July 17, 2006 – Folks who have a way with words could win the Mixology Warehouse or Café Roma, both St. John businesses located in Cruz Bay.
Mixology Warehouse owner Gary Moses and Café Roma owner Josh Crosley have joined forces to run two separate essay contests – one for each business – on why the writer would like to own a St. John business.
Both said they want to move on to other ventures.
"I'm ready to do something else," Moses said Monday.
Moses, who sailed into St. John in 1989 aboard his boat, Dulcinea, said he wants to go sailing again.
He said Mixology Warehouse isn't for sale. He said instead of selling it outright, he wants it to go to someone whose life will change by owning a St. John business but who couldn't afford to buy it.
"I'd like to see it go to somebody who has the dream of being here," he said.
Café Roma is for sale. Crosley said Monday that the essay contest has generated interest in the sale
She said she wants to leave St. John so she and her 13-year-old daughter Hannah can be closer to family in Virginia. She said that her mother, now 87, needs help in caring for her brother, who has Down's syndrome.
Crosley said she decided to join forces with Moses because she thought the idea of an essay contest was romantic.
Both Crosley and Moses are willing help the new owner learn the ropes.
Essays are limited to 80 to 100 words. According to the Web site, entries will be judged on the basis of imagination, creativity, expression of thought, wit, positive social values, human interest, humor and originality. Each essay must begin with the phrase "I would like to own My Paradise Business because…"
Those entering the contest must reside in one of the 50 states. Moses said the contest will not accept entries from the Virgin Islands because he wants to avoid any suggestion of favoritism should a local person win.
Moses said he was inspired by the movies "Spitfire Grill," which featured an essay contest, and "Pay it Forward," a movie that focused on good deeds.
People who don't win the big prizes may also walk off with a $7,500 second prize. There is one for each contest.
There are also 79 third prizes of $750 for each contest and 79 prizes of $250 for each contest.
The entry fee is $200.
Moses said so far, no one has entered the contest, but he has heard that in contests like this one, the majority of entries arrive in the last month. And, he said, people who looked at the Web site downloaded lots of applications.
All entries must be in by Aug. 18. The contest has run since May 19.
For an application and full details of the essay contest, visit www.myparadisebusiness.com.
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