1. THE CONCEPT
So, what is blacklife - is it a lifestyle – who lives this lifestyle?
A trendy vibrant lifestyle – your identity, style, the music you listen to, your
drink, your physical and social space, your dance
moves, the’ movies you watch, the parties you go to,
the events you graze, the friends you keep and your
dress code and style… most of all, the lifestyle is the
image you portray… the vibe and energy you
release… the blacklife vibe and blacklife image…
your attitude is your lifestyle… the blacklifestyle…
blacklife
– it’s not about the colour, its a lifestyle –
a blacklifestyle…
2. the story…
I, Lesley ‘BlackLife’ Chiloane invaded the entertainment and lifestyle scene in 2006/7 when together with two partners launched a 5-
star Restaurant and Bar Lounge called ‘black’ in JHB CBD as a co-owner and Managing Director.
I then designed and
conceptualized BlackLife as a
township lifestyle and
entertainment brand and
business concept. The idea was
to tone-down and relax the top,
high end and 5-star design
associated with black to suit
the township environment and
market.
I was soon to learn that
Business Life is a journey and
a race through a hostile
bushveld jungle. It’s a dog eats
dog world where the ruthless, immoral, greedy, scrupulous and rich survive! During this race, you will trip and fall. You will be
betrayed, stolen from and back-stabbed. Enemies will become friends, and friends will become enemies. Some friends will stay friends
and some enemies will stay enemies. Strangers will become pillars of strength and some strangers will bring down. Not everything will
be as it seems. You will get opportunities and loose some. You must use every half-a-change presented to you and always be ready.
And when you trip and fall, betrayed and let down, back stabbed and appear to be down-and-out, you have a choice, to either give-up and stay down
and be Defeated…
Or, you can Stand-Up and clean-your-self-up!
Like a Phoenix… Rise from the assumed dead and Shine!
Run faster than before… and fly higher…
Do not Run Away from the Haters, Betrayers and Challenges!
Run towards them… Meet them head-on… Conquer Them!!
Never give-up on your Dreams and Vision…
The Best revenge & weapon against those against you is success in what you do next, no matter how small or big!
BlackLife had a dream start as BlackLife Cocktail Cafe' that rocked Meadowlands and
Soweto in 2009 until 2011 when a friend and a business partner’s betrayal brought the
dream to an end as we parted ways and lost the business at Meadow-Point Shopping
Complex.
BlackLife Bar-Lounge-Café positioning statement:
A trendy inviting vibrant cocktail bar Lounge surrounded by colourful relaxing couches forms a day-lifestyle, which is completed by couches,
loosely arranged ottomans, cocktail tables and chairs that’s easily gives way to create a dance floor for the night lifestyle in a township…
BlackLife Bar-Lounge-Café target market:
Blacklife cocktail bar lounge attracts affluent individuals across all cultures and professions looking for quality entertainment that blends
into a unique lifestyle in a township vibrant venue. Be it for a cocktail night out with friends, an event or function, deep and soulful house music
and a meal or a bar snack over a favorite drink.
Life had to go on…
During 2011 and 2013 my attempts to find alternative venue to re-launch BlackLife Cocktail Bar and Lounge were unsuccessful. On
two occasions I came very close to securing take-over or buy-out deals with Changeroom / Changeroom in Pimville and Kool & Tsar in
Dobsonville respectively but it wasn’t meant to be.
I continue to be on a look-out and search for suitable venue to launch the BlackLife Cocktail Bar and Lounge most anticipated
comeback…
3. Again in late 2012 and early 2013
I came very close to launching yet
another concept under the
BlackLife Entertainment Brand…
the BlackLife Drive-In Movies
when the deal collapsed in the
latest stages. I am still pursuing
opportunities in this regard as
well…
Possibilities for this concept still exist
and time will tell…
The time came for me to humble myself and go back to the drawing board and start something else from scratch and create yet another
dream concept and business idea… This was in response to a need and a demand for a service and product within and around the new
community of Fleurhof, a new residential development alongside Mainreef Road opposite Florida Lake.
In April 2013 we launched under the brand… the BlackLife Buy & Braai (Chisa-Nyama) in Fleurhof. It however turned out to be a
concept and a business launched too early for the market and too early introduced in a still-growing community of Fleurhof. In less
than a year, due to lack of enough support, despite them warm welcome of the concept and services to a few customers, we had to close
down and again I moved on to yet another chapter in my life.
When I conceptualized and designed BlackLife as a business brand and concept back then in 2007 when I was still running ‘black’ -
bistro lounge and cocktail kitchen - the restaurant. I envisioned ‘blacklife’ to be a ‘lifestyle’ and ‘entertainment’ concept. Hence our
motto: ‘it’s a lifestyle… a blacklifestyle’…
By God's permission all the hard-work, smart-work, creativity and patience will someday finally begin to pay off... as they say:
Patience is a virtue... Vision is a blessing... Talent is an assert... Perseverance is an attitude... Implementation is a Lifestyle!
We then had the great pleasure to launch and introduced yet another concept and service in partnership with Mr. Sphiwe Xaba, of
Fleurho in 2013 to fall under the BlackLife Brand… the BlackLife image…
Image is everything. It speaks a volume. It tells a lot about yourself without you
uttering a word. It creates an impression about you.
You are either liked or hated, welcome or denied, greeted or passed by,
noticed or ignored based on the image you portray…
BlackLife image: the 3D Lifestyle Stretch Tents…
Corporate Outdoor
Corporate Indoor
Garden & Park Events
Family Functions & Parties
BlackLife Chisa-Nyama operates on Fri-Sat-Sun and Mogodu on Mondays…
Live it… Be it… the lifestyle
