Local designer shopping hotspots - clothing

Unlike Cap Town, Joburg doesn’t as have many local designer emporiums or local designer shops though it’s growing slowly. There’s the new Mememe and Two shop which have just opened in Parkhurst,There's The Wardrobe, Egality, Kluk and Strangelove in Parkhurst as well as Just, Lunar and Tiaan Nagel at 44 Stanley,  Black Coffee and Love Jozi at their stores in Melville and Arts on Main, Suzaan Heyns and Superella in Melville and Twenty Two and David Tlale at 70 on Juta, not forgetting Burgundy Fly at Soweto’s Maponya Mall.  At Mememe, we are planning to turn the space into a female centred event space at the back, where we host various events that are based on speaking to different female communities.  Small boutiquesThese are the other places that people try to shop at that are not in one of Joburg’s many malls – although mall culture still dominates here although there's been a growing interest in people wanting a different, almost more specialised shopping experience.  The people that have been supporting Joburg's local boutiques do so because they love the niche factor of the clothing, that it's local and unfortunately, many women don't like to tell their friends where they shop because they don't want to share the spotlight - I have recently discovered this as a shop owner. 

Randlords

This is where fancy businessmen who work in places like Sandton and Rivonia go to feel trendy because this amazing place is on the 22nd floor of a building in Braamfontein, a few minutes from the city centre.  It's not a club, it's more like a men's club where the last time I checked, it was by invitation only.  I finally cracked an invite last week when I was at the Mail and Guardian 200 Young South Africans 2011 Lunch.  It's amazing, my pictures DO NOT do the amazing decor any justice. It has incredible 360 degree views of Joburg - you can even see as far as Soccer City. It has a really big, wooden and glass terrace with artworks and bar tables outside. The bar is so beautiful and also 360 degrees inside. There's a whole upstairs section for VIP's, also beautifully decorated. The bathrooms are quirky  and playful - the sign for the women's is a framed g-string and for the men, framed briefs.  The views are amazing.  Braamfontein is kind of ailing in terms of the city beat that keeps a lot of places in Joburg going, but recently it's been going through some sort of gentrification process by the man who owns 70 Juta Street, which is the new arty precinct in that area.There are a lot of students, night clubs and a few restaurants in Braamfontein as Wits is not even a kilometre from there.  David Tlale, Lisa Jaffe, Michael Stevenson Gallery are amongst other creatives who have just relocated their businesses. There's a very popular pub called Kitchener's Carvery, which is where a lot of Indy kids and grown people party and sometimes do bad things.  There are a lot of student residences, flats and restaurants and shops aimed at young people, like Legit clothing in the little mall - it's also not far from Smal Street Mall which is crazy with customers looking for the newest in street wear - a lot of Jack Purcell, Converse, Fila and those types of brands. Randlords is the kind of place that can host a formal, business or creative crowd.

More Hotspots

44 Stanley

This is the first thing you see when you enter through the metal doors. 

Salvation - there are no tables available on a Saturday because it's usually very full. Delicious but overpriced food

Il Giardina - I've never been but it's very popular

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Fusion of modern and old school - you'll find a lot of the decor here is like that

Vietnamese Restaurant

The bags of flour relevant to the community, authenticity trend - know where your food comes from - it's baked there at Vovotelo and they come and collect these bags of flour while you're there. It's informal and real and nice.

You desing your own sandwich - customising your product is key for today's consumer who can pick and mix anything.

I included this for two reasons - the first being the hearts on the wall - they resonate within today's consumer whose interaction with a brand needs to be caring - it's important for consumers that businesses care about them - shifting values. Secondly, notice how many old people there are out and about at these places. It's also frequented a lot by 20, 30 and 40 something trendsters - white, black and foreigners. 

This BOS tea is the new popular kid in town. It's South African and it's always making an appearance at trendy places. 

The "we care'' mentality seen here on this exit sign. There are also "'Everything is Going to Be Ok'' stickers around this area and many others in Jhb, it's a pity I couldn't get some this time. 

44 Stanley is great. Everytime you go there, you're guaranteed to find a new shop or restaurant. It is in Milpark between Parktown and Aukland Park, an area that is not residential AFDA, UJ, Milpark Hospital and, Milpark Mews, a media centre and The Refinery  (amazing upmarket penthouse apartments) and a random not so cool mall surround this closed off space (I can't explain it, you would have to see it). The mall has Pick n Pay, a video store, some random clothing stores - it mostly caters to the students who walk to the mall from UJ. 44 Stanley itself has been going for over 5 years and it was the inital relief space from malls that so many Joburgers were desperate for.  Here's what you'll find there:

• Bean There Coffee Spot - award winning organic Kenyan and Ethiopian coffee sold in a fresh, environmentally friendly space with really friendly service - they know you by name
• Tiaan Nagel shop
• Lunar Shop
• Just - South African designer emporium
• Tin Table - a shop that sells restored or imported tin furniture - (sustainable materials)
• A really cool old book store called L'Enfant Terrible
• Salvation - one of Joburg's favourite eateries - fresh, local produce
• Il Giardini - Italian Restaurant
• Vietnamese Restaurant
• The Room - another restaurant
• Another new restaurant, I forget the name
• Vovo Telo Bakery - success story from Port Elizabeth. They had one amazing bakery in PE and within 4 years, they have another in Jhb and have recently been bought by the same company that owns Steers and they are going to roll out 40 more bakeries across the country in the next few months
• A store that sells vintage Vespas
• A store that sells vintage furniture
• Imagine Nation - quirky furniture and trinkets from around the world
• Lucky Fish - beautiful local furniture and decor
• An African curio shop
• A toy store
• A specialist furniture store 
• The hair salon of award winning hair stylist Candice Wyatt
• Dokter and Misses flagship store
• Boat - coffee and sandwich bar
• A huge vintage clothing store
• Tattoo parlour
• Office Space - many people have offices there including Dion Chang's Flux Trends
• An Art Gallery
• Artists and Fashion Designer studios
• It's adjacent to The Refinery which has the same architecture and decor - really beautiful huge city apartments. 

It's quiet on Monday's and Tuesdays and usually busy on the weekend with lots of evening events and parties being hosted there. It never loses its cool because of the kind of people that go there - this is Joburg's version of "The CT City Bowl'' all in one space.