Investment opportunities in Lithuania

[Burzhuin]

EXTRA and Utenos Alus have one thing in common. Both kind of beer come from the same manufacturer: Svyturys - Utenos Alus Jsc.

[Burzhuin]

@ WH: Trader Joe's in Northern California sells EKSTRA: a Lithuanian beer made by Švyturys — I highly recommend it!

Ačiū, ponas Varlamas! I read your message today and gave a call to closest Trader's Joe stores. Unfortunately by Massachusetts Law the only two stores in the state has right to sell beers. And both are located pretty far from me. But I am going to visit our Kappy's to find out if they have Svyturys Extra in stock.

[tech]

My favourite lithuanian beer is Svyturys Extra, it's second after Carlsberg . Really good beer.

[Burzhuin]

I will try to contact the Utenos Beer importer. The name of the company is B&I Overseas Trading, Inc. It is located in Van Nuys, CA. Probably this company also imports Svyturys Ekstra. If this is the case I will convince a manager of Kappy's to buy some. We will see if it beats my favorite Utenos Beer.

[liutass]

Well, about investment. Try here:

www.development.lt

This is material prepared for Canes real estate fare MIPIM'06

[Burzhuin]

Liutass, thank you very much for the URL. I was already advised to visit this page. It looks quite impressive. Now I am preparing list of questions to Lithuanian Development Agency.

[Dramblys]

Hi,
no worries, you're in a right place

I have no much idea about how the process of real estate ownership for a foreigner works but I'm pretty sure it's no much different than if you were Lithuanian national (at least if you're an EU national). You can take a look here at Lithuanian Development Agency's website: http://www.lda.lt/invest.bic.realestate.html
If you want detailed information perhaps you should email them.

As a foreigner who has seriously looked at buying a flat in Vilnius (hopefully this year)...there is one restriction. A foreign national can't actually purchase property, such as farmland or a vacant lot. This will change in 2011, the time frame negotiated with the EU. After that date, anyone from anywhere can buy land in Lithuania.

As far as flats go, there are no restrictions for foreigners purchasing, also you can hold bank accounts in Lithuania as a foreigner.

[Dramblys]

Ačiū, ponas Varlamas! I read your message today and gave a call to closest Trader's Joe stores. Unfortunately by Massachusetts Law the only two stores in the state has right to sell beers. And both are located pretty far from me. But I am going to visit our Kappy's to find out if they have Svyturys Extra in stock.

Burzhuin, I am completely spoiled living in Chicago. I can get multiple types of Utenos, Kalnapilis, Gubernija, Svyturys, and recently Rinkuskiai. My favorite is Svyturys 1784, Svyturys Baltas in the summer, and Utenos Porteris in the wintertime.

BTW, here in Chicago, Trader Joes carries Gubernija Ekstra, not Svyturys Ekstra, there's a big difference in taste.

[Burzhuin]

Burzhuin, I am completely spoiled living in Chicago. I can get multiple types of Utenos, Kalnapilis, Gubernija, Svyturys, and recently Rinkuskiai. My favorite is Svyturys 1784, Svyturys Baltas in the summer, and Utenos Porteris in the wintertime.

BTW, here in Chicago, Trader Joes carries Gubernija Ekstra, not Svyturys Ekstra, there's a big difference in taste.

Dramblys, I envy you. I tried to establish a connection with our Boston branch of Lithuanian American Association but nobody returned my emails or calls. Sometimes I wonder if this branch exists. But even without their help I found Utenos Beer. I just wonder what is the purpose of ethnical communities existance if they do NOTHING?

[Dramblys]

@Burzhuin -
In certain areas of Chicago and the suburbs, I actually think I'm in Vilnius with all the Audis and BMW with "LT" decals on them and people speaking Lithuanian (especially at IKEA).
There are a few Lithuanian restaurants here too, but the food is nothing like in Lietuva…you just can't replicate the authentic stuff.

I am going to try this new place that just opened called Kunigaikščių Uziega. It's in the suburbs and looks almost like something you'd see in Lietuva.

Saw a commercial for it on the local Lithuanian program we get on Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays. It's local news in Lithuanian, plus they show a few hours of Panorama news from Vilnius. I use it to practice Lietuviskai.

The Lithuanian community is pretty hardcore here, with a community center in Chicago and one in Lemont (suburb) we have our own churches, museums, stores, delis, schools, krepšinis lyga, etc.
Its not as good as living in Lietuva, but it will do for now.

[Burzhuin]

Dramblys, all I can say: lucky you. There is nothing like that in Boston. I cannot find any Lithuanian delicatessen store in Boston and suburbs. So far the only Lithuanian food I could find in Russian delicatessen stores, Boston has plenty of those. I wrote to company that imports Lithuanian Beer. I got an answer that they will provide the requested information, but I have not heard from them since.

[Dramblys]

@Burzhuin -

You can order cases of Utenos online from this liquor store in Illinois called Binny's:
http://www.binnys.com/search/beersea...&astxt=&asbev=

They carry a whole line of Lithuanian beer, but for some reson you can only order Utenos online. Lucky for you though!

[Burzhuin]

@Burzhuin -

You can order cases of Utenos online from this liquor store in Illinois called Binny's:
http://www.binnys.com/search/beersea...&astxt=&asbev=

They carry a whole line of Lithuanian beer, but for some reson you can only order Utenos online. Lucky for you though!

Thank you very much Dramblys. Utenos Alus is the only kind of Lithuanian Beer I can buy in Massachusetts. We have Kappy's store. I am lobbying Kappy's management to sell different kinds of Lithuanian Beer as well. They asked about dealer contact information. I wrote to the company but... Sometimes I wonder why I am more interested in promotion of Lithuanian Beer than company-importer?

[Mantas]

Glad to hear that you like Lithuanian beer so much

[Dramblys]

Glad to hear that you like Lithuanian beer so much

IMHO Lithuanian beer is the best. All of my friends who try it are amazed.

American beers don't stand a chance when compared.

The only other beers that come close are Czech, and some Polish ones.

[Mantas]

IMHO Lithuanian beer is the best. All of my friends who try it are amazed.

American beers don't stand a chance when compared.

The only other beers that come close are Czech, and some Polish ones.

Yeah, I have tries that American "beer". Althaugh some Californian beer made a good impression

[Dramblys]

There is a good California beer called Sierra Nevada, and Chicago has an ok local brew called Goose Island, but for the most part, American beer is really only yellow colored, carbonated water.

[Burzhuin]

The small local brewery in North Woodstock, New Hampshire brew really good beer Red Rock. But it is two hours away. I brougt Utenos Alus to my friends, Paul and Yvonne, party. After testing it some of guests asked me where I boght this very good beer. I met one of them in Kappy's buying Utenos just few weeks ago. But in my opinion Lithuanian Beer is the best.

[Mantas]

There is a good California beer called Sierra Nevada, and Chicago has an ok local brew called Goose Island, but for the most part, American beer is really only yellow colored, carbonated water.

Yeah, I think it was the one

[Whose Homepage]

Indeed it was, Mantai!

In fact, I still have a case of Sierra Nevada in the basement, along with a case of Pilsner Urquell.

But now that Dramblys and Varlamas & Burzhuin have all come up with their nifty ideas on how I might get hold of some Lithuanian beer, I'll surely make the effort to give it a try! No need to wait to get back to Lithuania.