I am owner of a restaurant/bar in Fajardo. I am considering re-opening this upcoming month. Any insight into the feasibility of operating on the island what with the power surges and financial woes? Can I plan on business traffic being close to pre-storm levels or has the population decrease been as extreme as some say? Getting mixed reports... thanks
I don't know about Fajardo, but for the restaurant/bars that managed to ride out the worst of the Maria aftermath, business is booming in VSJ. And I've noticed some new places opening up. Many have back-up generators as a safety net.
They say over 130000 people have moved off the island, but that is hard to believe when we see how jam packed it is in Sam鈥檚 Club & Walmart or on 22 going into SJ!
Looks to me that business is booming wherever we go.聽 馃
Here on the South side I would say those figures are accurate.聽 More than half of my neighbors are gone. The supermarkets are more than 50% less people when I shop. Sams has less inventory and less lines.聽 Maybe folks here who did not leave the Island moved closer to San Juan for work etc.
Yea, I actually like it more with less people.聽 I can still get my basic needs met and am supplementing foods with what can be grown on the farm and I am putting in an urban garden above my carport in town for herbs veggies. I will be growing passion fruit within the ficus vine that grows on my wall and I just may plant some giant sunflowers to peek over the courtyard wall. Lots of empty buildings. I have a friend that is considering buying one聽 and would move from Manhattan to here.
Pirulo? Yup, moving OSJ is an option too, I know that the recovery will be faster there, but the work involved is intense. I am already somewhat established in the North East.
Here in Ponce a lot of places are struggling to make it with less consumers around. A lady from California opened her new probiotic restaurant featuring fermented foods and she sold out her opening night. To survive here I think a person needs to specialize as a destination rather than depend on walk by traffic.
She opened a week or so before the hurricane. Left for the States with her husband and 4 year old daughter. She just get back to get things running. This is something very progressive and interesting that she has a following as others are closing. There are no decent vegetarian restaurants on the South Coast
I always thought a Swedish-style restaurant would be a hit. Puerto Ricans seem to like that sleek, minimalist, modern, trendy flare with a touch of exotic. And of course, lots of fish dishes and meatballs.
The IKEA down there is only a catalog ordering center. There is no restaurant.
