Update: Starting a COLMADO Cienfuegos, Santiago

latitude19

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May 29, 2011
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I'd like to thank all that helped out with suggestions for starting LEOS COLMADO. THANKS to you in part it is a success. I hope you again can provide me with more good suggestions.


The colmado Rosa's brother Leo started (which I donated money for- about $4500) in Santiago is doing well. Leo built everything himself, including installing the metal door AFTER the installer mounted it xtremely poorly. (He did not pour the floors.)


It is much smaller than most people thought, about 12 X 12. If I had to do over again, would have built bigger. (There is a relatively large colmado next to Leo's with owner who drives to work daily- he does not live in Cienfuegos.) However, I did not want to take the risk. There IS a piece of vacant property adjacent to the colmado- have to see how Leo's doing in 6 months or so.


Unlike what people suggested would happen, Leo only asked me for money once early on. That was an amount of about $200 to buy liquor. I offered him small amounts of money at various times and I wouldn't take no for an answer. Finally, he had to tell his sister Rosa (my fiancee) that I should stop giving him money. It was insulting to him. He is grateful for what I helped him with and works 7 days a week to make things work. He even sleeps in the colmado, which I do not like due to obvious danger. His fiancee is attending UTESA Santiago with what Leo is earning in the colmado.


Leo at this point is not making as much as I had hoped, but he is slowly but surely increasing monthly income. He has a friend (who personally delivered Leo's first order) from the Zona Franca in Esperanza who owns an almacen, (wholesale supply) and I expect that Leo will in time as well work his way up to bigger and better things. He only needed a helping start from someone, and SHAME ON EVERYONE who believes that all in the barrio have limited skills or intelligence. That just isn't so, and it surely doesn't help poor people in the barrios.


QUESTIONS


One thing I did not take into account is secuirty. That WAS a mistake. Leo's colmado is wood with one metal door and a front upward hinged door as seen in many smaller colmados. SUGGESTIONS for building specific security???


I bought Leo a blender and a sandwich maker at startup which have been earning well. Any other IDEAS for food services, or other SERVICES in general with small investment required???
 

Criss Colon

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I would like to see an "Update" Jan.1st. 2013.
If things are going well then,I WILL be impressed!
But NOT until then!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
"All's Well,That ENDS Well"!!!!!
 

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
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It's really nice to hear something positive like this happening here, please update as time goes on, very interesting.
I for one hope it's a complete success.......

B in Santiago
 

latitude19

Active member
May 29, 2011
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Wager

Does anybody think a bet is in order?? How's about it, Chris??

Just like Rosa, Leo worked in the Zona Franca until his family MADE him or restrained him from going to work when sick. He NEVER missed work. NEVER!!

I'd bet ALL on him.

I would like to see an "Update" Jan.1st. 2013.
If things are going well then,I WILL be impressed!
But NOT until then!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
"All's Well,That ENDS Well"!!!!!
 

latitude19

Active member
May 29, 2011
419
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Hey, I'll do that. I'm going to Santiago manana. Will take pics. Leo's colmado is humble, but I think anybody would be impressed with what he's doing with it.

It's really nice to hear something positive like this happening here, please update as time goes on, very interesting.
I for one hope it's a complete success.......

B in Santiago
 

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
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Hey, I'll do that. I'm going to Santiago manana. Will take pics. Leo's colmado is humble, but I think anybody would be impressed with what he's doing with it.

Nothing wrong with humble, just the fact that he's busting his a$$ to make it work says volumes.....

B in Santiago
 

Criss Colon

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I'm not worried so much about "Leo",but about the locals who may take adventage of "credit",and essencial to a colmado's success.As well as the competition next door.Could be a mysterios fire,or a robbery.
I have just seen MANY business' fail here,despite the efforts of their owners, AND "Brother-In-Laws"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(Meaning ME!)
I wish you,and your whole family luck!
 

belmont

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Oct 9, 2009
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Get a small fryer like a "Fry Baby" for Kippe, empanadas and yucca balls. Good profit items with no waste
 

Chip

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If there are no chicharron venders nearby, it might be worth it to sell it after lunch into the early evening.
 

latitude19

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May 29, 2011
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One thing about Leo is that he's NICE to evreybody, and respects everybody for who they are be they Haiitian, Croatian or Martian. (The Martians from Sosua) Everybody likes him. Due to his intelligence and hard work ethic, also everybody respects him. One of the best people I know.

I just don't see him having any problems.

I'm not worried so much about "Leo",but about the locals who may take adventage of "credit",and essencial to a colmado's success.As well as the competition next door.Could be a mysterios fire,or a robbery.
I have just seen MANY business' fail here,despite the efforts of their owners, AND "Brother-In-Laws"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(Meaning ME!)
I wish you,and your whole family luck!
 

Chip

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latitude

I'm happy things are going well for your compadre.

Also, I honestly think some people can't be positive about anything, much less another's success, because they have personal issues.
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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Get a large coffee maker and sell coffee. People will come in especially in the mornings for a 10 peso cup of coffee and will always buy a roll or something to go with it.

Matilda
 

dv8

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i second matilda: get a tiny gas bottle, one/two burner stove top, a greca and a big thermos. perfect for selling coffee. dominicans like to take it in the mornings. make sure there is plenty of sugar thou!
a burner will also serve well for making small fritura: you will need oil (cheapest sold in large cans, lasts a long time) and calderon (metal pot).
some medicine may be of use: winasorb, sinutab te, rapidita (for hangover). any pharmacy can sell a box at a discount and he can then sell individual sobres.
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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he already has sandwich maker so he must be selling tostadas, i think.
he may, however, look at some senior ladies in the area and find a supplier of dulce de leche, dulce de coco and all the rest of dominican sweets...
 
May 29, 2006
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I had a 8x12 colmado type store and there was a sheet of plywood that hinged down from the inside and then bolted to lock it. Be sure to check for weak points of entry. My friend's store was broken into from the roof during a thunderstorm, which covered the noise they made and kept any witnesses inside they only stole the booze. Also, you may want a separate cage for the booze at night. Use GOOD locks. You'd be amazed how fast you can cut through a padlock with a hacksaw if it isn't hardened steel.

I agree on coffee. It can be a good way to get people to stop by everyday. It ended up being about 10% of my profit, but I was getting a lot more than 30 pesos for it.

Can you send him items from the US? 30 y 50 items could do well.

My favorite trick was to give the Gua-gua drivers free coffee. They'd stop by and while they were drinking their coffee, I'd pick up another $10-$20 worth of business.

Set up a domino table outside under some kind of roof?
 

latitude19

Active member
May 29, 2011
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Here are the pics I promised. Unfortunately I did not take one from farther back. Will update later with a photo of the entire colmado.

Leo has weighed and packaged small amounts of spices and other food items. Not many colmados do this, he mentioned. I want to ship him a bag laminator from the states. (Or, is there a place to but a bag laminator here for around $100??) He is now using a candle to seal bags, believe it or not.

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Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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It looks great so congratulations. Remember that colmado means literally stuffed full in Spanish so a small colmado which is full to the brim will always be more attractive to Dominicans than a bigger one which looks emptier.

Just one thing to be a little careful of and that is the consumables - plastic bags, plastic cups, serviettes, straws - they all cost money but the customers don't pay for them! Whilst the idea of prepackaging flour, sugar etc seems like a good one it is cheaper just to scoop them out of a plastic dustbin and into a plastic carrier - a small one, as his way the customers will still ask for another bag to put them in!

My two penneth

Matilda