Scala Barbershop traded in Melville for a massive 48 years! That's nearly half a century of keeping Melville looking clean. RIP Fred Moss. Welcome to Melville Untold.

In this Week's Melville Untold,

• The Mystery Behind Melville's Pink Church Finally Revealed 💝

• Launch of Bounty Hunter's Cat of the Week 🐈

• Melville Market Vendor Spotlight: Nale'Chili 🌶

Let’s go. 

— Aubrey Moloto, Kele Jackson

The Digest

The Mystery Behind Melville's Pink Church Finally Revealed 💝

The hood has been ablaze with excitement in the weeks leading up to what could be the most highly anticipated opening since we started chronicling Mellie's happenings. After days of social media posts, blogs, and even print media conjuring hype, this Saturday, the 13th of September, the mysterious architectural marvel finally opened its doors.

Die Pienk Kerk Restaurant & Coffee Shop's doors finally unlatched and burst open instantly. A mobbing Melville/Richmond and surrounds congregation sang off the same hymn sheet, praising the church's resurrection, its décor and delicacies from a much-too-gourmet-for-a-coffee shop opening weekend menu.

As the official good news archivers of the hood, we couldn't be left out! I, like most of you, have also wondered most of my life, "wat gaan aan daar so"—what's the church's story? Say less, 'cause as usual, we got you! We popped in on the much quieter Sunday and managed to steal a sec with the man of the moment: Yanni Briel, owner of Die Pienk Kerk Coffee Shop & Restaurant, for the inside scoop..

A Building with Soul: The Church's Rich History

The church has an immense history as one of the oldest buildings still standing in Melville today. Built in 1903 as a Methodist church, it has since served as a synagogue, an Old Apostolic Church, a nursery school, an architectural firm's office, an interior decorator's studio and home, a print studio and a dance studio. Now it has reinvented itself as a restaurant and coffee shop.

This building truly embodies Melville's spirit of community, artistry and resilience, constantly adapting to new uses while retaining its distinctive character. Originally built on a steeply sloping site, it has kept its high-pitched roof and distinctive arched windows. Original elements like the pulpit and one bench have been kept in the space's current iteration.

Yanni, as Die Pienk Kerk, has now added "liquorice-black walls, life-sized papier-mâché geese soaring across the ceiling, and parquet floors in the gallery", making sure to be intentional about preserving the building's "class and character".

Meet Yanni Briel: The Man Behind the Vision

Yanni is a restaurateur and visual merchandiser, born in  Carltonville and raised in the Free State. He served in the Navy and worked overseas for Princess Cruises as a West Coast Visual Merchandiser. Before going overseas, he ran a cigar bar in Wynberg, Cape-Town and later opened an Italian restaurant called Glass in the Free State.

Yanni always had a strong connection to churches; his dad was a pastor, so he spent much of his youth in church. He drove past the pink church on his daily commute for five years and "fell in love with it", eventually developing a "strong desire to bring the building to life again".

After years of checking it out, with eventual retirement in mind, Yanni decided it was time to act! He made some calls, took some meetings and signed the papers to take over the historic property, leasing with an option to buy.

The Restaurant Vision

Yanni aims for the restaurant to be one of the best in Melville, known for its "exceptional food, atmosphere and service." This weekend's opening was only a soft launch, with a grand "red carpet" opening scheduled for 11th October. The vision is to be a welcoming space "like a friend's living room" where people will return for the atmosphere, food and company.

Coming in, Yanni mostly kept the space the same. He's added a new kitchen in the double-door garages, new floors and did some paintwork. Outside, the garden has been revamped and will "bloom with bougainvillaea" over outdoor seating. There's a gift and lifestyle shop by Trouvé at the back and an art gallery downstairs.

Opening Day Madness

The opening day was a tremendous success; so "crazy" and "busy" that they actually ran out of food and had to turn people away. Service was temporarily halted at 3pm and resumed at 6pm while they got more supplies and made fresh food.

Menu Highlights:

• The Patties: Homemade from a cherished recipe passed down from Yanni's great-great-grandmother.

• Fillet Steak: Prepared using a Nigella Lawson recipe, marinated in red wine and balsamic, flash-fried, and served with a choice of mashes

• Pricing: Opening week special prices; all mains R120, breakfast items R90 (temporary opening weekend pricing)

• Beverages: Local lemonade from Lemonade Queen, Kathleen Wolmarans, based in Westdene

Yanni wants to collaborate with the community and source items like pastries and cakes from local Melville residents and artisans, rather than commercial suppliers.

Events and Community Engagement

There'll be art exhibitions with Karoo Gothic first on the cards, running from 19th October to 23rd November. They plan to host cabaret artist Elsie Zitsman on her October tour and will involve more artists for "one-man shows". Yanni intends to make the restaurant a central gathering place for the community.

I Love Melville

Going back to the personal Melville connection in Snap's style, Yanni's most memorable moment in Melville was when he first moved back to Joburg after working overseas. He fondly remembers time spent at the Ant Café, saying that it had "the best pizza". He would visit Ant every time he came home for a holiday.

Yanni's love for Melville is based on three things: the diversity and varied nature of the suburb, the strong sense of community, and its "artiness". Melville "simply feels like home and gives me a homey feeling."

There you have it! A new facet to the Melville resurgence! The lovely pink church is back and ready for action. You can support Die Pienk Kerk Restaurant & Coffee Shop simply by stopping by for a coffee or bite to eat when they're open.

We're definitely feeling the excitement in the community. Welcome to our hood, Yanni and the Die Pienk Kerk team!

If you enjoyed this facet of Melville’s comeback story, consider buying us a coffee. Payshap i: 0605293425

What’s Happenin’ 🤔

Loads of family-friendly things to do! Is Melville becoming wholesome again?

Check out the events calendar for regular events - The Melville Pulse Events Calendar 

Melville Weather For The Week 🌸

Wednesday 

26° 🌡️ 9°  | 🌤️ |  🌧️ 0% | SSW 11 km/h 💨

Thursday  

27° 🌡️ 11° | 🌤️ | 🌧️ 0% | ENE 15 km/h 💨

Friday 

30° 🌡️ 13° | 🌤️ | 🌧️ 0% | ESE 11 km/h 💨

Saturday 

28° 🌡️ 14° | 🌤️ |  🌧️ 3% | NE 15 km/h 💨

Sunday

29° 🌡️ 13° | 🌤️ | 🌧️ 1% | N 9 km/h 💨

Monday 

28° 🌡️ 12° | ☀️ |  🌧️ 0% | N 11 km/h 💨

Tuesday 

27° 🌡️ 11° | ☁️ |  🌧️ 1% | SWS 11 km/h 💨

Live & Music Events Lowdown 🎸

19/09 | Friday | 7.30 pm | chiesa di PAZZO LUPi | Drama Drama bied aan Papelellekoors ft. Johann Slabbert, Elzabé Zietsman, Jody Jason Petersen | R180

20/09 | Saturday | 7 pm | chiesa di PAZZO LUPi | Kgorong Tour ft. Linda Tshabalala, Ncamisa Nqana, Mongezi Conjwa, Sakhile Twala and Lungile Kunene | R180

22/09 | Monday | Wild Jasmine | Folk Musician for Remote Living: Philile Nkabinde the Poet, Sonic Journeyer, Nomadic Dreamer, Multi-Instrumentalist | DM @ wild.jasmine103

For more updates as the week goes on, visit our instagram page @snapson7th or our new Melville Pulse event calendar

Civil Matters 👷‍♀️

Water Woes Update

After a horrid couple of weeks of water issues, the system seems to have found some stability. (Let's whisper that quietly and not make any sudden movements, just in case it hears us.)

We previously mentioned the urgent water crisis meeting that the council called with Joburg Water for the public to attend. If you missed it, here's a link to the screen recording

While we're on the topic of water, most of Melville's supply has been restored. Lower areas of the neighbourhood aren't affected as much as the higher houses, particularly 1st Street and 1st Avenue. Gravity is apparently still on backorder, as they shockingly still haven't had their water flow back to normal.

The MSI asks that people in lower areas of Melville please use their water sparingly to help the upper-level homes get their supply restored faster. So, if you're in the lower bits of the Ville, maybe hold off on filling that Olympic-sized swimming pool for a few more days.

They'd also like to invite residents still struggling to come to the satellite police station on 1st Avenue to collect water on Mondays to Fridays from 9am to 5pm.

Waste Management Appeal

While talking to Danny, he wanted to take a moment to appeal to neighbours to please dispose of bulk waste items responsibly.

Main Road and lower 2nd Avenue were looking a bit post-apocalyptic this past week. There was severe misuse of municipal dustbins; Main Road businesses are using them to discard their waste to the point of overflow onto pavements.

Creass would like to ask that we please take care of our pavements and that businesses dispose of their waste properly. Let's leave the municipal bins for public and pedestrian litter.

The Tail End 🐾 

From Pups to Purrs: Introducing Cat of the Week!

Right, the neighbourhood pups had their chance to shine; It's time for their feline overlords to claim the spotlight!

We're excited to officially launch The Bounty Hunters’ Cat of the Week! We hope this cute segment fosters a connection between the kitties and our community cat lovers. It's about providing support for the Bounty Hunters Charity for Cats and increasing successful adoption rates.

Melville Untold's first-ever official Bounty Hunters’ cat of the week is this majestic fella over here:

Markets Watch

Spice is Right: Meet the Chilli Queen of Melville Market

It's been a while since our last vendor spotlight, so let's touchdown at the Melville Market at Kruis Church to introduce another community favourite stall: Nale'Chili.

Nale'Chili is the brainchild of Jenna Masimula, a garment technologist by trade and a chilli-head by calling.  A hit from day one, Jenna has become a market favourite with a sauce that promises a perfect balance of kick and flavour. This isn't just heat for heat's sake; it's a flavour bomb packed with olive oil, ginger, garlic, parsley, and squeezed lemon.

So why set up shop in our quirky corner of Joburg at the Melville Market? Jenna says it's "where you find creatives and people that appreciate handcrafted or even locally grown products." In other words, she knows her audience and they know good chilli when they taste it, constantly encouraging her to build on her fiery empire.

While many businesses live purely online these days, Jenna is a firm believer in the power of the physical stall. For Nale'Chili, having a home base is vital. It's a touchpoint where people can easily convert into new customers after sampling the goods. She regularly shows up, so these customers become loyal supporters.

Building a business is tough, and Jenna is quick to thank the Melville Market management for creating a platform where vendors can connect with the community and grow.

Ready to spice up your life? Head down to the Melville Market at Kruis Church every Saturday from 9 am - 2 pm and find Jenna's stall.

Art in Melville 🖼

Gallery Guide: Your Week of Melville Art Events

At our local art galleries, it's another week packed with exhibitions & events.

• Thursday, the 18th: Impact Is A Verb exhibition featuring Kate Shand of the Melville Mudroom at FADA Gallery UJ

• Weekend-long: Mr Stokvel himself, Gordon Froud, exhibiting his highly anticipated "Lost & Froud" starting Friday evening at Gordart Stokvel Gallery.

• Saturday, the 20th: AA Art Galleries “Signals Between Us” walk about

• Saturday, the 20th: Youth activation by Katerina Fink called "Draw What I Like" At Fade Gallery (UJ)

• Saturday, the 20th Drumming Classes: Back at JAM, Gontse Makhena hosts his awesome drumming classes together with

• Sunday, the 21st September: Resource Art Gallery hosting their Flow & Connect Yoga and meditation event

• Sunday the 21st: The Tintanic exhibition's Melville experience event in collaboration with the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation

Check out the gig guide or Melville Pulse Events Calendar for more details. Your social calendar is officially on notice. Busy, busy week in the Ville!

Thank you! 🙏

Thank you for tuning in to the neighbourhood's positive vibes. If you enjoyed the read, consider buying us a coffee. We realised that our international tipping system made it expensive for people to donate, so we're bringing it back home with good old PayShap.

It's a simple way to pay someone across banks using their number. You can now tip us using PayShap on our 060 529 3425 number as the Payshap ID. We’re adding a Snap Scan option soon.

Thank you again to everyone who's supported us before, every little bit makes staying consistent and digging deep each week much easier and more enjoyable with less worldly pressures. We appreciate you!

If you found a gem in this issue, forward the email to someone who cares about the Ville. 🤍🤲

'Til next Wednesday, Melville.

Stay pretty, stay passionate and stay playful!

Leahaey ✌️