Keys! Keys! Keys!

During a trip in September, we were hunting for a property to convert into a boutique hotel with a restaurant. We thought we’d found the perfect spot—until we discovered it was legally tied up, and there was no timeline for resolution. We left feeling frustrated and disappointed.

Back home, while scrolling through Facebook, a “For Sale” post for a restaurant popped up in Los Corales. The next day, we set out to track it down. We wandered the neighborhood, spotted a promising-looking place, and the following day arranged a meeting with its owner. It was indeed the restaurant for sale—and we were thrilled.

That night, we ate there to test the food and chat with the staff. They were loyal to the current owner, so we needed to make sure the menu and service met our standards. Over the next couple of months, we kept negotiating—and eating. We learned the restaurant’s operations inside out and started building relationships with the team.

On January 15th, after all the legal, financial, and logistical steps, we finally received the keys. It was real. It was ours.