Business Ideas for Casco Viejo

I owe the following suggestions to my friend Clara Hardin at Arco Properties. They work exclusively in the Casco Viejo part of Panama City and have helped bring about massive renovation to this UNESCO Heritage site.

If you haven’t visted it yet, you owe it to yourself to check out Casco Viejo. It’s a beautiful convergence of Spanish and French architechture that is coming back to life. Clara’s website is www.arcoproperties.com.

These are Clara’s contributions:  For the next couple of years, a destination business would probably do the best. Businesses dependent upon walk in customers will experience a slowdown during the rainy season which is typical.  Unless it is a tourist oriented souvenir shop, attracting customes from ships is not a good plan because they come in groups, listen to the spiel, buy some souvenirs and follow their tour guide to the next place. Cruise line tourists are not given time to explore Casco.
 
Wish List of Businesses but not in any particular order….
1.  Laundry service to wash and IRON with a dry clean drop off
2.  Common office space for individuals to share phones, electric, office equipment, secretary, etc. A business like this could also offer the community copier, fax, FedEx, etc services and mail boxes.  Run it like a mini Kinko’s with room to expand.
3.  Architectural details store like a Restoration Hardware which would attract anyone looking for home decor items which are not carried in other stores.
4.  Clothing stores. Great everyday wear, good price points with excellent styling.
5.  Specialty food item business
6.  Old fashion soda fountain
7.  Piano bar with slow dancing. For those who want loud salsa music, there are other venues.
8.   Specialty hardware store that also makes keys
9.  Beauty salon, unisex, mani/pedi. Massage not neccessary at this time
10.  A great bakery with specialty breads
11. Flower shop . Walk ins are only a part of a flower shop’s business, most can be by phone because they deliver. If the designer is good, a shop owner can pick up the hotel business in Casco. 
12. Health food store. This is a destination business for the most part. Customers will come from Clayton and Albook if the merchandise is wisely selected.  And offer diet classes, maybe healthy cooking featuring Panamanian dishes which are tweaked.  If it’s on a busy street, natural juices like Whole Foods. Other places serve bebidas but those don’t have all the added health ingredients.
13.  Spanish and English language school
14. Boutique pet store
 
These come to mind, there are more. Our level of sophistication is growing so any business to succeed has to offer good products and services.

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