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New-look Hartsfield Tshisanyama

Showbiz Correspondent
It was a week before Christmas last year that popular spot Hartsfield Tshisanyama re-opened its gates to Bulawayo fun lovers after having closed down for almost 10 months.

It had been closed under the guise of renovations, but it later emerged that there had been a wrangle between proprietors 3D Events and leaseholders Matabeleland Rugby and Football Union over rentals.

However, all that was resolved and the place is now open for business, but with a different trajectory as gone are the days of noisy weekends with heavy dancing and partying. Now, the loudness of music has been considerably toned down to give out a relaxed atmosphere that affords people an opportunity to talk while having social lubricants.

The new look Hartsfield Tshisanyama has a bigger seating area with over 20 wooden tables and is well tented with good lighting. The braai area has also been spruced up and most importantly, there is no gate charge on most weekends unless if there is a rugby match, making the place more accessible. The hospitality is still unmatched as the 3D crew is always attentive and at the service of their patrons.

3D Events DJs Liz, Ras Obido and Wellyonz keep the party going from Friday to Sunday. Interestingly, it is on Sunday that the popular spot is at its peak with patrons, some from as far as Harare and Johannesburg, flocking the joint as soon as the gates open at midday. This is attributed to the refreshing atmosphere because of the lawn that was installed along with swings and jungle gym for kids to play on. The spot is now family friendly rather than an area known for booze-filled partying with loud music.

According to 3D Events head, Mduduzi Mdlongwa, the changes were made because they wanted to make it more of a chill spot where people could come and relax with their families while having meals and listening to good music.

“We’ve done away with loud music and that hard partying atmosphere. Now, we want people to come, relax and have their drinks while in a mellow environment with toned down music.

“Hartsfield Tshisanyama is a place for people to enjoy sundowners while winding down after a long day at work or a hard night of partying,” said Mdlongwa.

He said surprisingly, Sunday was their busiest day showing that their decision to give the place a chilled vibe was spot on.

“Sunday’s are quite busy here yet it was a day we expected to have less traffic as we thought people would ideally be at home with their families. Likely because we’ve created this family atmosphere, they now prefer to come here to spend time with their kids. So, revamping the place was a good investment.”

To add onto the barbeque that the spot is known for, Mdlongwa said they had added traditional foods to the menu for variety.

“Besides the braai packs, we’ve added meals like isitshwala/sadza with bones, offals, trotters, inhloko and goat meat, among others to ensure that a lot of diverse people are catered for. This is after realising that it’s not everyday that one wants to braai,” said Mdlongwa.

And for fans of the spot, Mdlongwa said they were now open for business daily as they recently started serving lunch during the week. In future, they hope to establish a car wash for the convenience of their patrons and make the place a one-stop shop.

On whether there would be shows at the famous spot that has hosted the likes of Black Motion, Black Coffee, Cassper Nyovest and Winky D in the past, Mdlongwa said they wanted to build a fan base before going down that road.

“Perhaps by the end of the year, we shall have something big. But for now, we’re concentrating on having Tshisanyama being the place to be for people who want to have a good meal and ice cold drinks. Other things will fall in place later.”