As surreal as it sounds, it is possible for you to be in spitting distance of Prince’s mesh gloves or Lady Gaga’s latex Fame Ball bustier in the heart of Central Kolkata. Hard Rock Cafe’s half-a-century old legacy (HRC turned 50 this June) as a haven of music memorabilia is well-known and Akanksha Chaudhary, Assistant Director Sales & Marketing, JSM Corporation shared how HRC’s Kolkata outpost has been localising its strategy to engage with the city.
“We've enjoyed our interactions with customers in terms of merchandise, live events and menu engineering - right from spreading the word about our fashionable Rock Shop collectables with local influencers and celebs to curating exceptional live experiences featuring regional bands, classic rock legends and DJ nights,” Chaudhary tells us.
The brand established by Peter Morton and Isaac Tigrett in London in 1971 is one of the most globally recognised companies in the world - a crucial part of modern rock’s history. Since the onset of its journey in India, the rock music-themed chain has been host to bands like Saving Abel, Outlandish, Hoobastank, The Aristocrats, Switchfoot, The Vamps and artistes like Armin Van Burren, Paul Van Dyke and more.
But local engagement remains a big part of the brand’s success in the city, be it Bollywood nights, karaoke or live performances by homegrown talents that help pull crowds.
“Kolkata guests enjoy live music as much as DJ nights and aren't as particular about genres as long as the experience is memorable. We offer just that and more with personalised service to the extent of remembering our patrons' likings and preferences. We celebrated our 50th anniversary in June 2021, with a brand new partnership with millennial and sports icon - Messi, and even did the largest menu engineering in 2020 to revamp the global cafe menu to include flatbreads, sliders, boozy milkshakes and more to cater to our young guests,” Chaudhury reveals.
HRC recognises the steadfast luxury of a comfort-first line-up and the newer additions to its menu are quick-serve, versatile and innately shareable. Like the All American Slider, which features three mini burgers, melted American cheese, crispy onion ring and creamy coleslaw on a toasted brioche bun, or even the novelty cocktails like Blackberry Sparkling Sangria or Sparkling Blue Hawaiian.
Top 3 highlights of Kolkata HRC:
The iconic black bustier worn by Madonna for the music video of her 1992 hit Erotica
A solid body Gibson Les Paul guitar used by the late Chris Cornell of Soundgarden
The mesh gloves worn by Prince during his ‘85 Purple Rain Tour