Durban - I have heard about the Station Drive Precinct for months now.
Friends and colleagues have been whispering sweet things about Durban’s “latest it spot”. I have seen many “it” spots come and go, so nothing anyone said was going to get me to drive to Umgeni Road (which I obviously don’t like doing) and try find this place. Until last week when I had a change of heart and boy am I glad I did.
Finding parking in this street can be a mission but once you do find a free spot, the street is yours to enjoy. With its mix of design studios, a plastics factory, coffee shops and retail stores it reminded me very much of Cape Town’s Woodstock district and Johannesburg’s Maboneng Precinct.
I decided to start at The Foundry, a building that plays host to S43 – the brainchild of Sean and Marcelle Roberts who own Café 1999 and the Unity Brasserie and Bar. There’s a jeweller, a communal office and Distillery 031. I was lucky enough to meet the owner of Distillery 031, Andrew Rall, who told me why Station Drive is such a unique place.
“This is a very urban place, we are not in the inner city but we still have a major city vibe and I think that’s what attracts people. This is a very creative area, there are photographic studios and even a furniture store just around the corner and you will find every kind of person in this precinct”, he said.
Distillery 031 is the first craft distillery in KZN which produces a range of spirits from vodka to rum.
What was really great about The Foundry and Distillery 031 is how authentic it is. While you are having a meal, vodka is being made in front of you (depending on which time of the day you visit), and the sound of trains passing by just across the street remind you why the street is called Station Drive. Once I was done at The Foundry I met a friend for coffee, and we just walked until we found an interesting looking building called The Station.
When Andrew said the area attracted creatives, he was not kidding (notice I said creatives and not hipsters), the street was lined with young trendy Durbanites, all proud of their individual fashion style. Back to The Station, this building was my favourite. It has a fantastic coffee shop, retail stores and a photography studio. My friend and I settled for coffee at Park Side, which is managed by Danielle Carilho who is known for making some of the best cappuccinos. Stores like Mind over Matter and The Vintager stock vintage clothes at affordable prices.
Just around the corner a visit to Con Amore Home Store, which sells exquisite furniture and also has a delicious lunch menu, sealed the deal. Station Drive precinct is a must visit precinct for anyone who loves all things uniquely Durban and for everyone who wants to escape the hustle and bustle of malls and the beachfront.
I love how quirky the area is, how relaxed the environment and how you can have coffee, get a pair of fabulous jeans and even an ottoman all within a few metres of each other. I’ve been told that the precinct now holds its very own First Thursdays, a concept I have only experienced in Cape Town, so for Durban it too, excites me. If you haven’t already visited Station Drive, make sure you do.
Liam Joyce, Sunday Tribune