Post: #26

(08-28-2015 12:31 PM)captain_shane Wrote:  How are you going to get a liquor license? It'll be a hell of a lot more then 30-40k that's for sure. And even if you're able to rent one, it's going to cost you 2-3k a month.

It depends where, liquor license price varies according to the country, the city, even the zoning inside any given city...

No way a liquor license in Sihanoukville or Cuenca costs 30K! I'm thinking 1500 USD per year...

(If I am not mistaken, a city like Madrid has even cancelled the need for liquor licenses)

By the way, if you are interested in this thread, visit also this one:
/thread-17605.html

Post: #27

Zelcorpion on forumlounge:

(08-26-2015 12:40 PM)Zelcorpion Wrote:  Different topic on entrepreneurship by Gavin:





In it he tells the reasons why he had to sell his successful restaurant that made 1 mio. $ with 5k/week/year (if one partner is property owner) rent.

What Gavin is missing of course is that this is by design. I've read plans of the UN, Agenda21 as well as documents by the CFR which stated clearly that they don't want small and medium businesses to survive. The SJWs are just willing participants in it helping big gov and big corp to shut down all businesses which don't have unlimited cash and a team of well connected lawyers who can actually deal with this bullshit. That's why only big restaurant chains are set to survive as they can call someone above who will shut down an overzealous government worker in a jiffy. The small and medium companies who still create most employment and wealth are to be replaced with slave labor camp jobs. What seems to Gavin like an error from above is on purpose and long in planning. Health inspectors from Senegal and SJWs who call every week to shut down a restaurant "just because" - that is all part of the same propaganda matrix.

Wow. Doesn't make me want to open a restaurant or bar in the US... A 800-dollar fine for... a dented can somewhere in your lobby? Strange health inspectors pestering you every week?

Better to open business in Asia or EE or Latin America I think...

Post: #28

I think there is a thread regarding opening up a hostel.

It is easy to say open up a bar in Asia, EE or Latin America but not all countries are the same. I assume there is a lot of red tape and kickbacks that are needed in some of these places.

I have been to the Greek Islands and would recommend it as a good spot. No places like Kos seem to be overrun with migrants now, although they might like a drink as well.

Post: #29

Europe is already sussed. There are many bars on the market there, all the time, for peanuts.

They are peanuts for a reason.

Location is everything in tourist spots and you are looking mega money for a top place in Ibiza etc.

Hundreds of thousands, not tens.

Post: #30

Buying and selling alcohol is easy; even easier if you have few customers. Making money (not losing it) is the hard part.

For a bar (or any business) you'll learn tons by working in one (or more.) To make money you need to both increase revenue and cut costs. Find out how others are doing it, what works for them. Any foreign business, you need to know the language, way of doing things, all the unwritten rules, which you only learn by living there a long time. Even then, you'll probably need a figurehead whom you can trust (rarely a local partner, usually a local spouse) to run things.

Without all the above, you'll save a lot of time by simply throwing the money down the toilet.

Post: #31

(08-28-2015 02:09 PM)CrashBangWallop Wrote:  Europe is already sussed. There are many bars on the market there, all the time, for peanuts.

They are peanuts for a reason.

Location is everything in tourist spots and you are looking mega money for a top place in Ibiza etc.

Hundreds of thousands, not tens.

I agree. Western Europe is obviously way too expensive. In Europe it could only be Romania, Kiev or the Baltics... (or the Greek Islands yes, it sounds promising: steady influx of rich German tourists, cheap labor costs, with the benefit of EU protection and rule of law)

But anyway, cost-wise, certainly SEA or Colombia-Mexico seem better... for example, I have been told that in Colombia, red-tape and paperwork are easy to navigate for a small investor...

Post: #32

I agree with not wanting to open a business in the west as unless you own the building most of your profit will be going to the landlord, it's become a power play with property in many places where the real money is made by the landlord. The main problem I see with the west is cheap credit and money flooding into these bars and restaurants, there are a lot of clueless people buy these businesses and lose money but it can often mean they will be bumping up the cost for everyone else, effectively out pricing a lot of business startups.

I don't think the actual process of running a bar or restaurant is that difficult but providing a good service and building your customer base is the key and it is the only thing that matters in the long run. I would look at investing the whole amount into a small niche area and then expand from there, whether this is a bar, hostel or something similar.

Post: #33

(08-28-2015 02:29 PM)Going strong Wrote:  

(08-28-2015 02:09 PM)CrashBangWallop Wrote:  Europe is already sussed. There are many bars on the market there, all the time, for peanuts.

They are peanuts for a reason.

Location is everything in tourist spots and you are looking mega money for a top place in Ibiza etc.

Hundreds of thousands, not tens.

I agree. Western Europe is obviously way too expensive. In Europe it could only be Romania, Kiev or the Baltics... (or the Greek Islands yes, it sounds promising: steady influx of rich German tourists, cheap labor costs, with the benefit of EU protection and rule of law)

But anyway, cost-wise, certainly SEA or Colombia-Mexico seem better... for example, I have been told that in Colombia, red-tape and paperwork are easy to navigate for a small investor...

Would you really feel safe in Colombia or Mexico!!

I play football with a Colombian who had a gun pulled on him twice in his native country, he owned a small business. After the second time he left with his family and moved to Canada.

There are lot of bars in resort towns in Europe, I was in Spain a few years back and I had some real disgusting food. Granted they were Brits not Spaniards that owned the place.

Post: #34

I am proposing another option, in this already-existing thread: /thread-17605-...pid1100530

As you'll see, it consists of... not actually a bar, but kind of a low-key and low-maintenance gentlemen's club for international red-pill travelers.

Post: #35

I have friends who have opened successful bars and restaurants in Bangkok. There are a shit load of foreigners who have done it. It can definitely be done.

Bars and restaurants are a high risk business. So many people opening them, even in the US, have zero clue what they are doing, and that's why they fail.

If you're serious about doing it then it can be done. Though I'd suggest you live in the country for a while before you do it and also have a partner who really knows the business well.

US citizens can own 100% of a business in Thailand, per the treaty of something or other that I forget right now. Amity I think it is.

Post: #36

Bars are such a high-drama business to operate. I ran the front of house of a bistro bar during the daytime for quite a while. You'll deal with the drama of employees fucking each other, giving out free drinks, stealing, shitfaced customers etc. And this was an upscale wine bar in a wealthy market that I was operating.

The upside is being able mark up the prices of drinks by 400%, and your labor costs can be quite low in comparison to other businesses (assuming that tips are customary in whichever country your bar is).

Overall, I have to agree that it's a very bad idea unless you're running super tight management and know the area well. If you take it seriously, running a bar can be insanely profitable.

But, I would still recommend starting almost any other business than a bar. You can start a mobile app development firm in Poland, Ukraine, Colombia, Vietnam or any other emerging country for under $10K. Rent an office, pay $1500/month in labor per employee, find clients, and you're in business.

Post: #37

Going Strong,

You have been given a lot of good advice in this thread. I will add in my two cents...

I began bussing tables when I was 13 years old. I spent well over 20 years working in restaurants and bars. Everything from an International Pancake house, a Spring Break bar in Daytona, an Irish Pub as well as a fine dining establishment. My father owned a fast food chain as well.

First thing is to get a job in a bar/restaurant. If you have never worked in retail food service you are in for quite a shock. You will be working nights and weekends. The times that everyone else is off. Get used to having to work long hours because a flaky coworker just decided not to show up.

It will mess with your internal body clock. If you close at 2am (3am on Friday and Saturday) don't think that you are going to go home and go to bed. No sir, now you want to unwind and have a few beers. So more often than not you go out with your coworkers and end up getting to bed right around sun up.

If you get a job working at a bar/lounge/nightclub you will become distant from your friends who work normal business hours. You will end up spending a lot of time with people who cannot get jobs in the "real world". They are usually less educated and less cultured. Not all mind you, but enough. .

It will force you to learn good money habits. You will get used to having large amounts of cash (tips) and have to learn to control yourself with it.

When I was younger waitstaff got paid $2.16/hr. Less than minimum wage. They were supposed to report their tips every night but everyone lies. It was not uncommon to see checks for $0.00.

If you want to open your own place you have to manage for awhile. Get ready for the headaches of scheduling two dozen employees who all have limits on days and times that they can work.

You will be dealing with health inspectors and liquor inspectors.

I don't know how much dram shop insurance (liability coverage for a tavern) costs now but it has got to be much higher than when I was in the business.

Don't get excited if you have a great night. Your monthly fixed costs never go away and they will sometimes be higher than you anticipated.

This topic deserves a thread of its own if it doesn't already have one. I know the original post asked about opening one overseas but I strongly suggest he learns how one runs in whatever location he is at right now.

When I have time I will type something up about the restaurant and bar business.

CP

Post: #38

(08-28-2015 02:41 PM)rudebwoy Wrote:  

(08-28-2015 02:29 PM)Going strong Wrote:  

(08-28-2015 02:09 PM)CrashBangWallop Wrote:  Europe is already sussed. There are many bars on the market there, all the time, for peanuts.

They are peanuts for a reason.

Location is everything in tourist spots and you are looking mega money for a top place in Ibiza etc.

Hundreds of thousands, not tens.

I agree. Western Europe is obviously way too expensive. In Europe it could only be Romania, Kiev or the Baltics... (or the Greek Islands yes, it sounds promising: steady influx of rich German tourists, cheap labor costs, with the benefit of EU protection and rule of law)

But anyway, cost-wise, certainly SEA or Colombia-Mexico seem better... for example, I have been told that in Colombia, red-tape and paperwork are easy to navigate for a small investor...

Would you really feel safe in Colombia or Mexico!!

I play football with a Colombian who had a gun pulled on him twice in his native country, he owned a small business. After the second time he left with his family and moved to Canada.

There are lot of bars in resort towns in Europe, I was in Spain a few years back and I had some real disgusting food. Granted they were Brits not Spaniards that owned the place.

I knew French people who opened a small bakery in Playa del Carmen (in the safest area)... they just had to pay some bribe to the police, and the local mafia was not interested in their small, under the radar business... mafia goes after big money. At least in Yucatan. In Colombia, I'm not sure, it depends on the city surely...

"I was in Spain a few years back and I had some real disgusting food. Granted they were Brits not Spaniards"
Man, as a French I can tell you a golden rule: never eat anything cooked by an English person. No offense meant to our dear British neighbours, but... English cuisine. It's a big no-go zone.

Post: #39

(08-28-2015 06:08 PM)Going strong Wrote:  

(08-28-2015 02:41 PM)rudebwoy Wrote:  

(08-28-2015 02:29 PM)Going strong Wrote:  

(08-28-2015 02:09 PM)CrashBangWallop Wrote:  Europe is already sussed. There are many bars on the market there, all the time, for peanuts.

They are peanuts for a reason.

Location is everything in tourist spots and you are looking mega money for a top place in Ibiza etc.

Hundreds of thousands, not tens.

I agree. Western Europe is obviously way too expensive. In Europe it could only be Romania, Kiev or the Baltics... (or the Greek Islands yes, it sounds promising: steady influx of rich German tourists, cheap labor costs, with the benefit of EU protection and rule of law)

But anyway, cost-wise, certainly SEA or Colombia-Mexico seem better... for example, I have been told that in Colombia, red-tape and paperwork are easy to navigate for a small investor...

Would you really feel safe in Colombia or Mexico!!

I play football with a Colombian who had a gun pulled on him twice in his native country, he owned a small business. After the second time he left with his family and moved to Canada.

There are lot of bars in resort towns in Europe, I was in Spain a few years back and I had some real disgusting food. Granted they were Brits not Spaniards that owned the place.

I knew French people who opened a small bakery in Playa del Carmen (in the safest area)... they just had to pay some bribe to the police, and the local mafia was not interested in their small, under the radar business... mafia goes after big money. At least in Yucatan. In Colombia, I'm not sure, it depends on the city surely...

"I was in Spain a few years back and I had some real disgusting food. Granted they were Brits not Spaniards"
Man, as a French I can tell you a golden rule: never eat anything cooked by an English person. No offense meant to our dear British neighbours, but... English cuisine. It's a big no-go zone.

You may well be able to tell us about cooking ridiculous poncy food.

However, we can damn sure show you how you're supposed to run profitable businesses

Post: #40

I cant give you any guidance on choosing where to open a bar but i can tell you about the business.

I own one bar/restaurant, opening a second location in the next few months. There is a lot more to running a successful restaurant than most people think. A very well ran restaurant operates between 15%-20% profit but most are operating at 10% profit margins. From rent to insurance, etc, the fixed costs of running a bar are incredible high.

If you planning on opening a bar, I would use money that you can afford to lose. My business is setup as an llc/limited liability company. I'm the general partner and my investors are limited partners. My restaurant all in coasted around $350k to open and its not a big place, sits around 60 people.

I'm not saying not open a bar but I would due a lot of due diligence. Just because you see bars open does not mean they are making money, majority of restaurants barely break even.

Post: #41

CrashBangWallop - I was born in the UK, so don't take it personal.

I had the sunday pub brunch, the chicken still had ice in it when they served it. I believe they cooked it in the microwave, truly unbelievable.

The place was in Fueringola (Malaga).

Post: #42

(08-27-2015 04:23 PM)Going strong Wrote:  (Surprisingly, I didn't find any recent thread here about opening a bar abroad)

I am thinking of opening, beginning of 2016, a bar/pub abroad. Or a hostel combined with bar. Well, could you give me advice on that? Not that much about the technical constraints (even though legal details do interest me), amount of working-hours involved... but more like, where would you do it, in which city, and why there?

So I'm looking for a place where tourism is thriving, local economy is ok so people have money to spend, rule of law is quite satisfactorily guaranteed, visas are easy to obtain, foreign owners don't get harassed... and operative costs are low. This would be my bar-paradise (soon to be turned into poosy paradise, as a side effect - trust me on that)

I have some ideas already, some from my own extensive traveling, other from careful reading of this invaluable RooshV forum...:

Vietnam (Saigon, or a coastal city)

The Philippines (God, let it not be Manila, I dislike pollution)

Bali

Thailand

Cambodia (in honor of Beyond Borders)

Beijing, or Hainan island

Florida (or other place in the US, but excluding tourists-magnet Zanesville)

DF or Playa del Carmen

Colombia (Medellin, Barranquilla, Bogota... no Santa Marta, thanks)

Florianopolis
Buenos Aires

Kiev
Moscou, St Pete
Riga, Tallinn...

So, if you have a destination or two in mind where you'd think opening a bar could work out fine... thanks for telling me, and telling me the whys.

(Note: I'd want to invest just like 30 or 40 thousand USD, so, probably no ownership of the building, just renting the location)

Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico

Meets all of what you said, needs hostels, incredible strong tourism, rule of US law, no immigration requirements, and the best tax breaks in the world right now.

Post: #43

(08-28-2015 08:23 PM)offthereservation Wrote:  

(08-27-2015 04:23 PM)Going strong Wrote:  (Surprisingly, I didn't find any recent thread here about opening a bar abroad)

I am thinking of opening, beginning of 2016, a bar/pub abroad. Or a hostel combined with bar. Well, could you give me advice on that? Not that much about the technical constraints (even though legal details do interest me), amount of working-hours involved... but more like, where would you do it, in which city, and why there?

So I'm looking for a place where tourism is thriving, local economy is ok so people have money to spend, rule of law is quite satisfactorily guaranteed, visas are easy to obtain, foreign owners don't get harassed... and operative costs are low. This would be my bar-paradise (soon to be turned into poosy paradise, as a side effect - trust me on that)

I have some ideas already, some from my own extensive traveling, other from careful reading of this invaluable RooshV forum...:

Vietnam (Saigon, or a coastal city)

The Philippines (God, let it not be Manila, I dislike pollution)

Bali

Thailand

Cambodia (in honor of Beyond Borders)

Beijing, or Hainan island

Florida (or other place in the US, but excluding tourists-magnet Zanesville)

DF or Playa del Carmen

Colombia (Medellin, Barranquilla, Bogota... no Santa Marta, thanks)

Florianopolis
Buenos Aires

Kiev
Moscou, St Pete
Riga, Tallinn...

So, if you have a destination or two in mind where you'd think opening a bar could work out fine... thanks for telling me, and telling me the whys.

(Note: I'd want to invest just like 30 or 40 thousand USD, so, probably no ownership of the building, just renting the location)

Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico

Meets all of what you said, needs hostels, incredible strong tourism, rule of US law, no immigration requirements, and the best tax breaks in the world right now.

Where in Puerto Rico? Rincon? I thought about doing that many, many years go.

Post: #44

(08-28-2015 09:28 PM)Merenguero Wrote:  

(08-28-2015 08:23 PM)offthereservation Wrote:  

(08-27-2015 04:23 PM)Going strong Wrote:  (Surprisingly, I didn't find any recent thread here about opening a bar abroad)

I am thinking of opening, beginning of 2016, a bar/pub abroad. Or a hostel combined with bar. Well, could you give me advice on that? Not that much about the technical constraints (even though legal details do interest me), amount of working-hours involved... but more like, where would you do it, in which city, and why there?

So I'm looking for a place where tourism is thriving, local economy is ok so people have money to spend, rule of law is quite satisfactorily guaranteed, visas are easy to obtain, foreign owners don't get harassed... and operative costs are low. This would be my bar-paradise (soon to be turned into poosy paradise, as a side effect - trust me on that)

I have some ideas already, some from my own extensive traveling, other from careful reading of this invaluable RooshV forum...:

Vietnam (Saigon, or a coastal city)

The Philippines (God, let it not be Manila, I dislike pollution)

Bali

Thailand

Cambodia (in honor of Beyond Borders)

Beijing, or Hainan island

Florida (or other place in the US, but excluding tourists-magnet Zanesville)

DF or Playa del Carmen

Colombia (Medellin, Barranquilla, Bogota... no Santa Marta, thanks)

Florianopolis
Buenos Aires

Kiev
Moscou, St Pete
Riga, Tallinn...

So, if you have a destination or two in mind where you'd think opening a bar could work out fine... thanks for telling me, and telling me the whys.

(Note: I'd want to invest just like 30 or 40 thousand USD, so, probably no ownership of the building, just renting the location)

Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico

Meets all of what you said, needs hostels, incredible strong tourism, rule of US law, no immigration requirements, and the best tax breaks in the world right now.

Where in Puerto Rico? Rincon? I thought about doing that many, many years go.

My answer would be you drive, explore and find where you like.
I do think a hostel /bar somewhere off the beaten path sounds great.

Post: #45

I think it sounds better than it really is. A lot of people imagine themselves owning the popular nightclub with attracts the high end chicks. Unfortunately 9/10 owners have a mediocre bar / night club that isn't really a huge DHV. It's a job that will have you working awful hours as well. Who really wants to work at 2am on a Saturday?

I'd love to be the owner of the nightlife hot spot in a city but I certainly wouldn't want to be the owner of Frankies Neighborhood Bar & Grill. Option 1 will give me access to local models. Option 2 will give me access to 35 year old woman with 3 kids from 3 dads.

The problem is with 30-40k I don't really see you having the investment capital to turn it into a hot spot or high end place. Although I'm guessing that isn't your goal. 30-40k also seems rather low to me to start this type of business.

Typically the best businesses are one with high barriers to entry and / or industry that aren't sexy. Bars / Nightclubs is a sexy industry with low barrier to entry. That combination screams bad investment.

Post: #46

(08-28-2015 10:59 PM)lavidaloca Wrote:  I think it sounds better than it really is. A lot of people imagine themselves owning the popular nightclub with attracts the high end chicks. Unfortunately 9/10 owners have a mediocre bar / night club that isn't really a huge DHV. It's a job that will have you working awful hours as well. Who really wants to work at 2am on a Saturday?

I'd love to be the owner of the nightlife hot spot in a city but I certainly wouldn't want to be the owner of Frankies Neighborhood Bar & Grill. Option 1 will give me access to local models. Option 2 will give me access to 35 year old woman with 3 kids from 3 dads.

The problem is with 30-40k I don't really see you having the investment capital to turn it into a hot spot or high end place. Although I'm guessing that isn't your goal. 30-40k also seems rather low to me to start this type of business.

Typically the best businesses are one with high barriers to entry and / or industry that aren't sexy. Bars / Nightclubs is a sexy industry with low barrier to entry. That combination screams bad investment.

But 30k or 40k are more than enough in some 3d or 2d-world places (once again, Sihanoukville, or Subic Bay come to mind)

About Puerto Rico, it is indeed interesting!
But what do you mean, "no immigration requirement"? Only for US citizens, surely? And what about labor costs? It is the first-world after all, surely it is nowhere as cheap as the Rep Dominicana? What would 30k represent in Puerto Rico, not much I guess?

About English food, no offense meant, it is more like a joke we French enjoy to make, each time there is talk about English food. I actually like fish and chips (and beer), and cheesecakes...

Post: #47

I found this old (excellent) post about Puerto Rico, would you say it is still accurate? What about this (worrisome, from a bar-business point of view) quote: "There are lots of bars, but many of them are only open or busy around the holidays, basically December and January."

(08-02-2011 07:36 PM)lilseezie Wrote:  Please take the majority of the info posted here so far with a grain of salt. Here are the facts about Puerto Rico, based on having lived there for 6 months:

1) Life is not like Mexico or Colombia. PR is a US territory, and offers pretty much all the same amenities you'd expect in the US. Yes it's poorer than the mainland, has crappier service, and a shitty school system, but I still wouldn't go as far as comparing it to Mexico or Colombia. It strikes a pretty good balance between being familiar/Americanized but also feeling exotic and noticeably different at the same time.

2) The local men are no more alpha than the average mainland-US guy, nor are they particularly stiff competition. It's just like back home - some guys will be alphas with game, but most won't.

3) The females don't necessarily prefer the local men, and do like white guys just fine. They just don't come across many white guys who aren't the stereotypical obnoxious douchebag tourist, so if you're meeting girls in a touristy area it's possible they might have a shield up. The local girls do tend to think highly of themselves, but that doesn't mean they don't like to fuck. Just play it cool and you'll be fine, but do realize that...

4) Being a gringo will do nothing for you. These girls see white guys running around every day, and many of them have been to the States multiple times or even lived there at some point. So you won't encounter any sort of exotic factor like you might in, say, Colombia (unless you go to the smaller rural towns). Fully expect to bring the same A-game as you'd have to use back home, but keep in mind that...

5) Knowing some Spanish IS important. Despite PR's relationship with the US, you'll come across a surprising number of girls who don't speak English. Also, even the ones who do speak it often don't like to. Plus, the ones who do speak it tend to be the educated ones who have higher morals and don't put out as much. If you want the local hunnies who like to party and get wild and grind their ass on you all night, you're going to need some conversational Spanish.

6) Locals do hang out in the touristy areas, but there are many other places they go to party that tourists rarely hear about. For some reason finding PR party info online is very difficult, and a lot of it is word-of-mouth. One San Juan staple, though, is La Placita. It's a little area with lots of bars next to each other, and turns into a big outdoor block party. Talent is everywhere, and very few tourists. It's only really hopping on Thursday and Friday nights. Go early, around 9 or so.

7) Yes, Puerto Rico sees a large number of the dorky cruise ship crowd, but no one said you have to hang out with them.

9) The local food is awesome, but not at all healthy. Go eat in Guavate (mountain town) on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon - it's a big, pig-scoffing party.

10) The El San Juan hotel is a great place to party, but it's upscale so the women will be difficult. Anywhere else in Isla Verde is garbage, except Drums (which I think may have closed, or perhaps was just closed temporarily).

11) One of the best places to party in San Juan is Shannan's (yes that's how they spell it), but it's a pain in the ass to get to unless you have a car. It's huge, and the number of gorgeous, dolled-up Latinas there can be eye-opening.

12) One-night stands in PR are possible, but rare. This is mainly because people commute from all over the island to San Juan to party, and have to drive/ride home with their friends at the end of the night (sometimes an hour or more away). However, if you get a girl's number and hang out with her a couple of times, you're pretty much golden. Girls will fuck quickly, and fall in love with you quickly, too.

13) San Juan is the spot for nightlife. There's something going on there every night of the week. After that would be Ponce and Mayaguez (large student population), but only on Fridays and Saturdays. There are also quite a few clubs in the Northwest region, around Isabela, Aguadilla, and Aguada, but again pretty much weekends only. Rincon is tiny and has very little going on, so I wouldn't recommend hanging around there at night.

14) Old San Juan is awesome. Yes it's touristy, but for good reason - it's beautiful. There are lots of bars, but many of them are only open or busy around the holidays, basically December and January. Two night spots that tend to have good crowds year-round are Tio Danny's and Lazer. Lazer is very ghetto, but attracts females who like to get down. Music is 100% reggaeton. Fridays are quiet, and Sundays are the busiest night.

15) The San Sebastian festival in January is just okay. It's cool to some degree, but it gets so crowded that it's hard to even walk around. If you love huge crowds you'll like the event, but personally I wouldn't go to PR just for that. If you do go, staying in Old San Juan is an absolute necessity otherwise you just won't get in or out with all the stand-still traffic.

16) There are tourist beaches and locals beaches. In San Juan, Isla Verde beach is all tourists. For locals, go to either Ocean Park (upper class locals) or Escambron (lower class locals). Escambron is prettier with calmer water, but OP is much larger.

17) Crime in PR is not an issue. Yes it exists, but you have no greater chance of running into problems there than any major US city.

18) Medalla is the local beer, and it flows like water. The most popular rum is Don Q. Go to Casa Don Q in Old San Juan for a free drink. Don't go to the Bacardi factory.

19) Puerto Ricans love to party, and will find almost any excuse to do so. The energy on the island is the highest in December and January.

20) In summary, I would say PR isn't the best place to go for a few days if you're hoping to get laid. But if you're looking for somewhere to go for an extended period, it's great. There's also the added convenience of the currency being the same, your cell phone still working fine (assuming you're from the US), and no visa issues to worry about.

Don't believe the negative crap. PR is legit.

-LS

Post: #48

(08-28-2015 10:59 PM)lavidaloca Wrote:  I think it sounds better than it really is. A lot of people imagine themselves owning the popular nightclub with attracts the high end chicks. Unfortunately 9/10 owners have a mediocre bar / night club that isn't really a huge DHV. It's a job that will have you working awful hours as well. Who really wants to work at 2am on a Saturday?

I'd love to be the owner of the nightlife hot spot in a city but I certainly wouldn't want to be the owner of Frankies Neighborhood Bar & Grill. Option 1 will give me access to local models. Option 2 will give me access to 35 year old woman with 3 kids from 3 dads.

The problem is with 30-40k I don't really see you having the investment capital to turn it into a hot spot or high end place. Although I'm guessing that isn't your goal. 30-40k also seems rather low to me to start this type of business.

Typically the best businesses are one with high barriers to entry and / or industry that aren't sexy. Bars / Nightclubs is a sexy industry with low barrier to entry. That combination screams bad investment.

The real "problem is" if you listen to advice like this you will never do anything in life.

There are always a million reasons not to do something, and only your drive and desire to solve the problems (including working around limited capital) will move you forward.

I work with a lot of entrepreneurs in many industries who are incredibly successful and most have stories like starting with nothing and overcoming problems. None of them have stories about not starting because they worried they would be in the bottom 10%. Actually its funny how that works....

Post: #49

(08-29-2015 04:22 AM)Going strong Wrote:  

(08-28-2015 10:59 PM)lavidaloca Wrote:  I think it sounds better than it really is. A lot of people imagine themselves owning the popular nightclub with attracts the high end chicks. Unfortunately 9/10 owners have a mediocre bar / night club that isn't really a huge DHV. It's a job that will have you working awful hours as well. Who really wants to work at 2am on a Saturday?

I'd love to be the owner of the nightlife hot spot in a city but I certainly wouldn't want to be the owner of Frankies Neighborhood Bar & Grill. Option 1 will give me access to local models. Option 2 will give me access to 35 year old woman with 3 kids from 3 dads.

The problem is with 30-40k I don't really see you having the investment capital to turn it into a hot spot or high end place. Although I'm guessing that isn't your goal. 30-40k also seems rather low to me to start this type of business.

Typically the best businesses are one with high barriers to entry and / or industry that aren't sexy. Bars / Nightclubs is a sexy industry with low barrier to entry. That combination screams bad investment.

But 30k or 40k are more than enough in some 3d or 2d-world places (once again, Sihanoukville, or Subic Bay come to mind)

About Puerto Rico, it is indeed interesting!
But what do you mean, "no immigration requirement"? Only for US citizens, surely? And what about labor costs? It is the first-world after all, surely it is nowhere as cheap as the Rep Dominicana? What would 30k represent in Puerto Rico, not much I guess?

About English food, no offense meant, it is more like a joke we French enjoy to make, each time there is talk about English food. I actually like fish and chips (and beer), and cheesecakes...

No immigration requirements to move from the US or if you are a US resident or citizen. 30K is not much anywhere but you can make it work if you want to. Labor rates in PR lowest in the US. While labor is cheaper in the DR I do not find DR cheap otherwise. Have you been any of these places?

Post: #50

(08-29-2015 05:05 AM)Going strong Wrote:  I found this old (excellent) post about Puerto Rico, would you say it is still accurate? What about this (worrisome, from a bar-business point of view) quote: "There are lots of bars, but many of them are only open or busy around the holidays, basically December and January."

(08-02-2011 07:36 PM)lilseezie Wrote:  Please take the majority of the info posted here so far with a grain of salt. Here are the facts about Puerto Rico, based on having lived there for 6 months:

1) Life is not like Mexico or Colombia. PR is a US territory, and offers pretty much all the same amenities you'd expect in the US. Yes it's poorer than the mainland, has crappier service, and a shitty school system, but I still wouldn't go as far as comparing it to Mexico or Colombia. It strikes a pretty good balance between being familiar/Americanized but also feeling exotic and noticeably different at the same time.

2) The local men are no more alpha than the average mainland-US guy, nor are they particularly stiff competition. It's just like back home - some guys will be alphas with game, but most won't.

3) The females don't necessarily prefer the local men, and do like white guys just fine. They just don't come across many white guys who aren't the stereotypical obnoxious douchebag tourist, so if you're meeting girls in a touristy area it's possible they might have a shield up. The local girls do tend to think highly of themselves, but that doesn't mean they don't like to fuck. Just play it cool and you'll be fine, but do realize that...

4) Being a gringo will do nothing for you. These girls see white guys running around every day, and many of them have been to the States multiple times or even lived there at some point. So you won't encounter any sort of exotic factor like you might in, say, Colombia (unless you go to the smaller rural towns). Fully expect to bring the same A-game as you'd have to use back home, but keep in mind that...

5) Knowing some Spanish IS important. Despite PR's relationship with the US, you'll come across a surprising number of girls who don't speak English. Also, even the ones who do speak it often don't like to. Plus, the ones who do speak it tend to be the educated ones who have higher morals and don't put out as much. If you want the local hunnies who like to party and get wild and grind their ass on you all night, you're going to need some conversational Spanish.

6) Locals do hang out in the touristy areas, but there are many other places they go to party that tourists rarely hear about. For some reason finding PR party info online is very difficult, and a lot of it is word-of-mouth. One San Juan staple, though, is La Placita. It's a little area with lots of bars next to each other, and turns into a big outdoor block party. Talent is everywhere, and very few tourists. It's only really hopping on Thursday and Friday nights. Go early, around 9 or so.

7) Yes, Puerto Rico sees a large number of the dorky cruise ship crowd, but no one said you have to hang out with them.

9) The local food is awesome, but not at all healthy. Go eat in Guavate (mountain town) on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon - it's a big, pig-scoffing party.

10) The El San Juan hotel is a great place to party, but it's upscale so the women will be difficult. Anywhere else in Isla Verde is garbage, except Drums (which I think may have closed, or perhaps was just closed temporarily).

11) One of the best places to party in San Juan is Shannan's (yes that's how they spell it), but it's a pain in the ass to get to unless you have a car. It's huge, and the number of gorgeous, dolled-up Latinas there can be eye-opening.

12) One-night stands in PR are possible, but rare. This is mainly because people commute from all over the island to San Juan to party, and have to drive/ride home with their friends at the end of the night (sometimes an hour or more away). However, if you get a girl's number and hang out with her a couple of times, you're pretty much golden. Girls will fuck quickly, and fall in love with you quickly, too.

13) San Juan is the spot for nightlife. There's something going on there every night of the week. After that would be Ponce and Mayaguez (large student population), but only on Fridays and Saturdays. There are also quite a few clubs in the Northwest region, around Isabela, Aguadilla, and Aguada, but again pretty much weekends only. Rincon is tiny and has very little going on, so I wouldn't recommend hanging around there at night.

14) Old San Juan is awesome. Yes it's touristy, but for good reason - it's beautiful. There are lots of bars, but many of them are only open or busy around the holidays, basically December and January. Two night spots that tend to have good crowds year-round are Tio Danny's and Lazer. Lazer is very ghetto, but attracts females who like to get down. Music is 100% reggaeton. Fridays are quiet, and Sundays are the busiest night.

15) The San Sebastian festival in January is just okay. It's cool to some degree, but it gets so crowded that it's hard to even walk around. If you love huge crowds you'll like the event, but personally I wouldn't go to PR just for that. If you do go, staying in Old San Juan is an absolute necessity otherwise you just won't get in or out with all the stand-still traffic.

16) There are tourist beaches and locals beaches. In San Juan, Isla Verde beach is all tourists. For locals, go to either Ocean Park (upper class locals) or Escambron (lower class locals). Escambron is prettier with calmer water, but OP is much larger.

17) Crime in PR is not an issue. Yes it exists, but you have no greater chance of running into problems there than any major US city.

18) Medalla is the local beer, and it flows like water. The most popular rum is Don Q. Go to Casa Don Q in Old San Juan for a free drink. Don't go to the Bacardi factory.

19) Puerto Ricans love to party, and will find almost any excuse to do so. The energy on the island is the highest in December and January.

20) In summary, I would say PR isn't the best place to go for a few days if you're hoping to get laid. But if you're looking for somewhere to go for an extended period, it's great. There's also the added convenience of the currency being the same, your cell phone still working fine (assuming you're from the US), and no visa issues to worry about.

Don't believe the negative crap. PR is legit.

-LS

I would say its all pretty accurate.

Since 2011
1. The economic crisis has worsened and more people have left, but there are more opportunities to rent or buy places cheap.
2. In 2012 they passed the world's best tax incentives for people and many types of businesses. Many mainland Americans are moving there, including some high profile billionaires.
3. There is a resurgence of food, agriculture, and local culture being born after the island reaching 80% imported food. Local people are reviving their own food culture and this is happening NOW.