I have been thinking about setting up my art studio in BZ --- AC preferably. I would need 3-4 locals to help part and full time. Sell local tourists and export into USA. What are the prospects and procedures of living and working on AC under these circumstances?

The island can always use more artists and employment of locals. Other than the issue of a work permit, I think you will find your business would be welcomed. You are welcome to contact the Chamber of Commerce for specific questions and discussion at dolphin@btl.net

When thinking of
" what business does Bleize NEED"

what comes to mind

for someone who has the money to open a biz and hire locals, what would be a good GO!

Hello Paintman,

Yes, artists of all kinds are always a great addition to the island. If you can guarantee a few jobs and (even better) training and education for a few locals in artistic fields (for export you say - even better), I'll buy you a beer or twenty.
About the possibilities: Well, there are about as many opinions as there are people here. Dolphin knows what he's talking about, so take advantage of his offer to help...

Halle,

Sounds like you need to come down here on vacation for a few weeks to see what this place is about. Once you've done that you'll be in a much better position to determine what kind of opportunites are available and how you could contribute to the community.

Hey Paintman,
I'm an underwater photographer. Would you like a studiomate? Contact me offlist at danimal_57@yahoo.com and let's talk.

Dan

SimonB
thank you - Im sorry i forgot I asked this ? here and re asked in a differnt post.
I am planning a vacation and trying to get more of a heads up before I come to be able to vacation as well as take time out to get to know all the different areas and see what is available and not.

I was thinking with locals they might know off hand , what the ywould like to see NEW there or more of.
thank you for your kind help!
Halle

Hard to say, the last thing I could think of that we needed was a bookstore and low and behold we now have one. A movie theather would be nice, I'm told that there was one a long time ago at what is now Jaguar's. Although we have enough restaurants already an authentic Indian restaurant would do very well I'm betting.

A kayak/camping tour company that did a circuit of the island and some of the back cayes might work if not for the mosquitoes and you'd have to make arrangements with land owners. You'd have to have a Belizean partner/guide with a tour guide license.

In general the following are out due to saturation, if it helps: bars, restaurants, dive shops, T-shirt type gift shops (unless it's your own art).

You know what! A decent upscale pool hall would be killer and would probably be full every night. Combine it with the Indian food and many would worship you.

The kids would love to have a legitimate rollerblade/skateboard park but I think you'd end up poor.

hey simon i think they had a movie theater a few years ago called Brown Sugar movie theater.

Well... not exactly what I would refer to as a real movie theater. It was a big screen TV showing DVD's from what I recall. Copyright issues forced it to shut down.

SimonB, A couple days back I asked for ideas on new bussinesses and pool hall was mentioned then. The places for a site seemed to all be upstairs. Do you happen to know if there are any locations on the ground floor? I am in this damned wheelchair and stairs and me are not the best of friends. You seem to be the man to go to on ALOT of issues there and your input would be appreciated.

There was one place available in town but it's now gone and turned into a hardware store. There is another one that was being used by Island Essentials but I think it's too far from town to be profitable. To be profitable it needs to be in or very near the town core where people can easily walk to it, and from it to other venues.

Taking 2 units and blowing out the middle wall in one of Aquamarina Stores would probably work but right now I think only 1 of the units is available. Building your own is the only other way I can think of but unless you're Bill Gates buying core front street property is out of the question.

Now, if someone decides to buy and rebuild at Sands and you could get your hands on them before they built...

The real issue is size, if you've been in a decent hall you'll know it takes a bit of space to do it right.



I'm rambling but thoughts are popping as I write.

Anyone else have any thoughts?

SimonB, If the best locations are going to be 2nd floor only, would it be wrong of me to ask employees for help up and down the stairs? I can Make it with back up just incase, I'm sick of falling.

Anybody I'm Not being FUNNY< you have know idea how it fells to have people look at you in this type of situation. YOU men know there is nothing worse than the way people can look at you in a bad situation. Like "no one has ever fallen before, sober or drunk.

SORRY< having a BAD day. Didn't mean to but in. SORRY

yea a movie theater would be nice to have on AC if it was done the right way.

I miss the movie theater as funk as it was, I still miss it.

You could get someone to carry you if you are not to big.

Aquamarina has 2 stores side by side with a sheetrock wall in between. I figure you can get 4 tables and a bar inside and it's a good spot for that type of business.

What would be a descent hourly wage for AC workers?

Minimum wage is $2.25 Bz per hour. But most labourers in San Pedro are on at leasts $3.50. A decent wage is $5 Bz per hour and an over the top wage is probably around $7.50 per hour (reserve this type of payment for after the standard trial period of a few months.

I rea that most bussiness are only open in the day. Would the workers mind evening work?

Most businesses (at least those involved in entertainment, shopping, etc - and catering to the tourism biz) are open in the evening. Highly doubted to be an issue.

This movie theater, to seat how many?

25-30 would be plenty

Open nightly or weekends ony?

thu, fri, sat. Don't get your hopes up, the last one was shut down by other business interests from the mainland.

Explain?

if Jesse is right, and no reason to dispute it, highly unlikely the economics would work (and prob another valid reason why one does not exist now)

Cool, I can understand that. Youre saying not enough viewers,right?

Actually a Spanish language movie theater with 75 or so seats would probably do well. Licensing issues still though (reason for above).

Not all businesses need to cater to gringo's or tourists to succeed. There's a large Spanish speaking population who are under catered to when it comes to non-bar related activities. Hell, a bingo hall might even do well if you could get the licensing.

Hey SimonB,how about a card room or sports book with that pool hall?

Illegal, people are busted for playing poker here.

Gambling? The big boys have that cornered.

There's always room one more as long as the law is cool.

SIMON, what is that numbers thing about that i see at brads? i see poeple writing down a bunch of numbers that are written outside on a black board...lottery?

It's Boledo, a numbers drawing. Very popular!

"There's always room one more as long as the law is cool."

This ain't the US, when the big boys don't want you to do something you don't do it, or else.

Itaiano or other?

Belizean

Jesse, Heavy or not?

Very!

COOL, never mind Thankyou, have never been cool with neakties

Jesse, any possibility of talking or being a Gringo just puts me out of there?

Hey guys, I know I must sound like a complete A hole at times, I am not a bad guy or a complete A hole just trying to get a feel for the place. I really want to get something happening down there. Maybe I should take Denny's advise and chill till I get there, but Advance info never hearts.

Deacon dear just go, & enjoy. It's a laid back place, you'll like it or you won't. We love it there, but have had friends come and say once was nice but didn't see any reason to go back. I to about drove the folks on the board crazy with all my questions before I went down the first time. Enjoy, life is short.

Indy, Thanks hon. You like many of the others, when I get there in June I OWE alot . Beers, shots, whatever I can do I always thank.