Another business bites the dust.

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
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I have been seeing quite a few businesses crumbling all around me in santiago area but this new casualty put me in a sad state of mind today. The business was owned by a dominican who actually grew up in NY. He worked hard all his life to move back to santiago and raise his family here with the traditional domincian values. This man is a straight dominican. I had never seen him drink or even use a foul language in public. He was always seen with his kids and wife in his business. Maybe he was religious. I will not mention the location of his business to protect his privacy. He came here with his dollars a few years ago and opened up a gas station with a built-in carwash in the business area of santiago. The carwash was really a carwash and he served no alcohol and no loud music with the usual hooker waitresses doing business. It was a clean business, carwash, gasoline station and oil change. He even sold his gasoline cheaper than the rest. The owner always stopped to talk to me about various subjects and we always exchanged our views. He always complained about the high cost of electric and it was killing his business. Then the rise in gasoline prices that reduced his sales etc etc etc. He had initially invested 75,ooo dollars into the business a few years ago and I think during the whole time he was in business he lost a ton of money. Today I drove by the place and it was shut down with wooden board covering his office. The place was dead and closed for the first time that I can remember. I hope he is doing remodeling but I doubt it.
Last month someone mentioned that 47 businesses in calle del sol bit the dust because of high cost of electric. I am not surprised to hear that as many other restaurants and bars have also gone under for one reason or another. Shakabana went down some time ago. Multicentro salvador is almost dead but don't know why they are still open. They have stopped selling fresh food in the restaurant/cafeteria. The restaurant in front of shakabana went dead but now there is another courageous person who has invested a ton of money to reopen the place, completely refurbished and trendy. They are dead from first day on.
I have seen so many businesses go under in santiago alone that I advice any foreigner who wants to open up a restaurant or a bar to think twice. Chances are, your business and your money will evaporate in hot air just like the rest. It makes me laugh to hear some expat who opened up his business in an economically depressed part of this island (sosua) and claims success in the first month alone in operation. Hahahahaha, He should fool someone else from new paltz about his BS business success in sosua because we all know the real deal about him.
AZB
 

helpmann

On Vacation!
May 18, 2004
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Tough Times in the DR...

Thanks for the info.

BTW: How are the "other" car washes in Santiago doing economically?


-Helpmann :)
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
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helpmann said:
Thanks for the info.

BTW: How are the "other" car washes in Santiago doing economically?


-Helpmann :)
If you are refering to the puta carwashes? kelvin carwash has lots of people inside along with the nicer looking putas among all the carwashes.
Gas station and carwashes generally don't fall out of business so quickly. I think this particular guy had his business in a bad location plus he didn't really kept it up to standards, It was an ugly place lacking paint etc.
AZB
 

Ricardo900

Silver
Jul 12, 2004
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I've noticed that many bars/restaurants are usually empty from Mondays to Thursdays when I travel to Santiago. Maybe if they had some type of promotional giveaways or events during the week, like after-work happy hours, karaoke, Presidente Girls giveaways, etc... That's what the Dominican bars/restaurants do in NYC to keep money coming in until their weekend crowd arrives on Saturdays.
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
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Actually many are already doing all that to attract folks in to their businesses during slow days.
Francifol cafe is offering free wine to clients until 9pm on wednesdays. yes folks, free wine which is not the cheap label either. You can have as much wine as you please for free and then after 9pm, you are charged for drinks. Now with the new Alcohol ordenance the party starts early and ends exactly at 12 midnight. Wednesday nights in francifol cafe resemble saturday night.
You should try it if you are in town.
AZB