Sunee MiniMart 24 Closes

[PigDogg]

Minimart 24 has closed.      

Now it's not the type of place you'd want to go all the time.

And it's not a bunch of sad farang sitting on the stoop of 7/11 drinking their lives away.

The minimart had proper seating outside for about 15 people.

I would generally drink 20 baht Archa, the beer that to me tastes most like Bud of all the Thai beers.

Big Archa was 35 baht.

Ice bucket 6 baht.

Loose cigs were 4 baht.

Toilet and TV for sports.

Now there are other somewhat similar places where you can sit outside and chew the fat with friends but this minimart was uniquely positioned where the Sunee ladyboys would pop in for gum or pack of smokes so you'd see them from all the bars at this one place.

Maybe the new 7/11 on the other end of Sunee hurt their takeaway biz.

Or maybe the extremely nice couple and their baby just wanted to get out of Pattaya.

An (almost) proper bar much cheaper than hotel minibars.    

[koykaeng]

Hopefully Pampamsam is reading this, and can implement the same range of services and a comparable pricing structure at La Bamba Mark II.

Cheers
Koykaeng

[pacman]

 Sam may be easy going but he's not stupid.

What are the odds that a de-facto bar offering services at those prices were "encouraged" to leave?

With less tourist traffic & many places chasing the same money, a cut-price Minimart operating as a bar would not have gone over too well.

[donnykey]

Paccie...I would asuume the minimart did a lot of business after the regular Sunee bars and gogogs closed. Well it did the night / morning I was there.

Cheers DK

[pampamsam]

I feel for you Brother Pigdogg, I feel the same pain.

I remember too well sitting with you, Lefty and Kahuna while boys of every kind popped in and out like models in a fashion show. The experts in our group would point to the budding femboy/ladyboy and explain to the rest of us as to where they worked.

Was Pacman a member of our group?

It was the seating area that isn't duplicated anywhere else in Pattaya.

Maybe Pacman's cynical view that other bars in the area somehow persuaded the nice couple to take a hike.

My view is that their lease term ended and they didn't want to pay the higher rental so they left for another location on Walking Street.

Be positive, be positive.

Cheers,

Sam

[Bumblebee]

Always enjoyed stopping off there on my rounds, whether it be late afternoon or early morning. RIP.

[pacman]

Whenever I hear of a place closing & then learn they were discounting in the midst of their competition, my suspicions do arise.

I tend to take the glass half empty approach because I have seen how ruthless business can treat those who flaunt their price advantage.

If the Minimart shared a landlord with other bars who were finding it tough to pay the rent, their fate would have been sealed.

I want to be positive & believe that a Thai owner wouldn't be so harsh but everything I have heard of in LOS makes me realise that is just wishful thinking.

But I wish the operators the best wherever they move to & hope this corner location in Sunee gets another little outlet that we can go on enjoying.

[TTChang]

(PigDogg @ Apr. 14 2010,14:31) Minimart 24 has closed.      

Big Archa was 35 baht.  Ice bucket 6 baht.  Loose cigs were 4 baht.

Toilet and TV for sports.

Perhaps the main reason for its demise is in PD's first post?  Out of business = losing money?

[kahuna]

I don't think so...The Mart was usually always busy with drinkers and shoppers...

And a very popular spot with the Sunee workers...Where else in Pattaya can you buy one cigarette...
Very Isaan like...

The owners were a young Thai couple with a new baby...Who apparently, according to others,
simply longed for a return to the great Isaan expanse and didn't relish raising a child next door
to boy bars...

I think...I hope...that they simply finally made enough money to take their child and go home...

But walking by the other day in the heat with plans to stop for a cold beer and seeing the For
Rent sign out front did bring a tear...And it wasn't the inexpensive beer that attracted me...
It was just a great spot to sit on Soi VC in the afternoon or early evening, especially with friends,
and watch the Sunee World pass by...

[Chinaman]

I myself have spent a few hours of my life there, sitting and talking over a cold Archer with PD, Lefty and Bumblebee. My feeling was that most of their business actually came from the Thais working in that area and the farang business was an extra, which I wasn't even too sure whether they were too keen on it, but that is just my personal feeling.

I also do not know whether the outside sitting area was their idea or that space had just come with it. They might have preferred just a walk-in shop which would draw less attention. But perhaps others know the full story how it all evolved.

Bar-owners in that area might not have been to happy about it either, whether they had a hand in its closing down, who knows ...

It might have been a combination of things - lease up, not enough or enough money made - neighborhood, too many farangs on the lookout for femboys (who might not even have been of legal age yet), etc., etc.

But it will remain a memory and a good one, so what more can one ask 4 :-)

[PigDogg]

(Bumblebee @ Apr. 14 2010,01:08) Always enjoyed stopping off there on my rounds, whether it be late afternoon or early morning.  RIP.  

Credit must be given to BumbleBee for discovering the joint.

[Bumblebee]

(PigDogg @ Apr. 14 2010,18:14)

(Bumblebee @ Apr. 14 2010,01:08) Always enjoyed stopping off there on my rounds, whether it be late afternoon or early morning.  RIP.  

Credit must be given to BumbleBee for discovering the joint.    

I am sure one of the Sunee regulars would have found it soon enough anway.  I did get a nice buzz the night I stumbled across it, here are a couple of snaps from said night. Let it never be said I don't buy a round.

[kahuna]

The lovely Bell from Villa Rouge...What a cutie...Thanks for the memory BB...

[Bumpa STIKKA]

What a tragedy. My heart goes out to, mate!

[PigDogg]

Good move posting the pics BB!    

Gives a bit of the flava.    

Real tables and chairs at 7/11 prices with an interesting clientele.

Even has condoms for the beer.