QCOSTARICA EXTRA – It was September 17, 1965 when the Soda Tapia first opened its doors. Todat, 50 years later it still stands in the same spot, across from the east face of La Sabana park, near the Leon Cortes statue.
On that first day, Roberto Bruno Tapia and his wife Alice served up the first sandwiches. Ernesto Torres, Alice’s brother, recalls how happy the couple were having ¢9,000 colones in sales by 2:00pm on that first day.
The menu in 1965 included a coffee for ¢1.75 colones and ¢3 colones for a slice of cake. A hamburger or beef sandwich was ¢10 colones. A ham and egg sandwich ¢15. No “000’s” in those prices!
The Soda Tapia opened with 8 tables and a couple of employees, in addition to Roberto and Alice. Today, with three locations (Sabana, Lindora and Alajuela) it has 130 employees and 140 tables and still under family management.
What’s in store for the Soda Tapia? says they plan an aggressive expansion to mark their 50th anniversary.
