Where's the originality?

RG84

Bronze
May 21, 2010
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I was asking a friend what type of business is opening in the building in his neighborhood where there has been a lot of work lately. He told be that a bar/drink is opening. I laughed because on the next block is a Drink that has been there for a while. I asked why would someone open the same type of business that's close to another one. My friend told me they are going to make it more "upscale".

This weekend I was having dinner in Zona Colonial and notice that the new Conuco restaurant is almost done. This location is huge inside. While walking along the Conde I saw there is a new restaurant in the old Hard Rock Cafe spot. So I walked inside to check it out.

The greeter said we are doing a soft opening but will open official in 6 days. There was even a big number sign behind the stage counting down the days. The decor was nicely done but I notice it has a El Conuco vibe to it, I asked the greeter, "What type of food are you serving, she replied Tipico" .. Ahhhhh a upscale Conuco.

It's going to be interesting to see if both of these restaurants are going to make it, being only a couple of blocks away on the same street.

Concuo has the name and some relationship with tour companies because they bus in tourist into their location in Gazcue. How the other restaurant (Jaleo I think) is going to pull in enough money to make a profit, I don't know. Great location for a concert but will not be cheap. I looked at the menu and a serving of chico was $900 Pesos. I thought Conuco was high. Aye Mi Madre!!!

Still where is the originality in opening business here. It's like we will just make it pretty. Also it was interesting to see the waiters taking orders on tablets. Will that make service faster and eliminate mistake?
 

Derfish

Gold
Jan 7, 2016
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Economicas 101 tells you that the best place to put your business is as close to the competition as you can get. Home Depot and Lowes are usually within site of each other, same with Walgreens and CVS. Even looking at the textbook with their charts and graphs I found it hard to believe, but those who invest millions believe it.
 

london777

Bronze
Dec 22, 2005
786
29
28
Economicas 101 tells you that the best place to put your business is as close to the competition as you can get.
That was the usual pre-modern thinking. Through classical and mediaeval times you would have streets or barrios where one trade or product dominated, and this is reflected in many European street names even today.

Would be interesting to know why things changed. Something to do with decreasing real costs of transporting goods, I guess?

There is (or was) a peculiar example in Pto Pta. While photocopy shops are thinly dotted about the larg(ish) city, there is one street (behind the bomberos) where there are five within forty yards. I have never seen the logic of that. I can see the sense in clothes shops grouping. You go to that area in the hope that, if you do not find what you want in one shop, you can find it in another one a short walk away. But one photo-copy is much the same as another. You just need the service close to your home or office.
 
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Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
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38
In reality the owner of el Conuco wanted to rent the old Hard Rock Cafe spot to open his new place but when the owner of the place heard what the idea was he joined forces with the owner of pat'e palo and decided to open a similar place. They hurried to open faster, but the new Conuco place is opening this or next week apparently.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
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as time passes, you will realize that the Dominican way to do things is to wait until someone does something, and, if it appears to be vaguely successful, to copy it. if you need a perfect example, drive from Puerto Plata to Montellano. after you get past Grand Parada, you will see two Rancho Tipicos, both defunct. right beside each other. yup. one was doing fine, so the other had to join the party. well, they both flopped.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,087
5,914
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Take a ride from La Vega up to Jarabacoa. Parada de Jesus served ribs for years and was doing well. How many rib joints are there now on that same road? These people never had an original thought in their lives.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
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this beehive mentality is fairly common. cupcakes, cronuts, fresh juices, food trucks. the issue in DR is that the demand is more limited, so to speak. i lived in london islington and some stretches of the main street were lined with restaurants, one next to another, several in the row. it worked, because there was a huge variety of offers and a great deal of traffic. in DR this dynamic is different and the number of potential customers is more limited.

and, consider this: how often did you hear a stupid gringuito come with an idea of a beach bar/hotel/restaurant? :cheeky:
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,328
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this beehive mentality is fairly common. cupcakes, cronuts, fresh juices, food trucks. the issue in DR is that the demand is more limited, so to speak. i lived in london islington and some stretches of the main street were lined with restaurants, one next to another, several in the row. it worked, because there was a huge variety of offers and a great deal of traffic. in DR this dynamic is different and the number of potential customers is more limited.

and, consider this: how often did you hear a stupid gringuito come with an idea of a beach bar/hotel/restaurant? :cheeky:

Exactly why they do it.... precisely.
Very different & tight market here

Check out Ft Lauderdale and Miami for beach bars sometime

Islington- my daughter lives there.... what a coinkydink !!
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
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there are few locations in DR where it can work. cabarete is a good example as well as some other tourist areas where there is a flow of people. but the point of saturation is reached pretty quickly. and even in such places businesses fail for variety of reasons.
 

RG84

Bronze
May 21, 2010
640
0
16
In reality the owner of el Conuco wanted to rent the old Hard Rock Cafe spot to open his new place but when the owner of the place heard what the idea was he joined forces with the owner of pat'e palo and decided to open a similar place. They hurried to open faster, but the new Conuco place is opening this or next week apparently.

Yes I was at the Conuco last night (one of the only places that has Flange de Coco) and the manger said the end of this month.

When I was at the other restaurant, I remembered one of the bartenders from the Hard Rock, so I asked is it the same owners. He replied yes, an association owns the Hard Rock and the new place. Once again beautiful inside and I can only imagine the cost of putting it together. Who knows maybe they will have some top of the line entertainment.
 

Derfish

Gold
Jan 7, 2016
4,441
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i imagined that :cheeky:

on a serious note, 900 pesos for chivo is kinda steep. plus 18% tax and 10% service?

One thing i appreciate here in the DR is that prices are invariably quoted with the tax included. In the USA whatever the quoted price is the tax is added on afterwards.
Der Fish
 

melphis

Living my Dream
Apr 18, 2013
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I don't get to Santo Domingo very often. What happened to the old Hard Rock. Did it move or did people finally get sick of $15.00 hamburgers.