Booked My Flight

[thekfc]

All the sari sari stores I saw in my wife's neighborhood were attached/part of the owner's home. Even my sister-in-law's internet cafe is attached to one of her sister's house. I do not think that people like the idea of having a sari sari store away from the home (thief maybe?).

ok, my wife just finish cooking & I asked her, she said that a sari sari store is attached to a house and if someone want to open a store away from the house then it would be in a place like a mall but then that would be a different kind of business (not a sari sari).

Ray & Dave H can give you better info on the subject.

[Jaystone]

On the way to Manila I have a couple hours to kill in detroit.  I also think there is a stop in Japan but not a plan change.  On the way back I have a five and half hour layover in detroit.
 

[Jaystone]

On the way to Manila I have a couple hours to kill in detroit.  I also think there is a stop in Japan but not a plan change.  On the way back I have a five and half hour layover in detroit.
 

Sorry for the double post.   Congrats on making the trip to Manila!   I happen to be flying out of Detroit to Manila myself in late August as well! Maybe we will run into each other!  I will be laying over there then fly on to Cebu.  This will be my second trip.   You are going to have the time of your life!

[thekfc]

Great!!!!

Jaystone & Tanuki are making the trip next month.

The Pigster should be there now - he was suppose to leave NH for Manila last weekend. We hope everything is ok & that he is not the main course - Cebuano Manila Lechon. 

[Tanuki]

Jayston-Nice! I read your trip report from your first trip.  It was a great report and I enjoyed reading it.  I have been trying to read a lot about Manila so that I can get an idea of what my surroundings will be like.
 
 

[robert angel]

Tequila would be fun--a real novelty and they'd appreciate the salt and lime thingy too. I think that Johnny Walker scotch is very highly regarded there--it's for the 'higher rollers' there---the few people who own and/or run everything there, including the politicians making lots of  money from their shall we say-'jobs 'on the side?'If you're going to bring a couple bottles of 'hooch' I wouldn't spend more than you would for an entry -- middle  of the pile cost for the tequila and if you can swing it, her Dad, Uncles--the older guys period, would probably be very impressed and delighted with a bottle of Johnny Walker. Once again, they'll be real nice and thankful, but your GF will probably tell you that by them trying to be a bit modest, they didn't let off how much of a special and appreciated treat it is/was to them.
 
Don't bring cigarettes-- not a good habit, unless you KNOW her Dad smokes. It's amazing how even some very poor people there manage to come up with pesos for cigarettes and how even their equally poor kids have cell phones--although just for texting, as that's much cheaper than voice. Some play the games that may have come on their phones too., back to cigarettes, American Marlboro cigarettes, the ones with the USA tax stamp on them are prized too. You see a lot of people on the streets and in Sari Sari's selling Marlboros by the single cigarette, and while they're usually genuine--'real'  Marlboro brand, they're not near the quality of the ones sold in the USA and a lot of them realize that from the tax stamp and taste..

[Ray]

Sarisari stores are typically part of the owner’s home.
　
They sell a variety (sarisari) of small convenience items, canned goods, candy, cigarettes, soft drinks, etc. They are cheap to set up, cheap to run, can take a lot of manpower to operate, and don’t make much profit. It isn’t unusual to see one or two stores per block in some places.
　
They are mostly good for keeping the grandparents occupied, letting mom earn a few extra pesos, or letting small girls learn the ropes of working in retail. Boys don’t seem to do very well in stores(?)
　
If you have a good sized refrigerator/ freezer, then you can do a little better selling cold drinks & ice. If you sell cold beer, you may end up with a bunch of young drunks guys hanging around, peeing on your wall all day and night.
　
To compete with everyone else’s little store in the neighborhood, you almost need to offer credit, which in my opinion is a dumb idea. Being located on a major highway or main street helps a bunch too.
　
I don’t see any red flags in your situation at all Tanuki.
　
Ray
　

[Tanuki]

Just thought it was a little quick to give up on the idea after there was all this hype of starting a store.  She also seems a little ambiguos when I asked, "If not the store whats the next plan?"

[seattlejoe]

Hi Tanuki,
               If things don't turn the good for you.  There's a nice group of GRO bars,
               in Angeles City.  There's bus tours from Manila.


                                                 Good luck

[Tanuki]

Joe,
 
While I have been talking to this girl for nine months and found her to be a really great gal.  But, if there is just cause to make me not sure, I have no problem pulling the cord and getting off at the next stop. In our conversations, I try to pay attention to a lot of the details and cross reference those with what has already been discussed.  So far this has been really the only thing has popped up to make me wonder.  I am trying to be really careful about who I hitch my horse too and so, this might cause me to make more out of it then what it is.
 

[thekfc]

She was planning on opening up the sari sari store to help her parents/family and that plan have "temporarily" been delayed and I think that she is doing the wise thing by weighing her options, not rushing into thing & seeing what way she can better help the family.

If you open up a store in a location and it is becoming successful - there will be a ton of stores copying you and opening up in your neighborhood and cutting right into your profits/business.

I had/have a plan of opening up a business (through the wife) in the Philippines but after my visits and seeing the conditions & needs, how things are run/done, doing tons of research & asking questions, I have learned & come to realize one thing - if I personally have to open up any business in the PI, I would have to be a "supplier" and not a "retailer".  I would have to provide products/services that the "general public" cannot provide/compete with (against me).
 
I would not dwell too much on her not having a plan or bringing up the question "if not the store whats the next plan?".   When you do visit Manila, you will be able to answer that question for yourself.

Focus your energy on getting to meet & know the family and then experiencing/enjoying the place, culture, food, people & the atmosphere.

[Ray]

 
Tanuki,
 
On this sarisari store thing... From your brief description of events, it sounds like she had a plan to invest a little money to help her mom out financially by funding the store in her mom's house.
 
But her mom made her own plan and rented out a room instead. Renting the room is a lot easier than running a store and possibly more profitable too.
 
When you look at all the work that goes into running a little store, you wonder if it is even worth the effort. You have to make numerous trips to town or the city to purchase supplies, pay for transorting the stuff back home, and then you only charge a small markup so your profit margin is small.
 
Then you have to buy a reefer and pay the high electric bills to operate it.
 
You have to take back the drink bottles for the deposit.
 
It's all a big headache to me. The one advantage is that you get to work at home,compared to something like running a little stall at the palengke (public market).
 
Ray
 
 

[Tanuki]

KFC & Ray:
 
Thanks for your input. I kind of figured I was over thinking this.  I am glad I threw it out there get feedback.