- Thread starter mamac
- Start date
buying a bar
You abviously don't know what you're talking about. I agree that there are to many bars (Hope the Sec. of tourism will clamp down on those not paying taxes, catering to hookers, that don't qualify for a permit etc.) but there are still a few out there making $$$. Take your time and look around and make your own decsion.jerryme said:
Have owned a bar
I have actually owned a bar with a Belgium partner, it was located in Luperon. The guys on the board know what they're talking about. It's hard to make a living off a couple of peso profit per beer and you have to price according to the market. We would break even most times but not always. We made it for about seven months then decided to move on. The good thing was that initial investment was low (by American standards), around 1,000 US each, and I'm convinced that the good times we had there was directly proportionate to the amount invested.
SL
I have actually owned a bar with a Belgium partner, it was located in Luperon. The guys on the board know what they're talking about. It's hard to make a living off a couple of peso profit per beer and you have to price according to the market. We would break even most times but not always. We made it for about seven months then decided to move on. The good thing was that initial investment was low (by American standards), around 1,000 US each, and I'm convinced that the good times we had there was directly proportionate to the amount invested.
SL
more info please ...
slas7713 could you provide a little more info on your experience. I'm thinking of a small beer & rum joint in the campo, nothing fancy. Some music for the locals to gather and dance thursday-sunday. Music would be a sound system, nothing live. I hear that you could get your beer on credit with a "codigo" from presidente, but I would rather do it COD as we do it here in PR. Would the neveras be supplied by the distributor? Power being tantamount to the project, I'd have to get a generator, how much would that cost? Lease or buy the locale ?? Is the profit margin really under 5 pesos per beer?
Thaks for any insight into this, E.
slas7713 could you provide a little more info on your experience. I'm thinking of a small beer & rum joint in the campo, nothing fancy. Some music for the locals to gather and dance thursday-sunday. Music would be a sound system, nothing live. I hear that you could get your beer on credit with a "codigo" from presidente, but I would rather do it COD as we do it here in PR. Would the neveras be supplied by the distributor? Power being tantamount to the project, I'd have to get a generator, how much would that cost? Lease or buy the locale ?? Is the profit margin really under 5 pesos per beer?
Thaks for any insight into this, E.
You would never make any money.gardito said:
You would have to blast the music super loud to satisfy your clientel, and drive yourself crazy, then go deaf.
You would have to guard the place when it wasn't open, adding to your operating costs.
Operating your generator would gauge your already low profit margin.
You would get robbed by thieves, and your employees, then when you tried to do something about it, they would threaten you enough to make you want to just walk away and lose any & all of your investment.
A
apostropheman
Guest
...and on bad days things would really look ugly!:cheeky:Rocky said:
in order to succeed in the campo you'd have to be accepted..and you'd still almost certainly starve.
i'd listen to the voice(s) of experience here (not claiming to be one of them)...but that's just me:bunny:
That's actually the biggest factor. You would have to be perceived as part of the local community, to have a fighting chance.apostropheman said:
A
apostropheman
Guest
Rocky said:
and unless you are dominican or atleast a very longterm expat with family in that campo it'll never happen.:bunny::bunny::bunny:
:bunny:i really like these little bunny things:bunny::cheeky:
And that's just the first obstacle.apostropheman said:
Frankly, it's a million to 1 shot, to succeed, if you're an outsider.
Hmmmmmm !?!? Family ... That's the ticket! They would already be part of that little town in the campo ... Perhaps born and raised there ?? Maybe the whole town would know who they are, and by "falling in" with them I'd have the inside track ... Hey, don't mind me. Just thinking out loud here.
BTW, Rocky, don't be so negative. You've been at it for some time and I dont see a "closed" sign in your window.
Apostropheman, here are your :bunny: :bunny: :bunny: :bunny: :bunny:
LOL, E.
BTW, Rocky, don't be so negative. You've been at it for some time and I dont see a "closed" sign in your window.
Apostropheman, here are your :bunny: :bunny: :bunny: :bunny: :bunny:
LOL, E.
But... were not in the campo.gardito said:
We deal with gringos.
We have a good security perimeter.
I had already lived here for 8 years, before opening the bar.
We also have a hotel, which is the bread & butter.
We also have a restaurant.
The margin, although low, is still higher than at a campo bar.
In fact, I'm not negative about opening or owning a bar in this country.
Rocky's is a dream come true for me.
I was simply trying to give you good advice, so as to prevent you from losing your shirt.
It's bad enough losing your money, but when you put all your heart & energy into it, and it flops, it's a hard lick to take.
We, as a group here, frequently assist people in various ways, who are "starting out", and sometimes, part of that help, is guiding them away from bad investments.
Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it. It was just an inquiry anyway. The only way I believe I could ever establish myself there is after retirement ($$$$). Owning any kind of business would be sort of like a hobby, just something to do, and not be my main income.
The inquiry was regarding also what kind of permits would be required, as that type of business is heavily regulated here (PR)>
E.
The inquiry was regarding also what kind of permits would be required, as that type of business is heavily regulated here (PR)>
E.
Issues
We purchased all of our beer and liquor locally from those who offered us the best deal and we got most of it at their cost. Of course these relationships take time and are built on mutual assistance. This was easier than trying to coordinate the big Presidente trucks with our little bar. We were outside the city and in the campo. We catered to Dominicans but usually had a few gringos around. The power issue was always a problem and there were many nights when we had to run our generator and eat up the little profit we made in gas. We leased the location and our initial investment inlcluded all that beautiful plastic furniture along with the speakers. We bought everything else and sold it when we closed up. We had anywhere from four to five girls working at any given time. We paid them 500 peso's a week and rented a house for them to all live in and bought them food, they cooked, we ate. This was a good deal by dominican standard. We didn't pimp the girls out but if they did want to leave they did pay a salida, I believe it was 200 pesos at the time. In the DR if you want to bring in customers you have to have some girls around, even if they can't have them it still brings them in. The profit marging is very very slim. There were many places making only five peso per beer profit margin. The margin is better on the servicios with rum and coke.
Steve
We purchased all of our beer and liquor locally from those who offered us the best deal and we got most of it at their cost. Of course these relationships take time and are built on mutual assistance. This was easier than trying to coordinate the big Presidente trucks with our little bar. We were outside the city and in the campo. We catered to Dominicans but usually had a few gringos around. The power issue was always a problem and there were many nights when we had to run our generator and eat up the little profit we made in gas. We leased the location and our initial investment inlcluded all that beautiful plastic furniture along with the speakers. We bought everything else and sold it when we closed up. We had anywhere from four to five girls working at any given time. We paid them 500 peso's a week and rented a house for them to all live in and bought them food, they cooked, we ate. This was a good deal by dominican standard. We didn't pimp the girls out but if they did want to leave they did pay a salida, I believe it was 200 pesos at the time. In the DR if you want to bring in customers you have to have some girls around, even if they can't have them it still brings them in. The profit marging is very very slim. There were many places making only five peso per beer profit margin. The margin is better on the servicios with rum and coke.
Steve