By Antoine Dodson (BonaireTalker - Post #89) on Monday, February 21, 2011 - 9:24 am: |
Ive noticed over the years that it seems like restaurants turn over quickly on Bonaire. There seems to be a small core of restaurants that stay year after year (Richards, Patagonia, etc) but even when the names stay the same there are occasional ownership changes.
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By Ruth van Tilburg (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1538) on Monday, February 21, 2011 - 10:38 am: |
It's an extremely difficult business to run here, considering the supply chain of both goods and labor, and the massive amounts of paperwork-administration required. The different languages and cultures are interesting, but can be hurdles for some not born here. Some folks burn out. Some go bankrupt. Some lose their lease and can't renew at the landlord's increased rate. Some have kids they don't want to put or keep in the school system here. Some realize living and working on an island (which is not the culture/language they were raised in) is not the same as being here on vacation...
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By michael gaynor (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4296) on Monday, February 21, 2011 - 11:12 am: |
That is why I love KFC. The sequel to Wouks book was written by a local expat, Sparky Thorn but I don't have a copy. Guess Ruth and I will have to start our own...
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By Ruth van Tilburg (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1539) on Monday, February 21, 2011 - 3:07 pm: |
I really should be writing this stuff down. You can't make it up!
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By Bob RE/MAX Bonaire www.bonairehomes.com (BonaireTalker - Post #74) on Monday, February 21, 2011 - 3:44 pm: |
I think even experienced restaurant people are fooled by how difficult it is to do business here, especially in that business. If you live in a big city, you can just call Sysco or you local meat or fish or produce guy and the deliver. If you on on Bonaire, every chef that I know here does their own shopping for EVERYTHING.
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By Antony Bond (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #775) on Monday, February 21, 2011 - 4:06 pm: |
Someone once said to me: 'The best way to become a millionaire on Bonaire, is to start as a multi-millionaire & work your way down'
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By KOB (LBR32) (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #481) on Monday, February 21, 2011 - 6:30 pm: |
Antony - I heard the same thing about owning a dive store ... the best way to make a small fortune in diving is to start with a large fortune !!
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By Lizard0924 (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #499) on Monday, February 21, 2011 - 7:46 pm: |
I just finished "Don't Stop the Carnival" at the suggestion of a friend on the island who knows I'm interested in relocating to Bonaire eventually.
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By Vince DePietro-www.bonairebeachcondo.com (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3465) on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 - 6:39 am: |
Well "Don't Stop The Carnival" is definitely a Caribbean classic. Personally I strongly suspect that the author was heavily influenced by time spent on St. Croix/St Thomas. I kind of recollect an awful lot of coincidences between the book and the US Virgin Islands.
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By pat murphy (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2862) on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 - 10:20 am: |
a few years ago i recommended that a local hotel/restaurant owner read "don't stop the carnival". he replied "i don't need to read that crap, i know how to run a business". needless to say, he's no longer on bonaire. it's a very entertaining book but the longer you're here, especially if you're trying to make a living here, the more you realize how true the book is.
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By nestor kopko (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #192) on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 - 12:34 pm: |
Michael, I guess you have been to KFC on the island then. Smile!
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By Lizard0924 (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #501) on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 - 1:09 pm: |
Vince, Herman Wouk apparently did run a hotel on St. Thomas for several years, hence the inspiration for the book.
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By Vince DePietro-www.bonairebeachcondo.com (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3467) on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 - 2:11 pm: |
I wasn't aware of that Liz. But I spent a lot of time on St Croix back in the late 70's & 80's and it seemed like the characters in the book were very similar to what I encountered there. That hotel off the main island reminded me very much of the little island hotel off Christiansted on St Croix.
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By A van Aa (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Thursday, February 24, 2011 - 9:37 am: |
This book is said to be loosely based on Herman Wouk's experiences in managing an actual hotel in the early 1960's St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. The hotel was on Hassel Island, located in Charlotte Amalie Harbour. (From Wikipedia.org)
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