Tucked just off the main stretch of Gweru, I stumbled upon what might be the city’s most ambitious lifestyle and entertainment hub yet a sprawling, multi-purpose sanctuary called Milan, the brainchild of entrepreneur Mohamad Taleb, a man who clearly saw a gap in the market long before the rest of us realised it existed.
What greets you at Milan is not a single business, but an entire ecosystem.
A beauty spa humming with soft music, saunas exhaling steam into scented rooms, a sushi bar plating creations usually reserved for big-city palates, a children’s play centre erupting with laughter, water fountains where people take pictures from sunrise to sundown, an elegant car wash that looks like it belongs in a high-end dealership, and a restaurant serving what many regulars describe as “the best food ever seen in Gweru.”
Add a club, a bar and wide open family spaces, and you begin to understand why this place has become the city’s new heartbeat.
Even more surprising is how seamlessly Milan blends these worlds lovers on dates, families with toddlers, nightlife seekers, tourists and passing motorists all flow through the same environment without tripping over each other.
Safety, comfort and order are unusually tight for such a mixed setting, something Taleb attributes to “passionate staff and a vision for inclusivity.”
Inside the Dolca Vita spa, beauty therapist Millicent says the response has exceeded all expectations.
“Gweru wasn’t known for spa culture, but people love it. We’re fully booked on weekends, and even weekdays are getting busier.
Many clients say they never imagined they could get international-standard treatment right here at home.”
Across the courtyard, the sushi bar is experiencing its own moment.
Chef Marshal Mataka, who has worked in restaurants for years, admits the uptake shocked him.
“We thought sushi would be a niche thing, but people from all over Gweru even the older generation are trying it. Harare travellers stop by just for it. We’ve become a destination.”
And indeed they have.
Milan is pulling crowds from Kwekwe, Bulawayo, Harare and even tourists heading towards the Midlands, many of whom make a deliberate stop after hearing of the space’s reputation for professionalism and world-class service.
On Sundays, the space transforms again, as Taleb rents part of the complex to churches who use it as their auditorium a rare example of a nightlife venue that becomes a place of worship 24 hours later.
But beyond the glittering fountains, soft lights and curated experiences, Milan is also an employer directly and indirectly supporting a significant number of people across Gweru.
Shop spaces within the complex have been rented out to small businesses under a profit-sharing empowerment model, giving young people and local entrepreneurs a platform to grow.
For Taleb, Milan is more than a business; it is a mission.
“The idea was to improve the standards of food and facilities in Gweru,” he told this publication.
“I wanted the City of Progress to be more enjoyable, more visitable.
Having a spa and restaurants with international quality is my way of giving back to the Midlands. Our vision was simple bring Harare standards to Gweru, and we’ve hired people who are passionate about that. We don’t chase profit; we chase excellence.”
The venue has also opened its doors to the arts.
A local talent show uses the facility as its home for auditions and showcases, with Taleb supporting them with transport and accommodation.
Big acts have already graced its stage from Jah Prayzah to South Africa’s Musa Keys a sign that Gweru’s entertainment calendar may be permanently shifting.
Today, Milan has become Gweru’s unofficial meeting point a home for everyone, all races, all nationalities, all ages.
Whether you’re looking for a plate of sushi, a family outing, a night out, a Sunday church service or simply a beautiful place to take pictures by the fountains, Milan has carved out a space in the city’s identity.
For a place discovered almost by accident, it’s remarkable how quickly it has become the place everyone talks about and the reason many now say Gweru finally feels like a city becoming what it always promised to be.
A place of progress. A place of standards. A place called Milan.
