11 november namib times e edition

Page 9

11 NOVEMBER 2016

NAMIB TIMES

COMMUNITY NEWS

9

Old Bonusmarkt building gets a new look Swakopmund will soon have a new shopping arcade, similar to the popular Brauhaus Arkade in the centre of town. The renovations of the “Bonus Erwin Leuschner Marktplatz” have officially commenced – an exciting development is on the horizon. The so-called “Bonusmarkt” building on the corner of Sam Nujoma Avenue and Nathaniel Maxulili Street in Swakopmund boasts a very old and rich history. This aspect was duly considered when the developer of the property, The Lighthouse Group, decided to give the building a new look. “I have fond memories of this building and look back on it with nostalgia,” said Lighthouse Group CEO, Quinton Liebenberg, during the official ground-breaking ceremony of the development this week. Mayor Paulina Nashilundo shared the same view, saying that many childhood memories were made in this building. “When developing the town, we must balance the old with the new,” Nashilundo said. Adding Swakopmund is known for its historical buildings and that this heritage needs to be preserved. According to Liebenberg the original building will be renovated but will still have the original look. He expects the renovations to be completed in ten months. “We will modernise the building (and erf) and enhance it,” he said. The bottom floor of the old building will thereafter once again boast a similar store to the one run by Rosemarie Gellert, which closed in 2009. “We will offer roast chicken and soft serve just like in the old days,” Liebenberg said. In the top floor a boutique restaurant will

open, offering a unique view over town. The rest of the property will be developed to accommodate 14 shops. Liebenberg did not want to reveal yet who the tenants will be and what exactly they will offer. The entire renovations and development is estimated at close to N$15 million. “It is commendable that a new public area will be created, instead of just another office or residential block,” said the mayor during her speech. The old Bonusmarkt building was first completed as a double story building in 1913/14. The history of the building was researched by Swakopmund resident Georg Erb. Who exactly built the structure and what its original purpose was could not be established though. In 1926 Peter Max Esselsgroth occupied the ground floor with “Collison's S.W. Ltd”, an importer of wines and spirits. Dr Karl Willasch, who had been the (only) dentist in the district, owned the building in 1931. In the same year Dr Alfons Weber arrived in Swakopmund and became a partner in the dentist's practice. Dr Weber married Willasch daughter. Also in the same year, the owner of Farm Goanikontes, Mr Aladar Hrabovsky, bought the building for his newly-wed daughter, Gertrud and son-in-law, Mr Johannes Blatt. Blatt's parents Johann and Anna Blatt owned a shoe store in Kaiser Wilhelm Street

Photos by Xenia Ivanoff-Erb The old Bonusmarkt building in the centre of town will renovated to the tune of almost N$15 million. The photo depicts the contractor, Peet Strauss (left), Mayor Paulina Nashilundo and Lighthouse Group CEO Quinton Liebenberg

next to Adler Apotheke at the time. Johannes Blatt returned from Germany where he was trained as artist in Hamburg. After their wedding, Johannes Blatt and his wife lived in the top floor of the building. He had his artist's studio and gallery in the northfacing rooms and became possibly the most prolific artist in the country during that time. He was also an art teacher at Swakop High School. The children of Johannes and Gertrud Blatt, Arnfried and Helga, were raised in the upper floor of the building. Arnfried also became a noted artist. Aladar Hrabovsky rented out the ground floor to various shop owners over the years. There had been a hardware shop and a shop for electrical appliances. From October 1933 onwards Hrabovsky operated the “Bottle Store” under his name, but employed the brother of his son-in-law Johannes Blatt, Paul Blatt, as a manager. Around 1950 Gertrud Blatt inherited the

building and opened an upmarket clothes boutique on “Trudchen's Ecke”. In 1964 the entire building was renovated. Afterwards it was either Colin Bassingthwaithe or Chris van Wyk that started a corner café under the name “Bonus Markt” for the first time. This was taken over by Hans J. Haenisch until 1984 when Rosemarie Gellert took over. Hans Haenisch started the grilled chicken and soft serve that the Bonus Markt became famous for. Haenisch was very hard-working. He worked long hours every day, also on weekends. Rosemarie Gellert carried on in a similar way and ran the shop until her death in 2009. The daughter in law of Gertrud Blatt inherited the building when her husband Arnfried Blatt died in a airplane crash in 1976. Cathy Blatt sold the building to the Lighthouse Group.

Photos by Xenia Ivanoff-Erb


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