Night clubs, sports bars and open-air bars have become the best choice for having an authentic “beer experience”.
By Staff Reporter
Aggressive players have entered the liquor market and transformed open-air bars into de facto al fresco entertainment rendezvous.
Zindoga Vicar’s Beer Garden is one such joint that has been transformed into a popular hangout in Harare. Although the joint is undergoing metamorphosis, it has stolen the limelight from other beer outlets at the famous Zindoga Business Centre in Waterfalls.
The owner of the joint, Victor Zindoga told The Standard Style that the secret behind the joint’s popularity hinges on the historical background of the place.
“This is the place that is called Zindoga, which made this shopping centre popular in Harare,” said Zindoga.
“We are working day and night to keep the Zindoga legacy alive. We cannot allow other players to popularise our father’s name when we can actually do it.” Zindoga Vicar’s Beer Garden was a joint that specialised in opaque beer, but Zindoga transformed it into an open-air, bringing in attractive packages which were not found at other outlets.
“We are not there yet, but we want to be one of the most popular joints in the country,” he said.
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He said one way of popularising the joint was to host live music shows.
“We have realised that musicians make places popular and as part of our strategy, we are going to host top music groups. We will at least host one big show per month,” he said.
Sungura icon Alick Macheso who is riding high with his latest album Tsoka Dzerwendo will be the first to perform at the joint alongside upcoming musician Faheem Somanje on July 3.
“After Macheso, we will host Sulumani Chimbetu in early August and we are also considering bringing in Jah Prayzah,” he said.
Zindoga Vicar’s Beer Garden is part of the Zindoga business empire that was bought by the late Francis Zindoga in 1977. The businesses included a butchery, sports bar and bottle store.
“When my father died, we shared the Zindoga complex among ourselves and each one of us is running their own business. I was given this garden and I am transforming it into a modern-day beer outlet,” Zindoga said.
With his brother Ben, operating the adjacent Zindoga Sports Bar, Victor said they were supporting each other in their respective line of business. He said he was in the process of refurbishing a number of facilities to meet modern trends.
“It’s an old thing and we are looking at sprucing it up. We have already put in place a stage and thanks to Delta Beverages who have branded most of our facilities, including the stage and the precast wall,” he said.
The joint is also popular for its traditional cuisines.
“Our kitchen is popular because we serve all kinds of foods, including traditional foods,” he said.
“The bar stocks a variety of beers, including local and imported whiskeys.”
But, how did the place come to be known as Zindoga and how did it gain such popularity?
Zindoga said when his father bought the place in 1977, he started with constructing a butchery and bottle store.
Then, they were trading as Zai Rimwe but because most people knew the owner of the place, they preferred referring to it by his name.
Because he was one of the few black shop owners at the shopping centre, the late Zindoga’s shop became popular just after independence as successful black professionals from Waterfalls and surrounding areas thronged the place, mainly driven by the quest to maintain their identity.
The place expanded with time and also changed hands at some point but it remained known as Zindoga. Even the owner had no option but to change the name from Zai Rimwe. Since their father’s death in 1988, the siblings have tried to maintain his legacy.
