Hello, Benmore Gardens!

We revisited another of our old haunts, Benmore Gardens Shopping Centre, recently, and have updated our web page for it on the Megaplex site.

Benmore Gardens, established in 1967, is apparently Sandton’s oldest shopping centre.  It has been completely refurbished into a light, bright, new centre. Also, they say, a "Green" Centre:  Benmore Gardens uses I-Energy, a wireless management system that them to control their electricity consumption. Building started in late 2006 and is almost complete except for a tunnel being built between two parking areas.

The retail area has more than doubled to 22 300 m², and parking is now over 1 000 bays. The whole layout has been changed and takes some getting used-to: I kept ending up at unexpected exits!  There are now public ablution facilities for people with special needs, and on the ground and lower levels there are baby-changing facilities –just the place to swap your baby for a better one!

The open double volume atrium has been enclosed using a design that allows copious natural light into the court. The upper shopping level still has the banks and Post Office, but now also has several restaurants (Metro, O'Galito's, Col'Cacchio, and Café Fresco), four Hair & Beauty salons, Baby City, and Toy Zone.

Just about everything else is on the ground floor including Pick n Pay who used to be in the basement.  There are restaurants/fast food shops: Farmhouse Fare, Fournos Bakery, Anat, Nando's Kauai, and Melt (who hand-make the most delightful chocolates).  Woolworths Food is there, as is Dis-Chem and CNA.  The ground floor also houses quite a collection of little boutiques, the now-obligatory pet food and pet supplies shop, travel shops, Bookdealers of Benmore, jewellery, luggage, carpets, and gifts.  Finally, on the health side, there's the Nutri-Balance Centre (health shop and Homeopathic Doctor) and (for back supports, neck-supports, anti-snore pillows, etc.) The Back Shop.  I looked for a Front Shop too but couldn't find one: An opportunity for some entrepreneur?

Unfortunately they now have my pet hate, paid parking, although the first two hours are free.  They claim it was needed to discourage surrounding businesses from parking in the centre's parking area for the day.

Overheard:

A teenage girl stops at the perfume counter.  She sees “Obsession", “Sex In The City”, "Opium", "Goddess", “Dream Angels”, and "Beyond Paradise”.  She says to the salesgirl, “I don't want to get emotionally involved; I just want to smell nice.”

New Kids on the Block Back to top

• Capitec Bank (Shop 20 in Woodmead Retail Park) – Now Open: The bank with the lowest fees and the longest hours (for individuals only). Open weekdays 2nd to 24th of month 08:00-17:00, 25th to 1st 08:00-17:30, Saturdays 08:00-13:00.
• Bretties Lingerie (in Morningside Shopping Centre) – Bespoke corsetry, ladies' underwear, larger plus size bras, knickers, panties, saucy things, luxury sleepwear, exotic swimwear and casual wear, spencers, vests, stockings and winter leggings.
• Cell C Morningside (Shop U26 in Morningside Shopping Centre) – Cell phones, prepaid, accounts and contracts, cell phone accessories.
• Celtic Dancing (Highland Dancing), Cake Decorating, Stamp Auction and Stamp Fair (all at Ernest Ullmann Park Recreation Centre).

Restaurant Review (****) by Judith Back to top

The Master Painter

After the fiasco with the chain saw, Julius felt he had to redeem himself as a handyman.  He thought long and hard about a suitable project, and finally decided to repaint the living-room.  He went to Our Mica, got some good paint, rollers and brushes. and  set to work.

He had nearly finished when his friend Jacob dropped by unexpectedly.  "Great job, Julius, but tell me one thing: Why are you painting the house wearing a dinner jacket and an overcoat?"

"It's in the instructions."

So Jacob looks on the paint tin and, sure enough, it says, "for best results, put on two coats".

The Gone Dogs  Back to top

• Annica's Deli & Bakery (in The Wedge, Morningside) – Designer Cakes and Coffee Shop. Relocated to new premises, Corner of Bond St & Main Ave, Ferndale, Randburg (see their web site).
• i-con (in Woodmead Super Value Centre) – Laptop bags, accessories, internet café, printing, scanning and faxing.
• Vodacom Vodashop (Shop 4 in Woodmead Super Value Centre) – Cell phones and accessories, airtime.
• Keg and Vine (in Woodmead Square) – Theme Pub & Restaurant.
• Amici Café (formerly Nino's Woodmead) (in Woodmead Square) – Italian Restaurant.
• Designer Depot (in Woodmead Square) – Clothing: International Brands – CAT and Pepe Jeans.

Rivonia News

As promised some months ago, Rivonia Boulevard is now a one-way northbound from Ninth Avenue to Eden Crescent.  If you drive into Rivonia Boulevard from Tenth Avenue going south to News Cafe, ABSA or Sleazers, turn right into Eden Crescent and go around via 9th Avenue.

Following repeated robberies, Standard Bank Rivonia has become South Africa's first cashless commercial bank!  They offer only chequebook and credit card collections, safe custody, and ATMs.  For other services, go to their branches at Woodmead Retail Park, Morningside Shopping Centre, or The Square, Sunninghill.

Success Story

At the end of May, Jan of Perfect10 Woodmead contacted us about a paid-for web page for his nail and body studio. We gave him a first cut of the page to look at on 6 June and went live on 23 June. We expected it to take some months to make the front page of Google.  To our delight, only three weeks later on 16 July when we did some test searches, it got top spot on Google for "Woodmead manicure" and "Woodmead pedicure".  The page also hit 2nd place for "Nails Woodmead" (just under the list of Perfect 10 franchises) and "beauty Woodmead".

Jan has already started getting custom from the page and says we can use him as a reference.  May we do a similar page for your business? e-mail us now!.

At The Checkout

An overseas visitor with a heavy accent needed some help at Pick 'n Pay 'n Pay.

"Vehr", he asked an assistant, "do you keep ze pepper?"

"What kind, sir", asked the assistant, "black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper?".

"Naaow you fool, writing pepper!"