Predestination and Starbucks.

OK. So Nassau has about 200,000 plus residents.

The new NAD airport authority wants to host two specialty coffee shops at NIA. (Kudos by the way for what's been done out there so far).

Today's Request for Proposals ads reads like a prescription for Starbucks:

- Proponents must have at least two (2) current locations similar to the proposed operation, which they have operated within the last three (3) consecutive years
- At least two of the proponent's current locations have to have generated at least $500,000 in average gross sales in the last two years

I don't actually know if the Starbucks operation here (essentially a locally owned franchisee) can meet those standards or not. But no-one else can for sure.

Caffè Caribe at Logos Bookstore was doing specialty coffees long before Starbucks moved in - since 1996 actually - and we did it with our own experience, capital and sweat equity - a fully Bahamian operation in every way. But we'd not qualify under NAD's RFP. Not that we'd be interested, but still ...

Do these guys think they're still in Vancouver - area population about 2 million?

Why bother to RFP if you write the thing at all if you have a predestined winner?

This is NOT a realistic background proposal if you're looking for local participation - I see there's nowhere in the RFP where it says the experience must be either local or Bahamian.

So folks ... my prediction, FWIW: look for a "Toomanybucksforme" at NIA soon - one in the US Departure Section and one in the Domestic / International Terminal.