Topic: I wanna open a bar..... (Read 434 times)

ChrisCrusher · « **on:** August 23, 2011, 09:22:17 AM »

I've been looking at locations lately. I really think I could make this dream a reality.....

I've seen a couple locations that are 2-3K Square feet going for around $75-$100K. They both come with a functioning kitchen.

In theory, I'd like to have a place for people to host their events. Whether it be a punk show, game night, movie night, watching the game, or even watching PPV's!

Man, I don't wanna do office work anymore....anyone got any tips on making this dream a reality??? I know theres at least one bar owner here...

dan10things · « **Reply #1 on:** August 23, 2011, 09:55:27 AM »

I've had a couple of friends opens bars to various degrees of success. The ones that have failed had never worked in a bar or managed a business before, they took out big loans to lease good spaces, spent tens of thousands on renovations, and then didn't run their businesses very well and didn't bring in enough cash to keep up with payroll, taxes, and loan payments. I think my friend Josh took the right route:
-He got a night job bar backing to learn the business
-Worked his way up to bartending, purposely worked in a couple bars for a few years to get good at bartending (because you'll be the main bartender for a good while) and also to realize the best way to set up the bar and kitchen
-Then he bought a struggling neigborhood bar, did minor renovations and a new menu, and it did pretty well. He eventually sold it for a good profit

Also, the thing about being a bar owner is you are always on call for problems. I play poker with the owners of the High Dive and Gainsbourg, those dudes get calls and have to answer questions or go into work at midnight when a problem is going on. It seems pretty stressful.

ChrisCrusher · « **Reply #2 on:** August 23, 2011, 10:10:42 AM »

yeah...my 'partner' is currently a manager for a relatively successful restaurant/bar. I took 3 years of business based classes...so I feel pretty comfortable as to figuring out costs/spend/expendetures etc and keeping books, I also pick up things VERY quickly. Bartending and all that never seemed like an intimidating thing to me, nor does running a kitchen. Just feel like I would need some guidance to learn it...

TahoeJeff · « **Reply #3 on:** August 23, 2011, 10:53:25 AM »

RUnning a bar would kinda rule.

ChrisCrusher · « **Reply #4 on:** August 23, 2011, 10:58:04 AM »

Quote from: TahoeJeff on August 23, 2011, 10:53:25 AM

RUnning a bar would kinda rule.

That's what I'm saying. If between driving and working, I'm spending about 12 hours of my day doing work related stuff....at least I want it to be fun!!!

Ceej · « **Reply #5 on:** August 23, 2011, 11:33:32 AM »

Never let your friends drink for free. Dont let it turn into a hipster bar. If this happens Chris, I will drive all the way out to your bar for some drinks.

dan10things · « **Reply #6 on:** August 23, 2011, 12:17:39 PM »

Quote from: Ceej on August 23, 2011, 11:33:32 AM

Never let your friends drink for free.

This is definitely true. Buying the first drink for them should be the max you want to take the generosity. One of my friends who had a bar that went out of business was definitely giving away a lot of booze to friends and that hurt their bottom line.

It couldn't hurt to talk to people that have opened their own place.

Ceej · « **Reply #7 on:** August 23, 2011, 12:24:02 PM »

I remember drinking at a bar in Bremerton and thinking to myself it wasnt going to last more than a few months. I was looking around and seeing everyone drinking for free. It was weird.

ChrisCrusher · « **Reply #8 on:** August 23, 2011, 12:31:17 PM »

Quote from: Ceej on August 23, 2011, 11:33:32 AM

Never let your friends drink for free.

Oh yeah, definitely...although I do believe in sliding a free drink here and there for someone who is tipping well or buying a lot...

passiveaggressiveflyering · « **Reply #9 on:** August 23, 2011, 12:39:32 PM »

Quote from: Ceej on August 23, 2011, 11:33:32 AM

Never let your friends drink for free. Dont let it turn into a hipster bar. If this happens Chris, I will drive all the way out to your bar for some drinks.

i will assist for free with any shows you may have when you open. Although,if you wanted to give me beer,I wouldn't say no

dan10things · « **Reply #10 on:** August 23, 2011, 02:58:08 PM »

Quote from: ChrisCrusher on August 23, 2011, 12:31:17 PM

Oh yeah, definitely...although I do believe in sliding a free drink here and there for someone who is tipping well or buying a lot...

When I visit a friend's bar out of town, they will usually say "first beer is on the house" when it's served. They know I'm buying food and more beer and I'll probably talk up the bar to friends, so it's a smart move. Similarly when I was writing about music a lot, club owners would often buy me a beer when I'd come to a show at their club, kinda a thank you for past and future press and to foster a good relationship. But it's always the first drink only and I think strategically was done to promote the bar/club. Especially in the beginning, you're trying to get good reviews on Yelp and in the local press.

But then there are my friends who opened a bar and never had run one before. We'd drink there all night and expect a $70-$100 bar tab and get an $11 one. I think in part they were giving away drinks, in part they were getting drunk and not writing it down, and in part they didn't manage their staff well and the bartenders were giving free drinks to get bigger tips for it. Pretty much everything was done wrong. At some point they got smart and hired someone that didn't drink to manage the bar, but they were already financially in the hole a lot by that point. Don't underestimate how important it is to have a trustworthy sober bartender working.

ChrisCrusher · « **Reply #11 on:** August 23, 2011, 03:05:24 PM »

theres a couple prime spots in fremont up for sale.....if only I had a couple hundred grand!!!

BrianMyFatAss · « **Reply #12 on:** August 23, 2011, 03:50:09 PM »

i have a love/hate thing being a bar owner.

i do love being my own boss.

but man, firing people, dealing with drama, fights, the cops, liqour control board, various tax offices, L&I, lawsuits, insurance companies, health department etc etc sure fucking sucks.

i bought into the funhouse so my business partner bobby already knew a bunch of shit that i didn't, plus he's an experienced carpenter, which is awesome because i don't know how to fix shit and things break down all the time. it also makes it so i can take time off - we can cover for each other.
we get along really well so having someone solid to work with is a major plus.

also treat your stock well - even though i get a discount i still pay for my drinks. it helps keep you grounded. so yeah, what dan said.

but really, be careful about hiring friends because firing them sure fucking sucks.

but i'll tell ya - as long as i can keep the lease i'm gonna keep the funhouse open.
for some reason i like doing this - i really must be a sick individual.

if ya ever wanna sit and talk about this shit chris i'd be more than happy to.
the first beer is on me.

ChrisCrusher · « **Reply #13 on:** August 23, 2011, 04:06:26 PM »

Quote from: BrianMyFatAss on August 23, 2011, 03:50:09 PM

if ya ever wanna sit and talk about this shit chris i'd be more than happy to.
the first beer is on me.

Definitely!! My thing is that all the BS that you deal with, I feel like I've dealt with in various jobs over the past 5 years, and get no reward besides a paycheck (not exactly, but project management is project management). I'm also pretty damn handy. From what I'm looking at, it looks like getting the 5 year plan together to get funding and then finding the right spot is the tough part. There are some SERIOUSLY nice properties up in Fremont. Clubs/bars I've been to, but they're a huge undertaking for a first timer I feel. Something like the Galway would be perfect...ah if only they were looking to unload that...

Dougie Felchtone · « **Reply #14 on:** August 23, 2011, 04:13:28 PM »

Quote from: BrianMyFatAss on August 23, 2011, 03:50:09 PM

i really must be a sick individual.

I've always said, "That Brian Foss, he aint right."

BrianMyFatAss · « **Reply #15 on:** August 23, 2011, 06:41:16 PM »

Quote from: Dougie Felchtone on August 23, 2011, 04:13:28 PM

I've always said, "That Brian Foss, he aint right."

if this was facebook i'd 'like' this

BrianMyFatAss · « **Reply #16 on:** August 23, 2011, 06:42:23 PM »

Quote from: ChrisCrusher on August 23, 2011, 04:06:26 PM

Definitely!! My thing is that all the BS that you deal with, I feel like I've dealt with in various jobs over the past 5 years, and get no reward besides a paycheck (not exactly, but project management is project management). I'm also pretty damn handy. From what I'm looking at, it looks like getting the 5 year plan together to get funding and then finding the right spot is the tough part. There are some SERIOUSLY nice properties up in Fremont. Clubs/bars I've been to, but they're a huge undertaking for a first timer I feel. Something like the Galway would be perfect...ah if only they were looking to unload that...

i'm going camping this weekend, but if ya wanna meet on thursday i'd be up for that, or sometime next week........

ChrisCrusher · « **Reply #17 on:** August 23, 2011, 07:28:58 PM »

Quote from: BrianMyFatAss on August 23, 2011, 06:42:23 PM

i'm going camping this weekend, but if ya wanna meet on thursday i'd be up for that, or sometime next week........

probably next week...I'll let you know..

Ogre · « **Reply #18 on:** August 26, 2011, 11:37:47 AM »

Don't pour all your money down your friend's necks.
Never confuse "fun rowdy friends" with "pack of assholes that drive other customers away."
Hire when you have to, only.
If you have to hire a bouncer follow my three rules of hiring. 1. They need to be a talker first. 2. They do need to be capable of backing up that talk. 3. They should be lazy as fuck. No one like a fucking bouncer who acts like a hall monitor.

Zack · « **Reply #19 on:** August 28, 2011, 09:30:03 AM »

Whatever you think it is going to cost, plan on it costing about twice much. There are about a million permits you'll need to have. Plus, all the equipment has to be food service certified (so you can't buy a 50 dollar used Kenmore refrigerator, you have to buy a $1500 new one or $700 used one that are only that expensive because they're "commercial" fridges). I got lucky and found a used one for 300 bucks that some guy was keeping in his garage though. My place is pretty different from a bar, but as far as the opening process and such it's relatively the same. Facebook me if you want any help.

Ogre · « **Reply #20 on:** August 28, 2011, 02:46:12 PM »

That food service certified shit is still on the books? Fuck, I thought that shit was done with years ago. We set up the "food" at the Vogue with home items, and it was ok. Maybe it's back on the books, which would be extra shitty. I hate the King County health department with a burning fury. They're the reason we don't have awesome food trucks like PDX. Dicks.

dan10things · « **Reply #21 on:** August 28, 2011, 05:51:47 PM »

Wait, you worked at the Vogue back in the day?

Ogre · « **Reply #22 on:** August 28, 2011, 06:00:26 PM »

I worked at the vogue for eight years. I was a bouncer and then head bouncer. I worked at the Belltown location for a little under a year before we moved up to Cap Hill, and then at the Cap Hill location until a few months before it closed.

dan10things · « **Reply #23 on:** August 28, 2011, 06:38:23 PM »

Cool. I used to go to the Belltown Vogue for Sunday's fetish night a bunch. Peter the DJ lived in my apt building and was dating my wife's friend from highschool Jodeen. I had a lot of fun and scandalous times there. It's so weird Peter ended up DJing mostly Indian/Bollywood stuff later. Small world.

Ogre · « **Reply #24 on:** August 29, 2011, 12:44:50 PM »

By the time I got there, fetish night was gone, but just before we moved Drew and Tasia convinced the owners to give it another try. That second fetish night moved with us and ran until the closing of the cap hill location. I think the last night might have been a fetish night.

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Author Topic: I wanna open a bar..... (Read 434 times)