10 Question to Ueli Fritschi Owner & Club Manager of ZEUGHAUS BAR & CLUB in Uster / Switzerland

Ueli Fritschi, how many years have you been working in the nightlife scene, and how did it come about?
For almost 18 years. By chance, we were asked to create a temporary bar in the Zeughaus Uster. So we built a bar from scratch, with a bit of clubbing going on at the weekends.

Zeughaus Bar is a place where?
You meet up with friends during the week for relaxed and exciting conversations and on the weekend you dance and drink at various parties.

What kind of crowd does Zeughaus Bar attract?
From Ages 21 and up are welcome. Since there are no other party venues in Uster, the crowd is diverse. So, less of a trendy bar and more of a social bar. What’s striking is that, unfortunately, the number of young guests has decreased significantly since the coronavirus pandemic.

The legendary Purple Music Party has been held monthly at Zeughaus Bar
since September 2024.An evening with 100% house music. How did that come about?
DJ Brandee our resident dj who does the DJ booking for us, brought us together

How long have you known Jamie Lewis?
Since 2017

The Zeughaus Bar is on summer break from June to August, but parties are still open.What else is there at your venue besides good music and parties? Like an outdoor area, for example?
A covered terrace and a beautiful garden. On these hot days, which are already beginning to arrive in June, guests enjoy the areas where they are served until after 2:00 a.m. Summer beats play in the background, sometimes with a DJ playing until the end.
(Perhaps mention a barbecue party?)
Not planned, but it could happen depending on events on site and the weather.

Will the Purple Music Party resume in September (when)?
The next Purple Music Party is on September 6th.

What has changed in the nightlife scene in the last 20 years / 10 years? Positive / negative.
Gastronomy… positive… I’m still meeting a lot of good and interesting people. Even in real life. 😊 / negative: We’re also struggling with familiar factors: the change in going-out behavior, fewer young guests, and the alcohol-free trend. Certainly the first drastic experience was the smoking ban. Then, of course, the limit from 0.8 to 0.5 per mille, and then COVID-19.

We heard that you have a passion for go-kart racing?
😊 Yes, I discovered the sport at the end of 2018. At first, it was just for fun times with the kids. Racing wasn’t an issue. In 2023, I finally drove my first season in the Rotax Swiss Championship. This will be my third season with my son Ivo as my mechanic. We’re in a fiercely competitive midfield. This year, the field has become much closer together. That’s a lot of fun, but it also means that the driving is much harder. The biggest gain of all, though, is the time I spend with Ivo my dear Son.