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In the melting pot that is Worcester, club owner Julius Kumah has created a haven for people of all backgrounds to come together. Noamesco, open for about seven years, recently has taken over the location of the former Tammany Hall.
“I don’t know of any other black-owned clubs/bars in Worcester,” said Shantelle Campbell, who does marketing for the club. And now, Noamesco – which Kumah said is named for his grandfather and means, “one love has as one love gives” – is growing and focusing on becoming an integral part of the Worcester community.
Kumah is originally from Ghana, but moved to Worcester in 1996 and has lived here ever since. He attended Worcester State University, where he played soccer. Kumah has ties to the Worcester community and aims to make Noamesco a vital part of that community.
Noamesco’s new space allows for more community-based events because it is bigger than the club’s previous space. Campbell said there is plenty of room for VIP celebrations, birthday parties, baby showers and even pop-up shops. Kumah said that he believes hosting such events – events that bring people together – serves the community.
“We consider stuff like that community-building, and (we’re) doing things like that just to get people to know who we are and know that they can host things there,” Campbell said. “It’s downtown; it’s right where everything is, and as Worcester grows, we want to grow with it.”
Noamesco, on its website, is described as a “melting pot.”
“(The city’s) a whole bunch of people from a lot of places coming here to work, or for school, and it’s important to know that there’s a place that everyone can come to that you can find some good music,” Campbell said.
Speaking of music, Campbell said Noamesco caters to many different tastes. “It’s a good time; it’s a good atmosphere; it’s a good vibe. We do all types of music. We sell food sometimes. We have some great drinks, some great people working there, and anyone is welcome to come by and at least see it for themselves.”
If you want to check out Noamesco, there’s no better time than August. The club is hosting its All White Affair on Aug. 18. Kumah said this is a popular event that club-goers look forward to every year. Patrons dress all in white and dress to impress.
“It’s like a reunion that we do every third Sunday of August,” Kumah explained. “We only do it once a year. If you miss it, you have to wait until next year.”
There will also be a Labor Day Caribbean Flag Party on Aug. 25, which will be a kick-off event for the Caribbean Carnival.
“Labor Day is a big Caribbean thing, a big island thing, and in some places like Jamaica, we do Labor Day every year. It’s about dressing up in costumes, being colorful and dancing to the music of your island and of your country.” Campbell hopes the party will “get people in the mood and ready for the carnival” the next morning.
If you are not able to make it to the Labor Day Party, Campbell said, “Look forward to more events coming from our club – more community ties, more doing things with business owners and collaborations with events that are going on locally.”
Natalie Volo