Book details

  • Genre:biography & autobiography
  • Sub-genre:Personal Memoirs
  • Language:English
  • Pages:256
  • eBook ISBN:9798317843762

Soggy Dollar Daze

Our Decade of Owning a Famous Piece of Paradise

By Bruce Donath

Overview

Facing an empty nest and a midlife crisis, Bruce and Debby faced a reality that many couples their age faced, so they began seeking a change from their high-tech suburban lifestyle. Together, they made a major leap in purchasing a bar with cottages placed on a world-class beach in the Virgin Islands, which led them to discovering the challenges, exhaustion, and joys of their decision. With no relevant experience or training, a casual glance at the Wall Street Journal real estate ads held the hook that pulled them into their next ten-year adventure.
Read more

Description

Facing an empty nest and a midlife crisis, Bruce and Debby faced a reality that many couples their age faced, so they began seeking a change from their high-tech suburban lifestyle. They investigated many options, including the attractive prospect of owning a bed and breakfast somewhere in New England—despite their lack of relevant experience, it just seemed to fit their idea of a personal service business that also fed their personal passions of sociability. The couple researched tirelessly, coming up with a few realistic options, until one day a casual glance at the Wall Street Journal real estate ads offered an unexpected opportunity—and less than a year later, they took over a small beachside resort containing four cottages, a bar, and a restaurant in the Virgin Islands. The business had started 24 years earlier, but was still a bit primitive—no road, electric services, phone, or water supply—but the beach was beautiful! Despite discovering a raft of limitations and challenges, Bruce and Debby ignored the quirky features and became full-time, on-site owner/managers of their new 10-year business adventure!
Read more

About The Author

Having grown up in a family-oriented neighborhood in White Plains, New York, and attending public schools, Bruce Donath graduated from MIT with a B.S. in management—a classic American dream boomer. Following a short stint at IBM, he joined a small consulting and software company founded by two fraternity brothers and three MIT faculty, which simply describes his 25 years in the technology industry before he took a big leap to the Caribbean with his entrepreneurial wife, Debby. Bruce and Debby have been married since 1982 and merged their family of four children. As they approached middle age and the 'empty nest' period of their lives, they moved to Providence, Rhode Island, and started exploring alternative careers and business possibilities. Known to be somewhat impetuous, Bruce and his wife purchased the Sandcastle Resort and Soggy Dollar Bar. After 10 years of on-site management, they sold the property and moved to Kennebunkport, Maine, where they owned a cottage. Time rolled on with attention to family matters, local volunteer work, and playing bridge. Sadly, Debby passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving Bruce with the challenge to fulfill another dream—producing a memoir of their Caribbean adventures. Now, living in North Carolina with his partner, Susan, Bruce keeps busy visiting friends and family, volunteering locally, and casually hunting for new adventures and interesting people.
Read more