Suni's Bar holds grand opening as the only operating bar in the Amazon

     

Sunisa Minoptra, owner of Suni's Bar
Photos by Persephone Bolero

By Persephone Bolero

RIO GRANDE -- The Amazon community has a new watering hole.

Right off the main trail south of the Xoco camp near the police station, lies Suni’s Bar and Grill, a brand new casual drinking establishment that’s aiming to bring together all the varieties of people who call the Amazon home.

"We cater for every taste. We have beer and...beer,” Sunisa Minoptra, Suni’s Bar and Grill owner, told the Amazon River Sun.

Minoptra, who has had a career in law enforcement that began in Sao Paulo before she relocated to the rural Amazon, said opening a bar was part of fulfilling a desire she’s had for a long time.

"It's always been a dream of mine to own my own business. Plus, I like alcohol,” Minoptra said. 

Minoptra stands proudly under her neon sign.

She said she will bring to her new bar a wealth of experience in drinking establishments.

“I have drunk in them, busted them, arrested people in them — you name it,” Minoptra said.

Besides a selection of beer, the bar features a neon sign, a portable generator, and a beer garden next the dumpsters.

The grand opening Sunday drew a sizable crowd that included settlers and natives. Many of the partiers remarked on the new bar with great excitement.

“Is that a fucking dead dog?” Morgana asked enthusiastically.

Minoptra explained that the rats would make quick work of disposing the dog. 

The rumble of the portable genertor gives the bar ambiance.

The new bar owner is looking to expand her staff. So anyone seeking full- or part-time work, and who have experience in hospitality, should contact her.

She is also hoping to begin food offerings as soon as she gets the proper health permits from local authorities.

Minoptra said she doesn’t allow guns to be drawn while in the bar. Hours vary according to what time she wakes up and how much she's had to drink.