 Rishra was home to the first jute mill in India under the British Raj (the Hastings Jute Mill).Some shops are very famous like Felu Modak, Satyacgharan Mistanna Bhandar, Khabar Ghar, Sadhukhan Stores, Aapan, Big Ben, Daw Bedding Stores, Shaws of Sandhya Bazar area, Daws of Charbati etc.Many nationalized and private banks have opened their branches in Rishra, including State Bank of India, Allahabad Bank, UCO Bank, United Bank of India (two branches), Punjab National Bank, Central Bank of India, Hooghly District Cooperative Bank Limited, Bank of Baroda and Canara Bank.