La Roca Restaurant in Sosua...Is Finito?

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mike l

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Sep 4, 2007
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I could not help but notice one of the longest established restaurants in Sosua has closed it's doors!

The on sight, artisian BBQ builder predicts a re opening in 3 weeks!

Someone needs to tell some of these restauranteers's that cream cheese is from Philadelphia not Sosua!

PC!
 

Bob K

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Aug 16, 2004
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We went last night for the Friday BBQ (very good) and were suprised to find it closed as it was operational earlier in the week. THere were no postings as to a reopening date so I quess we will have to wait and see.

Bob K
 

waytogo

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Apr 3, 2009
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Someone needs to tell some of these restauranteers's that cream cheese is from Philadelphia not Sosua! PC!

Mike, hate to tell you this, but cream cheese in the states was first developed in New York in 1872. The term Philadelphia was used because it led people to believe it would be of a higher quality. But, it was "originally" developed centuries ago in Europe.
 
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Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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Day before yesterday there was a sign saying reopen in 30 days. Sign no longer there, but I think that is still the plan.

There appears to be remodeling/repair work being done on the front deck. It looks like a brick grill has been constructed in one corner, and when I pass I see work being done elsewhere.

What is going on with the restaurant, I do not know. John, the long-time owner, had some health problems and went home to New Zealand for treatment. He left the employees in charge of the restaurant and from what I understand they were doing a good job and paying the bills.

The employees say that recently a man showed up and started the repair/remodeling. The employees don't know whether he has bought John's interest or what.

John did/does not own the building.
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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Everything has been advertised for sale, including building and land. This is the first time I have heard a price mentioned. What is included should be determined.
 
May 29, 2006
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I hate to say it, but a place like that needs a real makeover by someone who will not baulk at that price and then pump another million or so into it to make it into something that can raise the bar for the whole town. While I'm not a fan of places like Jose O'Shay's, La Roca could do with a corporate makeover and I think the town as a whole would benefit from it.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Is my creaky old hard drive right in remembering that this was just about the ONLY place to eat in Sos?a in the 60s and 70s??? If so, I done ate there once upon a time...'member it fondly. good food...

HB
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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At one time there was talk of tearing down the building and putting condos on that site. Whether that is still being considered, I don't know.

John had a plan for putting apartments on the 2nd floor.

I don't think anybody is going to put big money in that building unless it is more than a restaurant. There are already too many restaurants for the traffic, especially with so many hotels AI.
 

james

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Jan 14, 2002
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John was and is not the owner. He was the manager of the restaurant operation. The owner comes and goes and was not involved in the business but maybe is now and is the one that planned on having the condos on that site which is supposed to be a Historical building.
 
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My first time in Sosua was about 1986(?) and the two places I remember were La Roca and Eddy's or someplace that looked like it. I think they might have had a TV which was a big deal at the time, though the power was off more than it was on. No paved roads, not much light at night and lots of open fields. I think Los Charimicos(where I stayed) was bigger than El Batey at the time. There were maybe 20 or so casitas on the beach and you could go at night. Tourism was there, but it was very much in its infancy.
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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My first time in Sosua was about 1986(?) and the two places I remember were La Roca and Eddy's or someplace that looked like it. I think they might have had a TV which was a big deal at the time, though the power was off more than it was on. No paved roads, not much light at night and lots of open fields. I think Los Charimicos(where I stayed) was bigger than El Batey at the time. There were maybe 20 or so casitas on the beach and you could go at night. Tourism was there, but it was very much in its infancy.

You are right. I first visited Sosua about same time. Where Angie has her UPS office was an Hotel, the North Shore Hotel, and that was near the end of the developed city at that time. Playero then was a grocery store on the corner across from PJs restaurant, and PJs was very popular. El Neptuno, where I now live, had just opened as an apart-hotel and Angie Wolff was the manager.
 

Eddy

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Jan 1, 2002
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My first time in Sosua was about 1986(?) and the two places I remember were La Roca and Eddy's or someplace that looked like it. I think they might have had a TV which was a big deal at the time, though the power was off more than it was on. No paved roads, not much light at night and lots of open fields. I think Los Charimicos(where I stayed) was bigger than El Batey at the time. There were maybe 20 or so casitas on the beach and you could go at night. Tourism was there, but it was very much in its infancy.

Actually Eddy's was called Paraiso Tropical. There were very few restaurants/bars in those days. La Roca, Albatross (PJ's now if memory serves me), Lorenzos Pizza, Carlos and a very few more. You could walk anywhere day or night. Fond memories of skinny dipping on the beach where Casa Marina is today at 4 AM before grabbing a burger at Dundee's.
 
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May 29, 2006
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I only have a faint memory of the place(esp el Batey) so I'm not surprised it predates Eddy's. I think it was the same location though because it was big and I remember the bars on the windows, which was unusual at the time.
 

yacht chef

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Sep 13, 2009
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1.5 mil for a BBQ joint in the RD LOL. I am and all ways well be a big fan of running a restaurant that focuses on one particular type of quizen. but the whole point of this is to focus on doing it the right way at the right price! It is being done ells ware for a % of the price and verey successfully I might add. One place that comes to mind in saint Barts closes it door's Dayle when thy sell the last rack and boll of greens. You snooze you loose the owner seems to have a nice lifestyle and makes his share of $ . But 1.5 WOW....
 
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May 29, 2006
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It's not the worst deal I've seen in the DR. The grocery store next to Rocky's was for sale for something like $1.5M a couple years ago but I don't know what was included in the package.

There was also some beachfront place in Cabarete that wanted a million or more but they were a DOA business with about $1000 worth of equipment at the most and a bunch of the Gilligan's Island bamboo and rattan chairs. The stove for 50 seats was just a standard household gas oven and they had an ancient reach-in and freezer chest for their kitchen. Not a huge place at all-- maybe 1300 sq ft with about 50' of beach frontage and a back patio. The owner said the place USED to be one of the busiest places on the beach so it was worth it

Every year you can find some glorified lemonade stand for sale on Playa Sosua for $30,000- $40,000. That is for the business only and then you have to pay rent and other fees for being on the beach. People buy those all the time and those are about as good a deal as La Roca. You want to talk about a saturated market-- try Playa Sosua.
 
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mike l

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Sep 4, 2007
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Mike, hate to tell you this, but cream cheese in the states was first developed in New York in 1872. The term Philadelphia was used because it led people to believe it would be of a higher quality. But, it was "originally" developed centuries ago in Europe.

I like the brand as I had a bagel with the local version and there was no comparison
 

rsg

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Oct 21, 2008
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So the advertised price tag of $1.4M USD is indeed preposterous if the business is for sale without the land. What are these people thinking?

I think for that price, it includes the rights to all the chicas selling their goods in Sosua:cheeky:
 
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