Chopper Ferries Moet-Vending Machine to Africa’s Highest Bar

(Bloomberg) -- Africa’s highest-altitude urban bar, situated atop a 57-floor Johannesburg skyscraper, opened to customers after taking delivery of a Moet & Chandon champagne-vending machine by helicopter. 

The Alto 234 bar is on the rooftop of The Leonardo, a 234-meter (768-foot) building that houses apartments, a three-storey penthouse, office space, shops, restaurants and a pre-school. Located in Sandton, it’s within walking distance of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the headquarters of some of Africa’s biggest companies.

The Leonardo was developed by South Africa’s Legacy Group and Nedbank Group Ltd. at a cost of 3 billion rand ($208 million).

On a clear day, the building offers views of airplanes taking off from O.R. Tambo International Airport 30 kilometers (19 miles) away, as well as the Magaliesberg mountain range and the Voortrekker Monument in the neighboring city of Pretoria.

The bar’s vending machine dispenses 200-milliliter (7-ounce) bottles of Moet & Chandon.

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