27 BOXES

16 August 2015: This morning I was going through Facebook and saw a post by Chanel (my ex-brother in law's niece) congratulating her sister Dominique on her new shop at 27 Boxes ... Connor walked into the study while I was looking at the page on the internet and said "Let's go and have a look".  So we got ready and off we went ... 

This is what it says on the 27 Boxes website ...

Making a bold statement, yet blending into the surrounding suburb of Melville, 27Boxes is a realisation of edgy design and practical implementation.  A radical departure from the shopping malls of our generation, yet not a return to the high streets of our youth. 27Boxes showcases the best of a shopping centre set in a garden, surrounded by the bohemian suburb that is Melville.

27Boxes is built entirely from shipping containers, the first of its kind in South Africa. The design combines shipping containers, garden plants and rolling lawns, together with other brick and concrete elements for a richly different look and feel.

Our design team toured Europe looking at shipping container developments and retail centre design, challenging ourselves with how we could do it differently and better.  From Boxpark in London (a renowned and successful shopping centre built entirely from shipping containers) and the George Pompidou Centre in Paris (a bold and world famous statement of industrial design), we gathered ideas and laid the foundation of our concept. Our creative and architectural team has now taken this to a new level – 27Boxes is pioneering in concept and design, and profiles Johannesburg at the forefront of international design and bold ideas.

Of course the bookstore was of most interest to Connor ...

After exploring the centre we decided to have lunch at Philly Cheesesteak Co.  We ordered freshly squeezed juice ... Connor had apple and I had beetroot, carrot and orange which was absolutely amazing!!

We had a Philly Cheesesteak which is a roll with sliced steak, onions, greenpepper, cheddar and mozarella cheese.  OMWord!!! It was divine.

 Connor getting ready to tuck in ...

After walking around a bit more we stopped in at the Frying Dutchman and enjoyed a plate of poffertjies ... these are mini pancakes drowned in syrup and dusted liberally with icing sugar.  A little taste of heaven!!!

We are looking forward to returning some time soon!!!