Big Frank would sit in his restaurant and greet everyone who came in - even if they were just passing through from the street to the beach without buying anything. He would often buy drinks on the house for his regular customers. On NFL Sundays we would come in to drink and watch football games and he would buy pizza for everyone - at Pomodoro's, his own competitor. You're right. People would come in just to visit with Big Frank.
- Thread starter SKY
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Rocky's Aqua End of the Line
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Big Frank would sit in his restaurant and greet everyone who came in - even if they were just passing through from the street to the beach without buying anything. He would often buy drinks on the house for his regular customers. On NFL Sundays we would come in to drink and watch football games and he would buy pizza for everyone - at Pomodoro's, his own competitor. You're right. People would come in just to visit with Big Frank.
Maybe it is DR wide slide ? - cycles in tourism and the DR, once a cheap place to stay and hang, is more expensive than other locales so yeah tourism flocks to where the money goes further. The world is filled with places to see
Big Frank is in his 70s, and made no secret of his desire to sell for many, many years.
Way back when, Big Frank was the first person I got to know in Cabarete. The man was fascinating, had been there, done it repeatedly, bought the t-shirt shop. Had a story for every occasion. Didn't really matter if they were true, they were always entertaining. And, he kept a fun group of people around him.
One day, he introduces me to his manager, Little Frank (aka frank12). Younger, half Dominican dude so handsome that just by sitting near him, you could guarantee having a chance to see every good looking woman on the beach pass by, more than once, lol. Turns out he had more than a few stories too, and wrote a few books about them.
In a very real sense, they are a big part of what comes to mind when I think about Cabarete. You could buy a Presidente from a hundred other places, but only one spot had Frank. And Frank. They made the place a "must stop," and the experience was always fun and memorable. It was the difference between grabbing a quick drink, and lingering to buy food and several rounds. Both of them are like gravity in their ability to attract and keep interesting folks around them.
Big Frank is somewhat retired, and I wish him well, and calm seas. Little Frank and I stay in touch to this day. He's a really great guy, and wherever he ends up is the place that will get my regular business.
Rocky's closing has nothing to do with miscalculated projections or any other nonsense. The closing has to do with an ongoing court battle between Big Frank & Rocky.
Like Big Frank before him, Rocky wasn't losing any money, but he wasn't getting rich either. Business on the north coast has steadily declined after 2008. No rocket science there. Everyone has taken a hit.
After the court battle ends, Rocky will re-open and business will continue as before as Rocky's or a new buyer he had lined up.
Big Frank and Rocky's issues will be decided in a court.
I'm good friends with both of them and love them both.
There are two sides to every story. And this one is no different.
I'm just one of several managers. I don't decide which way their business turns and pivots. The owners decide that. I follow their rules. Not my rules.
The north coast has seen a fairly steady decline in tourists, while the south coast (Punta Cana) has seen a steady incline.
When i started in 2007, the north coast had at least 7--all inclusives. They were scattered everywhere from Isla Bon (ISla Verde) outside of Cabarete all the way to Sosua.
By 2013, the only one left in the Cabarete was Viva Tangerine. With the all-inclusives gone, and the increase in airfare to Puerto Plata, things continued sliding downwards.
The prices of beers, food, etc. is determined on their cost. So when someone says, "We can't afford a beer at O'Shays or Rocky's--it's too expensive...we can go across the street and buy one at the "Blue Bar" (cardboard shack) or the Arriba bar Upstairs shack) for 30 pesos less."
What do you say to people like that?
We are on the beach. We pay taxes. We pay employee insurance, severance pay. We have a massive generator. We have 20-employees. The Blue Bar Shack and Arriba bar together don't have 7-people working. They do not pay taxes. They're not paying employee insurance, severance pay, and too many other things to go into detail here. They're a tiny business, completely off the radar of the Dominican Tax authorities. They do not even have the proper cash registers that show the government taxes being taken out. Anyway, that's a whole other discussion.
Both Big Frank and Rocky are smart businessmen. Big Frank has had lots of successful bars in his 74yrs of life. Rocky has an extremely successful restaurant in Connecticut called Rocky's Aqua. They're both good guys, and one did not try and rip off the other. That's one side of the story--coming from Sky--who is also a great guy--but he's Big Frank's good friend of 40yrs. And i get that. I understand it.
Rocky is a good guy too; he treats all the staff like gold. Gold! But don't take my word, just ask any of them.
Right now, it's business court battle. Nothing more. It will take time, but eventually it will get settled. At the end of the day, these are just two businessmen looking out for their own best interest. Like anyone would.
I love Big Frank, and i love Rocky. I enjoyed working for both men. But now I'm not even in the DR, and except for a 1-week motorcycle trip, i haven't been in the DR since March. I won't be back until this winter. Maybe by then, things will be settled. Or maybe not.
Like Big Frank before him, Rocky wasn't losing any money, but he wasn't getting rich either. Business on the north coast has steadily declined after 2008. No rocket science there. Everyone has taken a hit.
After the court battle ends, Rocky will re-open and business will continue as before as Rocky's or a new buyer he had lined up.
Big Frank and Rocky's issues will be decided in a court.
I'm good friends with both of them and love them both.
There are two sides to every story. And this one is no different.
I'm just one of several managers. I don't decide which way their business turns and pivots. The owners decide that. I follow their rules. Not my rules.
The north coast has seen a fairly steady decline in tourists, while the south coast (Punta Cana) has seen a steady incline.
When i started in 2007, the north coast had at least 7--all inclusives. They were scattered everywhere from Isla Bon (ISla Verde) outside of Cabarete all the way to Sosua.
By 2013, the only one left in the Cabarete was Viva Tangerine. With the all-inclusives gone, and the increase in airfare to Puerto Plata, things continued sliding downwards.
The prices of beers, food, etc. is determined on their cost. So when someone says, "We can't afford a beer at O'Shays or Rocky's--it's too expensive...we can go across the street and buy one at the "Blue Bar" (cardboard shack) or the Arriba bar Upstairs shack) for 30 pesos less."
What do you say to people like that?
We are on the beach. We pay taxes. We pay employee insurance, severance pay. We have a massive generator. We have 20-employees. The Blue Bar Shack and Arriba bar together don't have 7-people working. They do not pay taxes. They're not paying employee insurance, severance pay, and too many other things to go into detail here. They're a tiny business, completely off the radar of the Dominican Tax authorities. They do not even have the proper cash registers that show the government taxes being taken out. Anyway, that's a whole other discussion.
Both Big Frank and Rocky are smart businessmen. Big Frank has had lots of successful bars in his 74yrs of life. Rocky has an extremely successful restaurant in Connecticut called Rocky's Aqua. They're both good guys, and one did not try and rip off the other. That's one side of the story--coming from Sky--who is also a great guy--but he's Big Frank's good friend of 40yrs. And i get that. I understand it.
Rocky is a good guy too; he treats all the staff like gold. Gold! But don't take my word, just ask any of them.
Right now, it's business court battle. Nothing more. It will take time, but eventually it will get settled. At the end of the day, these are just two businessmen looking out for their own best interest. Like anyone would.
I love Big Frank, and i love Rocky. I enjoyed working for both men. But now I'm not even in the DR, and except for a 1-week motorcycle trip, i haven't been in the DR since March. I won't be back until this winter. Maybe by then, things will be settled. Or maybe not.
Windy, it would take forever to get a court decision, but as tourist season (such as it is) is on the distant horizon, I imagine Frank and Rocky will probably try to hash out some sort of deal. Nobody's making any money so long as the place stays closed.
Hopefully. It depends on the bad blood.
What is the conflict? Doing a foreclosure/eviction is serious. Usually, as you well know, deals are made before either of those happen, and once they arrive there is little if any, new win/win negotiating possibility.
Cops showing up, removing all non-fixed assets and locking the door is pretty serious stuff.
There are other bars on the beach that have lower prices than Rocky's did - and are still there with more customers than Rocky's did.
There was a binding contract between the two for sale, money down and $200,000 due some time after. Rocky never paid one cent of the $200,000 to Frank. He claimed the equipment was not good. Well the sale was AS IS and Rocky had over 6 months to look at everything and decide if he wants to buy. He did, but never paid the final $200,000.
Now Frank owns the place again and Rocky can whistle Dixie......................
I figured as much.
I'm sure Big Frank got a substantial down payment. Now I suspect he'll sell it again.
Shake, rinse, repeat.
I had a fraternity brother who inherited the family bar. He literally made a living getting through college and law school by reselling it every year. Sell, forclose, sell, foreclose...
Default on the contract by Rocky. After buying the bar and building he found the kitchen equipment in bad shape and deducted the cost of the new equipment from Frank's monthly payments. Frank says it was his obligation (Rocky) to do due diligence before signing the deal.
Reviews seem to have been mixed. The one surety is that it is a nightmare scenario for any potential future investors.
American lawyer or American muscle? Neither will work in RD. It sounds as if this business deal was conceived over numerous cocktails, and drawn up on a napkin. No serious restaurateur would proceed in the manner that has been described. This is a business. Not charity work. Too many people do not understand this until it is too late.
Based on what I know about the DR, Rocky could be arrested and put in jail if he comes back Monday. I've seen people locked up for less in the DR.
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