In this article, we share experiences of starting and running a business in Zimbabwe. It is not easy to rent commercial properties without hurdles. Here is an account from one of our members.
Iam a Warren Park boy, born and raised in Highfields and later on moved to Warren Park.
So one day at Mereki, met a youngster from the hood-Tinashe and we started reminiscing the good old days.
Our thoughts got deeper and we started asking why we were spending money at Mereki? Why not collect money instead? Who was collecting all the mula at Harares premier entertainment spot?
So in 2010, we identified a place in Mufakose and entered into a partnership. The place which had been closed had little value so rental for the bottlestore and butchery was pegged at US$600.
Our strategies
1) Mereki was popularised by the late chairman of Dembare(Nhekairo)..after every match, he took Dembare to Warren Park and soon fans trekked to the place. So as outsiders, our joint needed community ownership. We formed a boozers soccer club…bought soccer kits and after every match they would troop to our place with a crate available for free. This was the master stroke….overnight our joint became popular.
2) Spruced up the place…new paint, gazebo, braai stands etc! In the ghetto they appreciate good things…add a bit of class and u have more followers.
3) Experience Economy: At Mereki we have ladies who braai meat such as the popular Mai George but our model was not to copy and paste Mereki in totality…we had seen that at Highglen men enjoyed braaing own meat, drinking and discussing stories…basically whiling away time whilst networking. Its a pity Old Mutual banned the guy who had brought the concept…so we adopted a working model and boom….what a magic bullet!
4) Hararians love good parking space…Mereki, Zindoga and Highglen…we were fortunate to have plenty of this at our place!
5) Providing music works against experience economy…many want the freedom to play own music. So we balanced this by only hiring a professional dj during weekends.
Results?
Revenue jumped from USD1,000 to USD25,000 per month in 6 months. So popular was the place that we literally became the entertainment place of choice in Mufakose. Sons and daughters who had moved North of Samora started trekking back….Ko kuGhetto ndokune yese ka? Ghetto fabulous….Mfombi crew never disappoint.
Our catchment or area of influence included Kambum, Warrenz, Budaz, Crowborough and others.
Place to chill with others whilst enjoying good stories…soccer, economy (we avoided politics)
Then…
We didnt have a formal lease agreement, the owner had refused. Then one day he came to the place and we saw him beaming with a smile.
‘Vafana zvirikuitaka? Tikati yes mdara….zvikanzi good makapenga vafana vangu. Tikati tinotenda mdara.
Zvikanzi eeeh but rent sevanhu vakuita mari svitsai pa thaza…
We signed and paid …a small dent on the balancesheet and income statement.
We continued on our upward trajectory then 3rd month takuda kunobhadara rent….up to USD 1800. Fourth month up to USD 2400.
You can do the maths of how much he was demanding by the 6th month🤷🏾♂
We eventually came to the decision to close down! We could not cope with the calculated plan to chase us from the place we had done so well to spruce up and make a preferred venue of entertainment…
Tinashe decided to fly solo and opened another place at Kambuzuma 2 Shopping centre. I continued to support him but insisted on a long term lease.
Our former clients followed but in the 4th month the owner of the place came and demanded to also sell her alcohol in the same pub!
Yes kuti iwe wotengesa rako doro…ini rangu? How bizarre…
Zvikanzi ukada kuramba ini ndiri politically connected!The message was loud and clear…move out of my place!
Distraught and heartbroken….Tinashe sold everything and closed down. He headed to Kadoma to try his hand with gold mining.
What became of the former places?
The new tenants were attracted by the huge numbers we had built. They didnt know how we had built them nor how we helped sustain them.
They didnt know our experience of seeing Mereki start and grow…they had no connection with the community. They didnt know the community was angry with their take overs…they totally shunned them.
As for me…I vowed never to rent a commercial stand from anyone!
