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Quepos Restaurant Gran Escape boarded up & moved to the pier
https://forum.costaricaticas.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=44791		 Page 2 of 2
Author:  Scuba1 [ Mon Jan 13, 2014 1:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Quepos Restaurant Gran Escape boarded up & moved to the
'D, in your previous post, you made some observations about the bar/res't business as it applied to the other place you mentioned........

That in a nutshell sums up the problem(s) you can have in such a business - or better put, why do some places thrive and prosper, when other, just as good or better, go belly up in a matter of months.

Sure, there are the obvious reasons (ask the last owners of the Beatle Bar how to f.u.c.k. over your customers - they made a career of it until they closed :roll: :wink: :roll: b/c almost always your customer base has other options).

But the other reasons - in intangables - that's the stuff that will kill you - back in San Jose, in the old New York bar location, after it had closed, some genius decided it would be a great idea to re open as a place where they BLASTED the music - so conversation was impossible - and the <female> bartenders would get up and dance on the bar - fully clothed, of course - perhaps the building was cursed - they opened up a pizza place upstairs that really sucked - it lasted about as long as the bar - there is a hamburger place there now.

Never any shortage of arrogance for the majority of these guys - who are convinced that their past success will carry them through in a business they know little to nothing about.
Author:  Gringotim [ Tue Jan 14, 2014 4:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Quepos Restaurant Gran Escape boarded up & moved to the
Damn, I miss the New York Bar! I still believe that after Richard left, the place could have turned a profit. All it needed was a little remodeling, adding new and more TVs, etc. Damn those TVs were old. It always had great/fun bartenders (Neyling, Joszy, Hazel, Gisella, Katia, Yorleny, Natalia, et al). Anyone remember the night Yorleny and Natalia did the belly-dancing :) It was also fun when they had Gringo Starrs (Bilko and Mike) perform.
I think it was later called the Ritmo Sun. Every time I walked by, the place was empty.
Author:  Scuba1 [ Wed Jan 15, 2014 12:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Quepos Restaurant Gran Escape boarded up & moved to the
Gringotim wrote:
Damn, I miss the New York Bar! I still believe that after Richard left, the place could have turned a profit. All it needed was a little remodeling, adding new and more TVs, etc. Damn those TVs were old. It always had great/fun bartenders (Neyling, Joszy, Hazel, Gisella, Katia, Yorleny, Natalia, et al). Anyone remember the night Yorleny and Natalia did the belly-dancing :) It was also fun when they had Gringo Starrs (Bilko and Mike) perform.
I think it was later called the Ritmo Sun. Every time I walked by, the place was empty.



Yes, they had attractive bartenders - but don't know if I can agree with you that a few wide screen TV's would have changed the places fate - clearly, it was mismanaged by an old drunk for years - but it had a great location.

I think the NY bar was also the victim of less old drunks from the USA coming to Costa Rica to retire - some of the old gringo places in San Jose, now sadly closed - NY Bar, Nashville, one or two others - depended on "regular" resident drunks for a portion of their business - and they loved these pathetic old fools.

For example, I think it was in the NY Bar - but could have been in Harry Bar Poas - really does not matter - but there was a picture and a short write up on an old drunk - Bill, I think his name was - old guy, there every day, wore a blue captains hat - those were the old drunks from the USA that you see less and less of in San Jose. Some of you many even remember the pathetic old drunk, or indeed may have drank with him. Call me a snob, but do you really aspire to get your picture on a bar room wall, and be remembered as a strange, mumbly, old drunk?

As for Bilko and Mike - Mike could wear any number of wigs, and scream all he wants and call it music - but it was not gonna pack em in - much as I like Bilko personally.

What was needed was a strategiy to siphon off some of the business from the DelRey located steps away - sadly, the other "ideas" did not work - and you have to ask yourself - how did some one get smart enough to make enough money to buy and remodel a place like the NY Bar - and then be so stupid to think a theme of <fully dressed> bartenders dancing on the bar at regular intervals, and a sound level so HIGH conversation was impossible - was going to succeed - Bill the drunk would be turning in his grave!
Author:  Gringotim [ Wed Jan 15, 2014 3:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Quepos Restaurant Gran Escape boarded up & moved to the
Well Scuba, I have to concur with most of the points you make regarding the NY Bar. Most of the photos that were on the wall there are now in 'Joe B & Karen's' bar, down the block from the Presidente.
The NY Bar had the perfect location. It was very near the DR, and was a good alternative for the chicas that didn't want to go to the DR, for whatever reason, to hang out. Regarding that, many times a 'diamond in the rough' could be found there :) Just ask Chilimike, Buzzfla and Royboy! Hell, I even met my long-time favorita there about four years ago.
Author:  Pachuco [ Fri Oct 24, 2014 4:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Quepos Restaurant Gran Escape boarded up & moved to the
El Gran Escape has been renamed: "Runaway Bar & Grill"
Author:  Hank [ Fri Oct 24, 2014 5:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Quepos Restaurant Gran Escape boarded up & moved to the
In 2001 I bought a t-shirt with a fisherman with a fish head reeling in a chica with a short skirt on at El Gran Escape. that was the only time I wuz there. I flew in for the day on Sansa and flew out late afternoon. I wonder is the airport still the same? I remember going to a whorehouse in Quepos that was several acres. Maybe 20 or so chicas would come out of each house on the premises. None were taller than 4' 10". the price was cien or above so I passed cause I would be back in San Jose that night. I can't remember the name. Was able to sit at the front of the plane on the way back to SJO. There was a tico pilot and an attractive 25 yr old chica flying the plane. After we landed back in SJO, she told it was her first flight. Had lunch at SI COMO NO and a monkey came out of a tree and stole the banana off my daquri without spilling the drink. That monkey was quick.
Author:  JazzboCR [ Sat Oct 25, 2014 3:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Quepos Restaurant Gran Escape boarded up & moved to the
Hank wrote:
In 2001 a monkey came out of a tree and stole the banana off my daquri without spilling the drink. That monkey was quick.

Cedric is polite. I'll give him that.
Author:  Gringotim [ Sun Oct 26, 2014 2:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Quepos Restaurant Gran Escape boarded up & moved to the
Hank wrote:
I wonder is the airport still the same? I remember going to a whorehouse in Quepos that was several acres. Maybe 20 or so chicas would come out of each house on the premises. None were taller than 4' 10". the price was cien or above so I passed cause I would be back in San Jose that night. I can't remember the name.


I haven't been to Quepos in quite a few years, but I'll bet the airport is still the same. I flew there on Sansa several times. One time we couldn't take off because there was a horse running back and forth across the runway :shock: A couple of Ticos got on mini-bikes and chased it away :roll: :lol:

That 'whorehouse' would be Layla's. It's on the road from the airport to downtown Quepos. I don't know if it's even open anymore. Here's a link...
http://www.hotellaylaresort.com/
Author:  Millekj [ Thu Dec 25, 2014 4:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Quepos Restaurant Gran Escape boarded up & moved to the
The Gran Escape business was purchased by the group running the marina and Marsha was rumored to have had a 2 year contract to run the biz at the marina. The group that purchased the Gran Escape also retained the lease on the former (original) restaurant property (near the seawall) for 2 years to prevent someone else from moving in there - hence why it is still empty with a security guard to watch the property. Marsha's decision to "sell out" did not sit well with many of the other gringo business owners because it wasn't in the best interest of downtown Quepos to have that prime spot sit empty for so long.

I was there 2 weeks ago and there seems to be some activity occurring at the former Gran Escape.

BTW: Canatico's was closed during the week of 12/7 and there are no signs that it will be re-opening anytime soon due to the spat between the tico owner and the local municipal authorities.

12/25 Update: Per Facebook (for whatever that is worth), it appears that a new management team will be re-opening the place soon.

Also, the new marina appears to be headed in the right direction. They are actively working on what appears to be a nice hotel/condo's and there were some very expensive boats there.
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