I checked out the space that could potentially become The Rite Spot On The Beach. It has potential but would require quite a bit of refurbishment and money for new furniture. That wasn’t unexpected, so the next step will be to see how willing the owners are to partner with me in getting the work done. I also want to consult with Daddy Dave on some of the legalities involved. For example, I’m here on a tourist visa and am strictly prohibited from engaging in paid work. I’m not sure whether that applies to the actual ownership of a business, but I seem to recall that it does. One option would be to put the lease in a Filipino’s name and just be the silent partner sitting in the corner, drinking a beer and keeping his eye on things. Of course, that requires finding someone trustworthy. It would suck to successfully start the business only to have it stolen away because my name isn’t on the paperwork. So, there is still a lot more to explore.
So, that’s what the space looks like, and it appears to be something I could work to develop into the kind of bar I’d like to hang out in. That’s actually my standard: would I drink here? As I said, there is a long way to go between the concept in my head and creating a reality on the ground. My interest is piqued, so I’ll see where the next step might lead me.
It was only 2:30 after my tour of “The Rite Spot,” but I didn’t feel like going back home for a couple of hours, so I declared a Sunday exception to my usual “beer o’clock” rule. Of course, it was feeding day for the Hideaway girls, so I made the trek across town. Along the way, I ordered a pizza from Shamboli’s for delivery. I didn’t have the chance to bake a dessert for the crew, so I popped into the Goldilocks bakery and bought a small cake and some baked snacks. Once I arrived at Hideaway, I sent Joy to Chooks for some fried chicken take-out. And dinner was served:
I did discover that when you bring in a cake from Goldilocks, everyone assumes it is someone’s birthday. The other customers in the bar kept wanting to buy me a shot for my special day. My denials elicited a “who’s birthday is it then?” response; I’d say “no one’s” which seemed hard to believe for everyone. Lesson learned, next time, if I don’t bake, I’ll bring a bag of cookies.
Getting there earlier in the day exposed me to a larger-than-usual group of Hideaway regulars.
I started early and stayed longer, but the time came to start making my way back to my side of town. It Doesn’t Matter is about halfway, so it seemed like a logical place to stop and “rest.” Agnes was there to take care of me, and I wound up ordering us both some food. I waved at Alan and Christine walking by on the highway, and they came in to join me. Alan used to manage the bar at Palm Tree, so I picked his brain a little. I’m thinking if The Rite Spot happens, hiring someone like him to run the place might be the best way to go. Christine is the one who hooked me up with my future landlord, and she reassured me everything was still on track for my move next year. It was good to see them.
I had intended to go home after IDM, but once I hit the road, I decided to hoof it over to Snackbar for a quick visit with Lydell and the girls. I was extra careful crossing the highway, though. My pal John, who I’d seen earlier at Hideway, was sitting at an outside table by himself, so I joined him. Had a nice chat about some past happenings and his recent move. Lydell came out and joined us, so I quenched her thirst. Which attracted Jen and Ana like moths to a flame, so I bought them a drink too. It’s weird how that works–the more I drink, the more drinks I buy. Strange. Anyway, I’d had enough (did I spell too much wrong?), so grabbed a trike and headed up the hill to Alta Vista.
And so ended another day in my “best life.”
I got up this morning and did a beach walk on Baloy.
And this is Hash Monday, so I’ve got more steps coming. Including a return to Baloy for the ON-HOME at Da’Kudos. Look for a report on that adventure tomorrow.
You know that old trees just grow stronger, And old rivers grow wilder every day. Old people just grow lonesome Waiting for someone to say, "Hello in there, hello." So if you're walking down the street sometime And spot some hollow ancient eyes, Please don't just pass 'em by and stare As if you didn't care, say, "Hello in there, hello."
I’d definitely want to get in good with the Belgian-chocolate guy. Got any closeup photos of his handiwork?
And is that “birthday cake” a roll cake? In Korea, roll cakes are common, but they’re all uniformly horrible: never enough sugar, eggs, and butter. As a result, they’re light and spongy, but they’re also dry and tasteless. Koreans love them, and they say American desserts are too heavy and sweet (yet Krispy Kreme donuts are super-popular here). I guess it’s a matter of perspective.
3 pics in a row of Joy flashing her teeth. Nice.
Pizza and fried chicken in Korea is called “Pichi” (pizza + chicken). It’s becoming a classic combination. There are restaurants here that specialize in making pichi “set menus.” Might be nice for your neighborhood to have something like that so you can do some one-stop shopping.
That bar space looks great. Even if nothing comes of this, the potential bar provides you with a sense of mission and purpose. Cool. And yeah, I’d worry about whether the swimming pool means allowing kids into the area. Can the pool be made adults-only? I guess another worry might be that drunk people and pools don’t always mix. Will you need a paid lifeguard?
Did some research and it transpires it is perfectly ok for good hearted foreigners on a tourist visa with no legal recourse whatsoever to invest in Philipino run enterprises. Too, I’m fizzing with ideas for the new bar.
1. Huge TV screen behind the bar AND KNOW THE UK PREMIER LEAGUE SCHEDULE
2. Potential names: Pics Or It Didn’t Happen / Do You Want A Fight? / This Is A Bar Not A Brothel. That said… / The Children’s Bar / Rich And White
Ok, so I’m not fizzing with ideas but there’s 2.
I like Dan’s “Pics or It Didn’t Happen.” My problem with “The Rite Spot on the Beach” is the word “Rite.” I get that it’s an informal way of saying “Right,” as in “Rite Aid” back home, but my religious-studies brain keeps thinking of rituals and ceremonies all performed at a religious location—a “rite spot.” I also get that the name connotes appropriateness (as in, “You’ve come to the right place”), thus implying a degree of welcome. That’s nice, but kind of milquetoast. I’m certainly not saying the name is bad: hey, go with whatever name suits your fancy. But “Pics or It Didn’t Happen” feels more like a naughty, sassy bar name to me, a cheerful challenge. There’s a slight hint of sinfulness, of deeds and exploits that need to be seen and recorded to be believed. Which also gives you room to have some over-the-top options on tap, e.g., the yard of beer for your braver customers, or one of those huge, German beer boots. (If you go artisanal, you could do flights of beer.)
When you start thinking about the kitchen aspect of the bar, you’ll have to ponder stuff like whether to get a burger press to make utterly standardized burgers, or whether it’s better to go with handmade patties (each patty can still be weighed for uniformity, but beyond that, hand-shaping/pressing each patty might feel a bit more comfortably old-school to some folks). I hope you can find some kitchen veterans who can help you figure out the details. I like the idea of a “crock-pot special” or any kind of rotating special, really. It has to be within reason, of course, and if one of those specials turns out to be an immense hit, it could/should end up on the permanent menu.
I’m a teetotaler, so I can’t help you with drinks, but I guess you’ll have to decide whether you’re going to focus on a narrow range of reliably popular beers or a wide, eclectic assortment of beers, mixed drinks, etc.
$500USD/month seems pretty reasonable. Are there any under that table payments required to the local boys in blue to ensure you stay open? Insurance (especially if there is a pool)? How reputable/entrenched is the hotel and their management? Fortunately, it seems like you have contacts in the business that can steer you in the right direction.
As long as you are not going to be relying on the bar to fund your retirement and if things go belly up, you won’t be sharing the sidewalk with Mama, you should be okay. In other words, go into it with your eyes wide open.
I hate to be a killjoy but, running a bar there is not all it is cracked up to be. There will a lot of local officials dropping by with their hands out and not to mention jealous business owners if you do well. Also don’t forget about dealing with drunks and poor work ethic/stealing by staff.
It is doable but, do you really want the stress of it all and the inevitable “expenses” that will definitely pop up. It does look like a decent venue however, I thought I would play devil’s advocate on this one.
Brandon, yeah, I get that the idea versus the reality of having a bar can be at two ends of the spectrum. As I explore those realities, I may very well wind up saying, “nope.” My personality is not the friendly and outgoing type you’d probably expect from a pub owner. I also have a very low tolerance for drunks and their shenanigans. Unless I had a manager to be the face of the bar to deal with the day-to-day bullshit, I wouldn’t even attempt it.
I do appreciate your insights–this devil needs an advocate!
Yeah, the relatively low rent was what intrigued me enough to seriously consider trying this. I’m not sure about all the other expenses beyond utilities that may be involved, but probably some form of insurance will be necessary. I know that graft is prevalent in this country, but from what I’ve heard, the local government in Barretto/Olongapo is pretty honest (unlike AC). One thing is for sure; I would never permit anything in my bar that wasn’t in strict conformance with the law. That means no take-out. The girls will be free to do as they please off-duty, and the bar will not get a cut.
Yeah, this is more of a hobby than something I expect to make big bucks on. The real challenge would be insuring I don’t spend or lose more than I can afford.
Kev, there is a personal story behind “The Rite Spot” moniker. Way back in the early 1960s, my dad managed a burger joint by that name (he also ran the grill). It was like something out of Happy Days; they even had a jukebox in the dining room. Dad would sometimes take us to work with him and have us perform chores like sweeping the parking lot. Those are some of my earliest memories. A few years later, a McDonald’s opened across the street, and The Rite Spot couldn’t compete with those 15-cent burgers. So, naming my place The Rite Spot is kind of a sentimental choice.
Honestly, details like how to make the burger patties haven’t even crossed my mind. I’ll definitely need to have a professional cook in the kitchen.
The vibe I’d be going for in the bar is a laid-back good time. A place to hang out with friends and enjoy the views. There will not be any naughty stuff going on or even implied. Yeah, I would have lady drinks available for customers who want some company in the bar, but nothing extra. And yeah, maybe having some of those “yard long” or beer in a boot gimmicks might be fun.
Dan, HaHa! Yes, I’ve seen that happen–stupid foreigner makes the investment, does the work to build a successful business, then we take it from him and run it into bankruptcy within a year. I seriously wouldn’t consider this at all except for the possibility of doing a month-to-month lease and maybe $5000 max for equipment and supplies. I’m not going to expose myself to being hurt badly if things go south for any reason.
Thanks also for the bar name ideas. Keep on fizzing!
Kev, I buy some chocolates for the girls from the Belgian occasionally; I’ll try to remember to get a picture next time. He usually has quite a variety, from dark to white, nuts and plain, and some with alcohol (which I hate).
Yeah, it was a roll cake. I didn’t taste it, so I’m not sure if it was like the Korean version or not. I’ve had other cakes from Goldilocks, and they are American-style; I suspect this one was too.
Hmm…if I do open a bar, maybe I’ll feature pichi as part of the pub fare. Give it a flashy name like “pichi keeno” or something.
The beach resorts are required to have a lifeguard for people swimming in the bay. I have never seen any pool here with lifeguards. The more I think about it, I’d probably put a door between my bar and the pool, just to keep it simple.
I can respect the weight and significance of memory and tradition when it comes to a bar’s name. Gotta go with what works in your head.
Another random thought. Seems like pretty much every mom and pop type of place (and I think you bar would qualify) is only successful if the owner is ON SITE for most of the working hours.
Would you be willing to make this place your home away from home 80+% of the time?
Could you be a “boss” to the ladies working there rather than a customer?
Yeah, my thought is that I would spend my “bar hours” at my place. Still, that’s only four or five hours per day. I’d keep an eye on things and fix anything I saw going wrong, but I’d definitely need a full-time manager to run the show.