Gallery of different gins
Colourful space opens to patrons on Vilakazi Street
The Gin Gallery is a quaint colourful space on the well-known Vilakazi Street in Soweto. The cool green interior works well with the varied bottles of gin on offer, patrons lounge on velvet green cushions, under large umbrellas and suck on hubbly pipes as the hot sun beats down.
The space just opened on February 1, and its first weekend looks promising with food items by Sum Ting Fresh being on offer. The establishment is the brainchild of Nkululeko Maseko, 31, Zabalaza Mchunu, 32, and Thabang Sithole, 33, a town planner whose land the Gin Gallery sits on. Maseko and Mchunu own the concept The Soweto Gin Festival, running since 2017. “We’re trying to build this Soweto gin family where gin lovers have experiences of different gins. But also we’ve been trying to be the home of different craft gins made in South Africa because a lot of them are struggling to get into the main market,” says Mchunu. They wanted suppliers and consumers to have a place to be at home and foster a relationship. The business partners are confident their new venture will feed into the gin festival, creating a sustainable ecosystem.
“The whole concept is about taking urban ideas and bringing them to elokshini.” Maseko says they stock a variety of gins that are not readily available, which can make it expensive as craft gins are made in smaller quantities. “Also the price then becomes a barrier to entry to those people who are used to budget brands, like Gordon’s and Tanquery. As soon as you get to the R350R600 regions for bottles it becomes expensive for a particular LSM and typography of consumers,” says Maseko.
“We understand people will be learning through our outlet … We’re trying to make sure that you can sample as many gins as possible in order for you to experience the variety.”
The Gin Gallery offers a tasting menu in tot glasses. They are set at a particular price and often will be themed, for instance a juniper berry themed menu. The owners believe being on Vilakazi Street maximises visibility while adding something new to it.
“We believe there is a big tourist appeal and a different experience that we are giving to tourists, for them to experience a different side to South
Africa. Yes they go and see the history of the street but we want to tell them about a different urban culture experience that exists within SA right on the iconic street they’ve come to.”