Article Information

• ARTICLE_POSTED_BY: Haiti Place
• ARTICLE_POSTED_ON: Nov 16, 2014
• Views : 1764
• Likes : 1
• Category : Art & Culture
• Description :

  Last year, a Haiti-centric higher-end restaurant opened in Croix-des-Bouquets, taking the middle-class Haitians and artisans living in this area just outside of Port-au-Prince by surprise.

Overview

• Founders of Myabel Cocktail Bar and Restaurant

  Last year, a Haiti-centric higher-end restaurant opened in Croix-des-Bouquets, taking the middle-class Haitians and artisans living in this area just outside of Port-au-Prince by surprise.

  The founders of Myabel Cocktail Bar and Restaurant wanted to bring something special to their hometown, to make it more desirable and draw other investors.

  This dream was going to come at a high price, but it also brought a lot of satisfaction.

  One of the restaurant founders, Regine Theodat, studied in the US to become a lawyer. After the earthquake she moved back to Haiti to do human rights work for one year, and stayed much past that. In Haiti she met Junior Abellard and Myrlene Dominique and joined them to open the Myabel Cocktail Bar and Restaurant.

  Unable to get a loan in Haiti, the three partners had invested a six-figure amount mostly out of their own pockets to pursue this dream. They had to open the restaurant before some of the works were finished to be able to keep it going.

  Myabel Cocktail Bar and Restaurant is very Haiti-centric, from the decor to uniforms, the food and cocktails. They use local ingredients and innovate on their cocktails made of Haitian rums, fruits and other goodies. All their cocktails use local ingredients and they are named after the areas of Croix-des-Bouquets.

  "The entire restaurant is a celebration of Haitian culture," says Regine.

  Building a Business in Haiti was a Roller Coaster

  While the results are fulfilling, the process of building the business was a roller coaster.

  "Starting a business in Haiti is not for the faint of heart, for sure. It's actually very challenging and the barriers of entry are incredibly difficult. So, unless you are definitely the kind of person that can stick things out, it's not for you," says Regine.

  The three partners faced difficulties at every step of the way, from the long procedure of registering the business to financing it, doing construction work, hiring, training, and managing the employees.

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