Opening up a premimum food stores....

vbrookie

Banned
Jun 26, 2008
55
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I know many of you guys don?t want to bother going through long posts so here?s short version of the bottom.

1. I have lazy brother.
2. Willing to pay him to open up a quality food product business in Santo Domingo.
3. Decent workers to be hired.
4. What are the difficulties of opening up stores in DR?
5. Would you guys want some quality food? I am not talking about Beluga Caviar but quality sauces, deli, sweets and some grains that would guarantee you that it will be above average stuff you find in Bravo or Nacional at competitive price?
6. What would be stopping me or difficulty of bringing said food?

I have a spoiled little brother graduated from decent school in NYC. It took him 6 years to graduate since my dad sent him away for couple of years, just like I had when I was going to school. But ever since he graduated over 5 years ago, he only had gone to work for less than two year or so? I think my father did a very good job raising us to broaden our views on world and sending us to school, the other bro took it well and now work in Boston with good pay but somehow my youngest bro took it different way I guess. Ever since he graduated and quit looking for a job he?s been having a stupidest ideas that having the business is easy and it will runs itself and had been asking to ?borrow money? from my father just had retired just last year. We are not filthy rich nor poor but we are comfortable with where we are. Let?s just say between my dad, other brother and I can come up with $100k-$200k so he can drop his PS2 or whatever computer game he play all day and send him away for perhaps a tuition on life. I been listening at his ideas and proposals but the only decent one was using my father?s old connections and start a quality food shop nearby. But we all know that opening up another shop here will cost way more then what we are willing to pay for his tuitions and the market is already saturated with great shop selling quality foods (my dad?s oldest customer). So I thought about places I knew in State but I realize it will require WAY MORE to set up and since I already own a small decent condo in Santo Domingo that looks like is never going to be sold and lack of quality food and ingredients and a few connections through my job made me think Santo Domingo is the answer. Since my job interest in DR market has shrunk considerably, I do travel there less but I still visit few times a year. So I thought it can be as perfect spot for my bro. But big problem is that he speaks Spanish that were learned from school so not fluently. I took my bro to all the countries in Central America few years back and DR just last year and he does get by speaking enough but I found that he reads better and writes better. So I am thinking about set him up with Spanish school and tutor in one of the country I have company apartment or even DR for six months or less for him to get the speaking part of down or maybe jump him right in to DR. I still have decent helps available to hire in SD and with helps from few of my workers this whole premium food market can set up in DR with ease. I figure between $40k to $50k for just a basic food stock to start than another $25k to set up shop + reserve for rents and another $25k for running business. Only problem is I have no ideas on importing and shipping it from US but I guess I can always learn and rehire our old broker that spoke perfect English to ease the process but it would be good to know. And another big questions would be do you guys wants some premium food that are easier to find and very comparable to those in other stores? I know about Dominican workers but what are the other cause of difficulties and that were not discussed here?

Those with experiences please share?.

Thanks millions??
 
Not to offend you or your brother here. But i dont hink he can run a store in this country if he is only playing videogames. It would be better if you let him live his own life, and rather try to help him to get a normal job without a big responability that possible would ruin his life. Maybe later he will show you he can manage a work that involves being a boss for several emploees.

I have a gutfeeling this will be a disaster, so i hope you do not waste your money on this idea without let him try to work on the floor in a normal supermarked to see if he like this kind of work..

My 2pesos worth
 

BILLYRAY

New member
Mar 29, 2012
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It is hard here.I know from my little store and cafe,I have here..I would say NOOO..It sounds cool but it is a lot of work more than the states and I grow up in Boston..Everyone wants something from you here..3 times they tryed to rob me..The help is always trying to take something..I know you say you know people here..So do I..Bars forget it always fights cops looking for money,ect. 100,000. they should be something, I am still looking lol
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
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You're going to put a lazy brother in charge of an investment in a business you know nothing about in a foreign country?

Seriously?

What could possibly go wrong?
 

Castle

Silver
Sep 1, 2012
2,982
1
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Friend, I'll restrain from giving any opinion about your motives. And I won't tell you not to do it. But I can't help but warn you about making such an investment by yourself and let the store be run by someone without experience. Since you have some contacts here, I'd suggest you find a local business partner, and if need be, let your brother just do the common sense stuff at the beginning: open, close, watch the registers, supervise the employees, etc. Let the more experienced guy handle the business part.
 

vbrookie

Banned
Jun 26, 2008
55
0
0
Nothing in life is easy. I have seen him work and he isn't that bad of worker. Yes he may be lazy to my eyes but the little bro does the job well once he is faced with. To let you people know he had been working at that my father's connection from doing restocking, cash register, working behind deli counter, being assistance manager and etc... ever since he was in high school to some college days. So he does know the low end of doing things in the market and my father will advise him on the know hows, and let the computer do all the calculations and the inventories. Yes I do realize there will be stealing and handout and putting guards won't help much sometimes, but isn't it the same way back in the states? Don't you hear/read about the local robberies as well? I know everybody here will be negatives but I thought three would be some welcoming since I know NOT everybody here is rice and bean type of people.

Just open one of these please:

Trader Joe's

Without the lazy people.
That's what I had in my mind...
 

vbrookie

Banned
Jun 26, 2008
55
0
0
Friend, I'll restrain from giving any opinion about your motives. And I won't tell you not to do it. But I can't help but warn you about making such an investment by yourself and let the store be run by someone without experience. Since you have some contacts here, I'd suggest you find a local business partner, and if need be, let your brother just do the common sense stuff at the beginning: open, close, watch the registers, supervise the employees, etc. Let the more experienced guy handle the business part.
If I wanted to have a partner running things, I wouldn't even bother with sending my brother down. Like I said he does have some experience and my father knows all but he hates DR. Yes I realize living in the new country won't be easy for him, but hey if he survived Australia for a two months picking berries and farm works, I think he can survive DR.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
We did something like this w/ my brother..... as easy a business as we could find...... travel agency, back in the day they existed.

My father threw $$ after $$ at it...... if the boy works, you might have a chance.....

There is just might not be that much to be made at it...... but... that may not be the goal
 
I know everybody here will be negatives but I thought three would be some welcoming since I know NOT everybody here is rice and bean type of people.

Why in the world did you ask for a honest opinion if you dont want it?!

We are giving you a honest advice, and are trying to help you not to loose your money, and you are calling us Negative?!

-----

Lets do it another way: Yes you are absolutely right- yes you are a genious, yes you are the best, please come here with all your money. Yes you can do it! Come and make trillions here since you have everything you need to make it down here- because no one has dreamed of becoming a millionaire down here.

Was that positive enough for you?!
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
listen, i'll be positive: the shop itself is not a bad idea. SD is full of folks who pay premium prices for premium foods. but there are quite a few shops like this so maybe location and concept could be a winning point.

having said that: running a business in DR is not easy. not even for a dominican, let alone a gringo. you are looking at spending 100-200k dollars. spending. wasting. not investing.
 

vbrookie

Banned
Jun 26, 2008
55
0
0
Why in the world did you ask for a honest opinion if you dont want it?!

We are giving you a honest advice, and are trying to help you not to loose your money, and you are calling us Negative?!

-----

Lets do it another way: Yes you are absolutely right- yes you are a genious, yes you are the best, please come here with all your money. Yes you can do it! Come and make trillions here since you have everything you need to make it down here- because no one has dreamed of becoming a millionaire down here.

Was that positive enough for you?!

I asked for honest opinion not the negative opinions or positive opinions.
This is why I don't post much here. Many of you are way too negative on many things without any given reasons.
 

Chip

Platinum
Jul 25, 2007
16,772
429
0
Santiago
vbrooke

You need to do a real business plan and take into account all costs and expected profits.

You need to come down and look for property and do a demographic assessment for each area.

Anything less and you are more likely than not wasting 100k.

As an alternative, I would look into buying property in the tourist areas and building homes. A good profit can be made (+25%) and your brother doesn't have to be an expert but just needs to find a good engineer.
 

NotLurking

Bronze
Jul 21, 2003
2,447
1,235
113
Sto Dgo Este
I asked for honest opinion not the negative opinions or positive opinions.
This is why I don't post much here. Many of you are way too negative on many things without any given reasons.
Whats-da-matter, you didn't like my post? You don't want the truth or honest opinions, what you want is for people to reaffirm your views. Whether you want to believe it or not, most of the advice shared on this forum have cost the members blood, money and sweat. We give our opinions here with the hope that we can save some poor soul from committing the same stupid mistake we've committed and save them the expense and oft times the embarrassment that usually accompanies these pitfalls.

If at times we seem insensitive, it really is because we are. We are tired of people asking for advice and then basically being spit in the face for offering our hard earn expensive knowledge (experiences). If you truly want affirmation of ill conceived money losing ideas you should try wekissyourass.com. I doubt DR1 is well suited for the pie in the sky responses you're looking for. Do you even have a clue as to how difficult it is to get the easy things of a small business done here? Most things are monumental in comparison to first world countries. In SD the retail business is doggy dog. To add insult to injury rent for any tiny sh!t hole in SD will cost US$1k per month and not even in a good location. This means that if rent is 20% of your fixed expenses, your US$100k wont sustain the business the initial two years while the business makes a name for itself and starts generating revenue. But lets not burden you with reality.

NotLurking
 
I hope you remember how you acted today, especial when your brother starts to give you lame excuses for why you have to send him more and more money 5 months after you opened the "goldmine".

You may hate us "negative" posters now, but i would rather be hated- than see another gringo loose all of his lifesavings on a dream.