Kitchen Nightmare

I love being Chef Ramsey in our little version of the show, but I bet he doesn't do the actual cleaning. Yuk.

The positives outweigh the negatives here by far, but as always, God is in the details.

Janine doing some considering

We are seriously considering this place, working the numbers-if you will, to asses what's being offered. 
Businesses selling their lease, with or without equipment/stock abound here and they're not so cheap. It's surprising considering most are selling a failing business. Our guy doesn't even own most of what you see (belongs to the landlord), but he does have the right to sell a chance to be the next chump to take a shot.

Down here? The next big thing performing tonight!

cool basement

A Brooklyn style coffee shop is sure to be a hit. 
We have in mind some changes to this place; in appearance and to infuse some much needed energy. It appears to be sleeping now.

It's got some style already

We are consulting anyone we think may be able to help; assembling plenty of facts and even some projections, but we can only guess at what it's actually worth. Plus, even if we find those who know enough to really guide or dissuade us, will they say?

In the end our talent, wits and perseverance will have to carry the day.

 

I see good things coming. 

I can even taste them.

I can see it

A new location has come up and we are looking into it.  It's a bit overgrown and dull outside.  The neighborhood isn't exactly posh. It could be why this restaurant with parilla can't make it. The color scheme can't be helping. We are scheduled to see the interior and make some judgment about what exactly we'd get for the sale price and the rent.
                                                                  

 

Cinema with your coffee?

As we gather facts toward deciding yeah or neigh on our latest find, we must grapple with a queer new question. Would our vision work in a setting that's joined with a movie cinema? Would any model work?
We have recently added places for rent and folks selling an existing business to our search. We've lost some of our funding and may have to abandon buying a place for now. Cecilia is a willing participant and has joined us in the search. Her contribution could play an important part in what we choose.
Marylin Cafe underwhelmed us when we visited as customers last year. We responded to the owner's ad and surprisingly he revealed the actual location straight away. Not usual here at all. We know this place.
It's a tidy little place with a corny theme and decorations. I guess it's named for Marylin Monroe, movie actress. Movie theater.....hello? Whatever. Not much space and an awkward layout we'd like to change.
The price seems reasonable, but God is in the details. 
We are doing all we can to decipher the arrangement between the landlord (the cinema) and the tenant. I'm not sure it's a fit, but definitely worth some further investigation.

Back in it

The end is near, I swear it.
Since it looks as though San Salvador will close at the end of this month, we are redoubling our efforts to find a spot. It hasn't gotten any easier; not much on the market to begin with and most for rent rather than for sale.

I can see it here

Here's a house for sale not far from where we live. The corner is busy, not a winding cobblestone street adjacent to a park, but there are attractions. There's a bill payment center - lots of foot traffic, some other small businesses and a bakery. Although the main cross street is a bit fast there is a bus stop.

cute courtyard

The price seems a bit high for this house.  It's cramped, run down and would need a complete overhaul. It has no garage or backyard, although a small patio and some roof space are a plus. As a residence, it has stiff competition at that price which could be good for us.
Onward and upward.

Janine contemplates the possibilities

could be quaint, right?

A Good Lead

We caught wind of a store available in a neighborhood we like. The owner's brother and co-owner, (they also own it along with a third brother), put a up the sign and hired a broker with out so much as a word to him. So we are led to believe. I'm not sure that's all true and I don't even think that's the worst of it.

Still Looking

I don't think the Tango place is going to work out. The place, the block (and the owner) seemed a long way from ready. It wasn't our first choice to be in the old city, but were willing to try if the conditions were right.


So onward and upward or as they say here 'vamos arriba'.

We looked at this place months ago. We are trying to find a place to buy and not rent, plus this site is quite small for us. The location is ideal, but Montevideo is not quite ready for a mostly take-out coffee bar. In fact, the take-out issue looms large in this endeavor. I'll get into it a bit on my next post.
We have a lot of interesting graffiti here. IMM is Uruguay's IRS. Apparently something thinks they are robbing us. Some things are truly universal.

The search continues....

We haven't been looking around too much lately, due mostly to the fact that the San Salvador has not sold yet. Sarmiento would have been a good place to get started, but without the funds we had to pull out. I think it's still available though.
There is a chance of starting something without a lot of capital.