Goa
is most beautiful during the monsoons; and it has been
a couple of years that this secret is out! Contrary to the scene
until a few years ago, the monsoons in Goa ARE NOT a time for most
business establishments to relax, thanks to the local patronage that
these businesses enjoy, coupled with a heavy influx of domestic
tourists who have discovered that Goa is cheaper than ever, during
these months. Although the monsoons haven’t begun yet, this year
seems to be no different and the number restaurants and nightclubs
that stay shut during this period, is declining.
Mackenzie
Eudes Periera, fondly known as Mackie, has grown to become a key
nightlife industry stakeholder in Goa in the last few years. Mackie,
apart from handling a few other properties in the nightlife sector,
co-incepted Middle Finger Fridays with his friend and now business
partner, DJ Jay Naik about a year ago. He has, since then, invited
DJs from around the country and the world, to entertain the audiences
at the venue, Cape Town Café in Baga. When asked to comment on the
nightlife scene during the monsoons, Mackie says “There is not much
of a drop in the number of people who come to party. We still have a
lot of locals who follow us religiously. So we don’t really have a
dip in crowd. Although there are some times when the weather goes a
little haywire and the business is quite slow then.”
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At
a time when most people had dismissed the idea of doing fertile
business in the monsoons, terming it as the ‘off-season’, the
trio of Gregg Furtado, Amit Bakhale and Gautam Bakhale chose to defy
the odds and started their business venture, Cohiba – Bar and Kitchen
in Sinquerim, about two years ago in September. Since then, the
property that can accommodate about 1000 people has quickly grown to
become ‘the’ place to be and is absolutely packed on Wednesdays
and Saturdays, thanks to their signature Ladies Night and Retro
Nights, respectively. When asked if they have adopted any new
business practices to ensure good business in the rains, Gautam says
“We just concentrate on getting our basics right, not only during
the monsoons but throughout the year. There is absolutely no
compromise on the quality of F&B and the entertainment, because
of which we have managed to garner a healthy local following.
Furthermore, we have been rather active on digital platforms and that
has ensured us a good all-round presence.”
