Balletique shop owner Roy Wallisch dies in Cape Town
Roy Edmund Wallisch, the owner of the colourful Balletique dancewear shop in the Sea Point area, has died in Cape Town at the age of 69. As Daily Maverick reports, the cause of death was a heart attack: Wallisch died at a shop in Cape Town’s central business district. He would have turned 70 on September 26.
The shop in Sea Point
Wallisch joined Balletique in 1979 together with his mother, dance teacher Freda Fernandes. The shop on Regent Road sold swimsuits, leotards, ballet shoes and tutus. It was also known for its colourful decoration with string lights, disco balls and mannequins in swimsuits displayed on the pavement.
According to the publication, Balletique was for decades a place visited by dancers, parents of children taking ballet lessons and local residents. Regular customer Sam Payne said she had been buying from Wallisch since she was five years old. His brother Gary remembered Roy as talkative and lively, although sometimes difficult to communicate with.
Closure and attempts to revive the business
More than a year ago, Balletique had to leave its 1929 building because of a planned multi-storey development. Wallisch tried to revive the business in Hout Bay, but market conditions and the clientele there differed from those in Sea Point. He later found a small premises in Three Anchor Bay, while high rent made a return to Sea Point difficult.
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Wallisch’s friends organised a fundraiser and said that after losing the business, he faced financial difficulties, had health problems and risked losing his home because of rising rent.
Theatre work and conflict with neighbours
According to Gary Wallisch, his brother worked on lighting for David Kramer, Lesley Rae Dowling and Chippendales. In 2002, Balletique found itself at the centre of a conflict with a neighbouring surf goods shop. At the time, police confiscated the pavement mannequins because there was no permit for trading on the pavement. The roads department also responded to the disco balls outside the shop, which reportedly reflected sunlight and could dazzle drivers.
Roy Wallisch is survived by his brothers Gary and Godfrey.
