Restaurants sport menus to whet World Cup appetite

MPHO TLALE
Correspondent | Friday June 11, 2010 00:00

However this has not damped the spirits of those who are business-minded. Like the Tswana saying, phokoje go tshela yo o dithetsenyana, entrepreneurs have taken it upon themselves to at least feed off the crumbs of the spectacular event that shall forever be remembered in the history of African soccer.

The businessmen and women who trade on the street have embarked on a mission to sell a variety of soccer merchandise ranging from vuvuzelas and supporters t-shirts to flags of the different countries participating in the World Cup.

The flags have also been popular with private cars and combis. Gaothobogwe Motsamai sells candy at the station but has seized the opportunity to expand his business, while it's still conducive to do so.

He says that he started selling flags a week ago and 'it has not been that bad'.

Motsamai says the small sized flags are P20, while the medium sized ones are P25 and the Brazilian, Portuguese and South African flags are the ones which have been in demand though others have also been bought. Restaurants have also been caught up in the soccer frenzy. Big screens are the in thing now. On being interviewed the manager of Bull and Bush, Mark Flanagan has affirmed that indeed they will be setting up a big screen as well as preparing different meals depending on the teams that are playing.

For example if Brazil is playing against Argentina then the food from those two countries will make the menu. Flanagan also says that they have a beer promotion running in conjuction with Kgalagadi Breweries Limited (KBL). As part of welcoming the World Cup in style, Bull and Bush will host a fiesta tonight for all soccer fans to come together and celebrate the beginning of the games.  Dros Restaurant and Wine Cellar are also running an advert promoting the big screen as well as their oxtail specials. Clothes shops are also part of the frenzy that has caught up with everyone, soccer fan or not. They are also captivated into the 'Feel it. It is here,' slogan that has been running on South African television screens for quite sometime now.

Shops such as Woolworth's and Edgars and sport shops around Gaborone have been making a killing from selling soccer merchandise.

Willy Ketlogetswe, the sales manager at Jet, station mall says that they have a wide range of soccer merchandise available such as beanies t-shirts. scarves, sneakers, slippers and tracksuits.

He pointed out though that the Brazilian and South African are the ones that generate more business as compared to other countries. Ketlogetswe said that since last week Tuesday to today sales have sky rocketed especially the supporters' T-shirts.On observation during the interview with Ketlogetswe customers were indeed purchasing t-shirts.