Now this is a great opportunity for the right person … perhaps a News of St. John reader???
Cafe Livin, the popular eatery located at Wharfside Village just listed for sale. The asking price – $295,000.
The price seems a tad steep, but you really can’t beat this location just steps from the ferry dock and Cruz Bay beach. According to its listing, the business is turn-key and quite profitable. Its ad describes is as being “a true moneymaker with tremendous upside.”
Cafe Livin is currently open seven days a week, serving breakfast and lunch. It has limited dinner service and catering as well. There’s definite potential to grow this business if a consistent dinner service was added in our opinion. Maybe you’re just the person to do that…
The sale comes with a 20-year lease, according to the listing. Monthly rent is just over $4,500.
Want to know more about what’s for sale on the island? Check out one of these real estate companies:
For sale: One pretty cool online blog about the daily happenings of St. John. Kidding! We’d never sell News of St. John, but there are several cool opportunities for those of you looking to own your own business on island. Here’s a small sampling of the current opportunities available on St. John.
For those of you yearning to spend your days on the beautiful blue waters surrounding St. John, perhaps you’d be interested in learning more about a few of the charter boats listed for sale.
Survivan
Perhaps a sailboat is more your style. Well you’re in luck. St. John Yacht Charters is also looking for a new owner. According to its ad, the business is rated as the best traditional sailboat charter on St. John. The company has been in business since 2005 and its client list and profits have increased every year since then, according to the ad. The sale includes a website, car, scooter, inflatable tender and the sailboat Survivan, a 46-foot Jeanneau sloop that is in great shape and very comfortable to live aboard. It has a roller furling main sail which makes it easy to sail, even single handed. There is a new WIMAX tower in sight that gives enables it to have broadband internet right on the boat, so you can stream tv programs to the 35-inch TV via Apple TV or Roku.
Asking price: $320,000
East End Adventure Eco Tours
Maybe you’re thinking about something a bit smaller, a little less expensive and more eco friendly. Then you may want to check out East End Adventure Eco Tours – natural history adventures, established (six years) small boat and paddle board eco-tour business for Coral Bay and the East End. Equipment includes 2001- 18′ SeaFox CC fish, snorkel and dive boat with trailer and Coral Bay mooring. 2010 85HP Yamaha engine (75 hours) and electrical harness, bimini top, 2 anchors and rode, Humminbird fish and depth finder, twin batteries, console and engine covers, cooler, preservers, new teleflex steering system. 4 Paddle Boards (1-10-6′, 2-11′, 1-11’6″) Bic and Smooth SUPs, paddles, dry bags and new SUP bag covers.
This is an inexpensive purchase in a growing tour market in Coral Bay. According to its ad, it’d be perfect for a young, knowledgeable naturalist/diver interested in growing a local business as Coral Bay vacation rentals continue to expand after the closure of Maho Camps. The sale comes with name recognition, a website and promotional literature. The owner will to teach the new owner as needed.
Asking price: $16,500
And for those of you with very, very deep pockets, this last investment opportunity may be for you. Wharfside Village is up for sale for a cool $11 million. Anyone want to chip in with me? 🙂
Think you have what it takes to build on island? Looking to build your dream home? Then you may want to check out this parcel that recently hit the market…
Located in the Seagrape Hill neighborhood high above Coral Bay, this .30 acre parcel has panoramic views of Coral Bay Harbor, as well as gorgeous valley views. It’s situated on a gentle downhill slope making this an easy build.
The lot is access by paved roads and has utilities in place. It can be yours for only $149,000.
Want more information? Contact Tammy at 340 Real Estate Co. at [email protected]
Hear the sound of the surf lapping at the water’s edge just a stone’s throw away from this pod-style quasi waterfront family home.
Located in Calabash just past Coral Bay, this home features two separate income producing units plus additional space to add on. The lower level features a living room, kitchen, loft bedroom and bathroom while the upper unit consists of one bedroom, one bathroom, a kitchen and living room. The upper unit also has upper and lower decks with water views out toward the East End and British Virgin Islands.
The home has a fully fenced in yard, making it very dog-friendly, and has an abundance of large trees and native stonework. The home is fully hurricane shuttered.
Another great feature of this Calabash home is its proximity to the shops and restaurants in Coral Bay. Enjoy the cooling tradewinds while you walk on over and enjoy all that Coral Bay has to offer. This location also affords you the ability to moor your boat in nearby Coral Bay harbor, allowing you to keep an eye on it 24/7 from one of your private decks.
All of this can be yours for only $655,000.
Want to learn more? Contact Tammy at 340 Real Estate Co. at [email protected]
The Spyglass restaurant at Wharfside is for sale for $550,000.
The second-floor, waterfront business has been operated by the owner of Wharfside shopping center since the previous owner left the island in January. The space then operated as the Balcony.
Interestingly, Wharfside is not offering the business through an island real estate agent, at least it's not on the Multiple Listing Service. Instead, he is using an Internet site, Businessesforsale.com, which is a good idea if you're trying to find interest off island.
"Operations are very profitable," the listing says. "Approximately two-thirds of daily revenue is paid for by credit card, and the balance is paid in cash. A restaurant like this is not available for sale very often."
The restaurant is licensed for liquor, beer and wine sales as well as food and may also operate as a cabaret, according to the offering description.
The company responsible for providing cargo, baggage and technical services at the St. Thomas airport is not happy.
Faced with the continuing poor baggage belts and an "unreliable infrastructure", a spokeswoman for Worldwide Flight Services raises an interesting issue on behalf of her co-workers. (Photo via William Hartz' Flickr account.)
"Many in the airlines and airport community would like to see an accounting of what the Passenger Facilities Charge (PFC) has been used for," Joanne Bohr said to the St. John Source. She reacted to word the Port Authority wants to increase the PFC from $3 to $4.50 per passenger.
Those funds, she said, are supposed to be used for projects approved by the airlines to improve the experience of using the airport. "The PFCs are not intended for overhead or salary," she said, implying the Authority may have been tapping the fund for operations rather than repairs and improvements.
"As difficult as it may be for the passenger," she continued, "it is a much bigger hardship for those that work in the airport … without … bag belts, (and) without any air conditioning."
Before the Authority can increase the fee, which would apply to both inbound and outbound tickets the Federal Aviation Administration must give its approval. And presumably the FAA won't do that unless the airlines agree, and believe, the money will be used to pay for improving the St. Thomas and St. Croix airport.
Pilots at Spirit Airlines went on strike Saturday morning. The airline canceled all its flights for the day, potentially stranding hundreds of people at the St. Thomas airport. News reports indicated the airline told customers they were on their own to find alternate flights.
When the Inquiring Iguana tried to book a flight for Sunday, Spirit's Web site said there were no seats available, perhaps indicating more flights will not operate this weekend.
Spirit is a low-cost airline, offering occasional specials of $9 a ticket. Pilots say they are paid well below market salaries. The airline reportedly offered the pilots raises of 30% which, Spirit said would allow it "to continue offering you the ultra low fares you have come to know and love."
The Iguana can only imagine the holy heck that the STT airport is today.
A few hours after the Surly Cantina's owners announced they were leaving the island, it became known the operator of the Mexican food spot that replaced them at Wharfside Village has put the business up for sale.
"Resturant-Mexican Cantina – $65000 (St.John, USVI)" is the headline. The ad reads, "Here is your opportunity to get away and own your own buisiness (sic) in St.John. This is a turn=key (sic) operation with minimal experience needed. A perfect chance for 2 people to own their own buisness (sic) on a tropical island."
So, even if you can't spell business, you can buy one.
On the popular Mexican restaurant's Facebook page, this message appeared over the weekend.
"The Surly Cantina is no longer. We are moving to Charlotte NC on Wednesday. We will miss all of our incredibly loyal fans. Who knows, maybe a Surly in NC. Best to all."
Comments made it clear that many folks will be sorry to see the cantina owners, Suzanne Schlessinger and Craig Sullivan, leave the US Virgin Islands.
Some posted saying they hoped the news was a late April Fools joke.
Rosanne Perkins said, "That is a bummer!!! I was hoping to see you over the summer!!"
Cici Davis said she was "Sad to hear" the news.
Tiffany Gilbert Thomas sounded melancholy, writing, "The island of broken dreams."
If you sometimes think life has you going in circles.
Anthony Finta of Virgin Islands On Line shot a one-minute video of St. John's traffic roundabout in Cruz Bay. One person commented, "I must be bored. I watched this video five times."
