Situated on Osu’s first lane, just off the Ring Road east of the Danquah roundabout is a distinct style of architecture, somewhat like finding a lone pine tree among mahoganies. The property itself is a bit of an oddity. It’s a restaurant, lounge, and club yet the design signals something more futuristic, like a piece of art from a Star Wars movie. In place of closed walls are carefully arranged panes of colored metal sheets, like an organized version of stained glass windows on a Renaissance-style cathedral.
Atop this architectural eye candy is Lupita, an interactive restaurant lounge with a square bar right in the middle and accessible from all sides. The kitchen offers a modest menu, nothing sophisticated, but enough to cater to an evening dinner or canapés between shots of tequila and champagne. At the base of the restaurant is something that looks like it was taken right out of the series ‘Power’ – Play Club Ghana.
Accra’s nightlife is arguably oversaturated with nightclubs, restaurants, and pubs thanks to a booming tourism sector ignited by the Year of Return initiative in 2019. In fact, less than 50 meters away from Play Club is one of the most popular clubs in the country, Front/Back, a private members club that has played host to some of the world’s biggest names in music including Nigerian Megastar Wizkid and American musician Usher Raymond.
But this new kid on the block is not like everywhere else. “Play Club is part of a larger network that is Play Network, which has a presence in different countries across the world including Nigeria. Everywhere Play is, we make sure that it has to be the best,” says Ghanaian Nollywood actor Mawuli Gavor, owner and CEO of Play Ghana in an exclusive interview with EMY Africa. “Even before we started, you’ve seen the metalwork when you look at the architecture of the place. We had to bring in people from all over the world. We just wanted to be different, and we are not even near completion yet,” he added.
Play Ghana’s offering is unlike anywhere else, the club presents an aspirational value proposition, what may be described as a playground for the big boys in town. The club offers a unique kind of exclusivity. “Unlike other clubs where you have to pay for a membership, ours is only by referral from an existing member or after attaining a certain minimum spend at the club,” says Mawuli.
He maintains that the reason for the club’s membership strategy is to encourage people to aspire to reach such high value. “We are exclusive, yes, but we are not limited, it’s not about how much money you have per se. We are open to everyone. As long as you fit into the ideals and the vibe that we seek to promote, we are good”.
Every detail seems to manifest the ideals of Play Ghana, whether it’s the tempting mix of snacks found in the restaurant upstairs or the variety of activities lined up in the club below. One of Play’s flagship events is its ‘VVIP Fight Night’, a strictly black-tie boxing match event hosted by Nigerian socialite Dozie a.k.a Blaqcoffee. A first of its kind in Accra, the event treats patrons to an entertaining boxing match with top Ghanaian and international boxers in a fully set up WBC standard boxing ring right in the middle of the club.
“On Thursdays, for instance, we have night circus Thursdays where bring together acrobats, magicians, and other kinds of performers to put on a show for our guests. On Fridays, we have Fridays at Play, which is just a typical club night, and then Saturdays are for the ladies.”
But that is not all, Play’s membership model creates a high-value networking opportunity for the aspirational mind. It’s a celebrity hotspot, making Play Ghana a prime community for actors, musicians, and socialites looking to grow their reach.
You can follow Play Ghana on Instagram @playclubghana or @lupitaghana to stay updated on upcoming events.
