Following research conducted in 2009, as to the type of new entertainment outlets the patrons of Emperor’s Palace sought; the exploration revealed that consumers favoured cinemas and quite specifically, a News Cafe. The invitation from Peermont, owners of Emperor’s Palace, to News Cafe to open a franchise on site in late 2009, underlines the high appeal of the brand.

“The fact that one of our existing franchisees already boasted business interests in Emperor’s Palace made the process so much easier, as there existed an obvious synergy and a keen interest from the franchisee owners, Dawn and Pavendren Naidoo,” explains Alan van der Westhuizen, General Manager, Restaurant Division, News Cafe.

“We in turn completed a site assessment and considered all the statistics and demographic studies that the landlord had conducted. On that basis, we produced forecasts on the potential penetration and the viability of the outlet. This store is positioned on a great site in one of Johannesburg’s premium hotel, casino and convention resorts. We have no doubt that it will trade above our group average and, given the dedicated management, it should prove to be one of our flagship stores within Johannesburg.

“Though we started trading on 14 December 2009, the official launch of the new store is Thursday, 11 March 2010, and we are looking forward to a great turnout,” adds van der Westhuizen.

The new News Cafe franchise, aimed at the higher group of LSM in the age group 25-35, experiences little direct competition. In the day, it competes against the smaller coffee shop/quick service outlets and in the evening, outlets such as Tribes and the Sports Bar. The extensive seating also makes it an attractive destination, with seating for 171 inside; plus 40 at the bar; as well as 123 patrons outside.

The franchise offers fast, professional service over extended hours, from 07:00 until 02:00, to accommodate the casino traffic patterns. “We appreciate that guests coming into News Cafe may not necessarily be choosing us as a destination, as they may be going to or coming from the casino. For this reason, the service must be capable of handling the peak trading times that the casino experiences. We have invested a great deal of time in training at this store and hope that it continues to maintain the high standard that we have set,” continues van der Westhuizen.

The décor of the News Cafe outlet reflects its need to service multiple requirements over long hours. Hence, the design brief called for a front shop, sporting a separate coffee bar, and with a stylish restaurant/deli look and feel in order to promote both breakfast and lunch to the potential passing trade. The bar is situated at the back of the store to separate the front from the entertainment/bar area that leads onto the outside area. The menu remains standard to the News Cafe franchise chain. Each new store has feature design elements that are unique and this individual store is no exception. The ceiling detail; lighting; metalwork; and shop fittings are all carefully blended to create a feel that is stylish; open; and inviting.

“We are delighted to be part of one of Johannesburg’s premium entertainment destinations and particularly pleased with the way the Emperor’s Palace store design turned out. While we do not want to be unreasonable in our expectations, we do look forward to great results from this site,” concludes van der Westhuizen.