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IHOP is leaving our fine island! The owner of our local IHOP can't afford the high price of it's rent along with the HORRIBLE WAPA fees and now it's costing us a great food establishment that many of us go to and support. The owners want to thank all of the community for coming out to support them and it's not the lack of customers or the prices of the food, it's the enormous costs involved with staying on THIS ISLAND. It is so sad that we're losing this place and the jobs that it brings. If a place as nice and supportive as IHOP i going to go under, then imagine the other "mom & pops" that aren't going to make it causing more unemployment, thus causing more crime.
Isn't there anything that any of us have the power to do to control what WAPA is doing to the people of this island? Ifa anyone knows the governor, please give him the head's up that St Thomas loses again because the infrastructure of government can't seem to pay their bill.
Argh,
T.
I mourn the loss of IHOP as well...last time I was there a large group from the American Red Cross was having a breakfast meeting. It was a place where large groups of local people could enjoy a decent meal while conducting a business meeting. Admittedly, the place had the SLOWEST service anywhere, it took island time to a new level, but aside from that it was a lovely alternative to the touristy restaurants and I will miss it. I am sorry for the employees.
The Arby's here in STT closed years ago, you missed it -- it was on the waterfront and it even had a bar! You could always support the locally owned non-chain type restaurants -- they give you the 'more options' you won't get from Denny's,Red Robin,etc.
If the 'grounds of the mall' reverted to the original state we could once again have the archeology of the large Taino Indian village that they paved over to build it.
---- more " government control" is generally not viewed as an enticement to business, doesn't 30% of the work force in the VI have Govt. jobs?
I realize the IHOP was locally owned -- the high energy costs that accelerated their closing are an example to us all.
The Taco Bell second hand story was interesting , but I was here, and the road work was a very small contributing factor of the business closing.
hey at one point we had a great burger king here on stx but of course they went belly up
We had a great Burger King here on STT too!
no, that's not thor from coki.
There is much, much more to this issue than the closing of IHOP. If you were to look at the amount of money that this government is getting from its sources in the VI, the hidden sales tax on all imports, and then add to it the GIFTS that come from the federa government it would stand out like a sore thumb. The cost of the government PER the 110000 people here is about three to four times what the HIGHEST amount is in the main land. The amount of money that is actually returned to the people is so small that it is a crime. In their defense they do do some things very well. But someone should take apart budget, line by line and see where the money goes. Get rid of the 11 senators and the multi millions of dollars that they budget. Thing about it. 11 senators for 110,000 people!! There are towns in the main land that don't have anywhere that for for a government structure. Yes this a territory but enough is enough.
It is not IHOP it is the whole structure that is broken.
billd
Bill there are 15 Senators in the VI Legislature -7 from both STT and STX and one at-large who must reside on STJ. The next Senatorial election is in NOV. so registering to vote must be done soon.
15 too many.
