad was not willing to let a business he cared so much for go under, though at the time he was only 19 years old and in the process of earning his BA in Civil Engineering from the Wentworth Institute of Technology.

After a number of relocations between Cambridge and Boston, in 2000 Prem-La settled at its current location of 211 Newbury St. in Boston. Now in his 25th year operating the store, Pralhad KC continues to strive to always provide the highest quality Himalayan goods available, improve the quality of life of those who produce these beautiful works, and transfer his love of Nepal and the rest of this magnificent region to all who step through his door.

•  About Prem-La's Owner, Pralhad K.C.