Whats up with Sosua

JayUKcomingtoDR said:

Hi all, call me suspicious, but when i was last there in Sosua, there seemed to be a general discontentment and disallutionment in the air with the various businessess there. I was talking to bar owners who were selling up because Sosua is finished now.

Jay

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Right.and it is expected to get worse in the next 3-6 months
before an upturn is expected.
wait for that, you will be able to get your property at best conditions.
indeed lots available.So before you start ask yourself what they know that you dont.
Get your self a theme that makes you diferent from every one else.
and make sure you have enough cash to weather hard times.

Its all still possible. Just went to a brand new restautant in Cabarete . It was full. Also one of the most expensive restautants there as well.
Theme Everything is freshly imported from Europe or North America.
Lobsters from Nova Scotia , Mussels from Zeeland Baby shrimp from Belgium, Pate de foi gras the real stuff from France.Nothing like it any where on the island. So this works.
It is possible , But have an idea to get the people in.
Good luck.

I agree with Paul. Wait a few months. Tourism will get an uptick sometime. People are NOT going to sit home forever. Prices will come down and the town of Sosua will be busy again.

Some places are doing great. I have a friend that owns Rockys and he is always busy, another friend has a dive operation and he is always busy as well. Some places are NOT doing well.

I think that an Air Conditioned restaurant will do well even now.

Regards
Scott

Sosua will survive of course. Modern day Sosua was founded by survivors, but how many bars can a small town support? There are so many there right now. Main street rents are horrendous so unless you've got a really different idea, not just a typical bar, you might consider some other type of business. Just a thought from an onlooker. You should talk to someone who is currently in that business in Sosua right now.

Please don't misunderstand me, as a one time bar owner in Sosua, I am a big booster of the town and believe it is a great place to live. Why not move to Sosua, rent an apartment or house for a few months and get to know the town and the local residents. You will learn where any good opportunities are and find out who you can trust and who you can't. Good luck.

Richard

It has been many years since I was in business in Sosua Jay but there were liquor wholesalers for spirits. Presidente was purchased directly from Presidente and delivered weekly. Sorry, prices I don't remember. To me the best experience was dealing with patrons from all over the world and meeting so many really nice people. It is also very important to try and garner a large ex-pat clientele in order to survive when tourism is slow. As I remember
getting a license was not difficult. The big minus I think was getting good staff, however once you had good staff , such as Lindo Nunez a real professional bartender who now works at the Britannia Pub many problems such as dealing with petty officials were solved.

when I was there we served labatt's Blue and Miller in addition to local brands. There was a salesman calling on us. U. K brands I have no idea as to how to get them, maybe in Santiago? As far as the Britannia not being a real Brit pub, maybe the name is the hook? Please remember my info is rather dated. Yes, main street rents were high then and remain high. I think the owners of the properties are charging rates which may have been more ppropriate before the onslaught of AI's. Criminal activity? I don'trecall any problems but anything I was involved with was squeeky clean, absolutely no drugs, soft or other wise.

Re: Richard

JayUKcomingtoDR said:

Sorry to pick ur brains, but i get the feeling that when i ask other people in the bar business for advice , they kind off , well dont give you it! i think maybe they are concerned about another bar opening or sumthing!
I have emailed the brittania pub twicw before for info, but got no reply. But i know it , i had a few pints in there when i was in Sosua in December. The problem with that bar is that, well, it just isnt really an English bar, if you know what i mean.
A couple of carling signs doesnt do it for me im afraid, Especially if they DONT SERVE CARLING! or any english products. Which brings me to my point, how do you get hold of other products?
Were rents high? Do you get some criminal activity? heavies and what not? I saw a nice bar boarded up in sosua, it was called The Atlantic bar, do you have any info about that? Or does any one else?

Sorry to keep picking your brains mate

Jay

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My husband and I inquired about buying "half ownership" in The Britania....

it was "for sale" on the net... don't know if they ever sold "half interest"... they were asking 40K US, if memory serves.... this past fall.

we just didn't like the idea of sharing ownwership in consideration....

just a tidbit of info.

all my Dominican friends say that crime, etc., is higher in Sosua than ever before, even read *here* about a few tourist muggings there...

the time we spent in Sosua was lovely, the homes that I'm looking at in Sosua are beautiful... and cheapi cheapi!

to rent is only around $500 US a month for small one bedroom, beautiful, ON the beach...

some villas *off* the beach are comparable also...

that's all I have for you, mate... been meaning to answer a bunch of email, and have been naughty!!

you'll hear from Roger and I some day soon, and we look forward to being patrons at the newest Anglaise bar in those parts!

peace be with you this day, susan

Re: susan

JayUKcomingtoDR said:

Hi Susan, glad to hear from you. I agree, that was my put off about the brittania pub, but they never got back to me either! Do they get a large ex-pat crowd in there?

Only went once, and not to be mean spirited, was not at all impressed. I am 50, so I have seen many nice places.... all over!! LOL!

I too have found Sosua lovely, but, I think *some* people come down and forget their brains back at home.... at least the same common sense I would use - walking around many a much more dangerous American city!

I must admit when i was in sosua with my girlfriend in December, i never felt threatened at all. Well only by 1 girl who tried to grope me in the toilets in some bar! while my girlfriend was actually stood at the bar! no shame.

AH! Brugal! The Brugal Grope! Pardon my sillines, needed a laugh, really need a Brugal! Por favor, Querido Jay, uno Rhum Dorado! LOL!

If you have any other info i would love to hear from you. Are you a resident or frequent visitor?

Thanx

Jay

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We have been twice. If you have read my post on this forum about my "latest" business ideas (I have many... he,he....), then you might have a wee bit of background. (please do! LOL!) save this ole pal a bit of typing.

We have been fortunate enough to make some friends with Dominicans there.... I could return right now, and stay in a friends' casa for free! (I am severely tempted at this very second! The gray skies of the last fortnight in Ohio are making me blue!)

I believe in the beautiful spirit of the real Dominican people - the face I have seen. Are there people with many faces down there? (as my friends there would put it)... yes! But, back to the common sense that I *try* to keep with me - where ever we are.

For, me - this little island is a perfect place for my heart. I have felt called there to help the schools.... I KNOW it all sounds corny, but, I believe that. Pretty cool that the place God called me to is a paradise on the eyes - with people from every country in the world...

I even have considered eventually setting up excursions for people like myself, who want to help the schools.... and there is much work to be done my friend. I could send you a dozen photos that we took last November-December there in the schools - surrounding Puerta Plata. I have heard and read that these are not the worst. I shall take these schools though, for I don't know if my missionary's heart is so pure as to live in impoverished mountain villages there...

I certainly wouldn't be opposed someday to trying though... one small school at a time - that's my motto.

I'm liquidating my home and assets here in Ohio, and plan on scaling back on *size* of living quarters here (my sons are grown). Soon, we will have two homes, and living in which one at which time I'm not even worrying about. (You will find us in R.D. a lot!!!

well, I'm sure you'll have more questions, and I'll answer ANY you can think of! If they get real personal, just email it on!! (Roger may field a few!) LOL!

We're no experts, but we have decided that we love it - Republica Dominica! Puerta Plata and it's surrounding area have NOWHERE to go but UP. IMO, these are the last decades this country will be affordable - for people like us.

adios amigo, asta la vista!
susan

Re: Richard

JayUKcomingtoDR said:

[B
A couple of carling signs doesnt do it for me im afraid, Especially if they DONT SERVE CARLING! or any english products. Which brings me to my point, how do you get hold of other products?
Were rents high? Do you get some criminal activity? heavies and what not? I saw a nice bar boarded up in sosua, it was called The Atlantic bar, do you have any info about that? Or does any one else?


Jay [/B]

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rents are coming down, the owners know it and dont like it.
negociate hard, and dont look in a hurry.

re your theme of english beers.
you must count on a lot of british tourist??
As most tourist and expats are quiet happy with a presidente.

i personally would not change my regular hangout
for a diferent beer english, canadian or american.
the tourist can have that when they get back.