Panama Forum

DoctorG
Joined 2020
Posts: 35

3 years ago

..About Opening a Business in Bocas Town...

3 years ago

Hey, Y'all (can you tell I'm temporarily in Texas?)...

I'm planning my initial exploratory trip to Panama around the 1st of November, first to PC for a couple of days of being a tourist, and then flying up to Bocas Town to spend a week to 10-days exploring my potential new home just to make sure I like the damn place!

I'm pretty sure I will because Bocas is one of the few places in the Caribbean I haven't been to!

This is addressed primarily to ex-pats living in Bocas Del Toro because I'm assuming you know it well and are likely the most qualified to answer some of my questions.

First, I'm coming with a pension and savings which I'm planning on keeping in a US bank, but I also have a freelance Graphic Design and Illustration Business and am also a published author and blogger. I like having meaning and purpose in my life and will only be semi-retired.

I'll be looking to see if I might open an art gallery and design studio in Bocas town that would primarily appeal to tourists and the design business would be focused on locals. I have won three international design awards in my career.

My research indicates there's only one art gallery in town and the owner primarily does paintings on driftwood. You probably know her and these people. There's a restaurant that features local (?) artists, a t-shirt shop that also sells touristy items, and a B&B outside of town that offers cooking and art classes. What I'm planning would not be competition for any of them that I can see

It's possible I may have missed something, like locals who do art and/or crafts but don't advertise.

I plan to sell original art and prints of my own work and feature other local artists while I create.new local art live in the studio/gallery

Ideally, I'd like to lease a storefront in town or very close by, possibly with an apartment upstairs. More information is available upon request.

I have no idea of how the local economy is having suffered through the virus or how many businesses are no longer in business, or if everything is just fine.

I'm hoping someone can clue me in on how I can find more info on how Bocas and its people and businesses are doing. I've tried to research this but The Bocas Breeze's last issue appears to be from March, and the only online article I could find on your economy was from 2013.

Thanks for any insight or input you can provide or point me to, and I look forward to meeting a bunch of you when I get there! I'm very social and used to do standup comedy until I was told to sit down...

Dr. g (Gary)

PS: Here is another one of my paintings. This is Gouache (opaque watercolor) on illustration board and is titled, "The Sentinel."

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