My husband and I have this money put asside to go ahead and open up another bar, but with a dance club too. We already know how much work it is as we both worked a bar before on top of our 40 hours per week job and we loved it, although we used to be tire. We sold the bar about 6 months ago to a new owner as we owned the building and ran the bar ourselves. We both are young, ambitious and we have only one child which although it may not seem we spend time with him we actually do because we have someone who opens the bar between 3 to 4pm while hubby and I are getting ready to take our son to his sports activities for 2 hours, then hubby takes off to the bar I stay with him or hubby sometimes does we feed him, do homework, story time you name it he get's it. We own a multi family and lucky enough guess who lives upstairs my parents so my little sister who is 20 comes down to do her homework or watch tv while I go to the bar with my husband to help out and we pay her for it. We both work as team and want to go one step further and get into it a little bigger this time as my hubby and I both always wanted to have the bar and the club our liquor permit is up to date from the previous bar and it's paid for 2 more years, but I am the financial person of the house. I figure out the losses, inventory, keep track of the accounting etc and can use some help from people here on the board I been getting a list together and know I am missing items and things I need to consider. We both know we can wi or loose, but I am the type of person who likes to take risk if I see everything is in place thank god we never had anything go wrong as far as our investments although you never know and we keep tha in mind. We know so many people here in town and surrounding towns as well. I still have this huge distribution list by e-maik or text messages from all the people who used to like to get up dates on what we were going to have go on. We have not told anyone about our plan now only immediate family and they are being supportive as they were when we did the bar. Anyways a night club is more liability and I want to make sure I do everythign possible right. As I mentiond before I am missing a lot of things from my list so feel free to add your suggestions and opinion whether they are positive or negative. My hubby and I told each other we will try to make it go right in everyway and at least if in the long run 1 year or 2 whatever time we decide to sell or give it up we will not look back at what went wrong we will both be glad we did something and shared something we both wanted to do together. This place we are going to lease out for 1 year first to begin w/ the option to buy at theend of the year for $400,000 no matter how the market is and it's a steal compare to other things we went to check out in the market.
The rent is going to be $2,500 per month other expenses are light (aircondition), heat, upholstering furniture, inventory, capacity of people are 200, cover charge to begin $3 or $5 per person (Does it sound fair?) other places charge $10 with the lowest at $5, insurance for $1,000,000?, employees & their pay what else my brain is going all over the place??

What kind of competition do you have, check out what they offer

Is the "dance club" portion going to be open 7 days a week? That seems like a Fri/Sat night type thing. Maybe "dance" a couple nights a week, maybe a live band one night (weeknights kind of suck for that, unless you're in a college area and have bands geared for that kind of crowd). Karaoke? We have several places to do that here. Special events? Birthday parties, wedding receptions? A MySpace page and you can post events to your "friends". "Ladies Night"?

The dance portion will defenetly be Friday and Saturdays, but we were thinking of adding Thursday since we have a University in town and they like to start the party early in the week. I didn't even think of my space because I have never been in the website not even to check it out so thanks for that extra tip. I can defenetly use that now that you brought it up. During the week just the bar, but we got 4 plasma tv's from our other place so we were thinking sports during those days and the pool tables. More ideas are welcome!!!

Dance lessons are very popular at one club here in town. What type of music are you considering? Country or maybe 80's (my personal favorite)? Any snack foods being offered? The country bar tosses peanut shells on the floor (hard to dance on but fun to do). $5 is very fair and maybe undercutting yourself. The same country bar id's everyone!!! and if your under 21 (drinking age) you get a yellow wrist band, they put on and you can't take off until you leave or no drinks regardless of your age) and us older folks get green

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$5 is cheap, so I definately would not do $3. We have a country bar here where I live that every so often has a mechanical bull So I would probably do hip-hop type club and maybe once in a while bring in a mechanical bull the college kids would love that I am sure. As far as underage getting bracelets I personally would not do that (it's too easy to get a bracelet or for one of your friends if they are 21 to buy the drinks for their friends), maybe you can have a weeknight or another designated night dedicated to under 21 but you're going to make most of your money from the booze. The clubs around me charge about $7 to get in and $4 (atleast) for a mixed drink and they are always crowded with the college kids. Good Luck with this!!! Oh and as far as pay goes I think that bartenders here make about $2.15/2.65 an hour (they work for tips!)

I would suggest an 80's night and maybe an under 21 night. I personally HATE going on under 21 night but's it's the most popular night around here (college town). Drink specials are important. Maybe a ladies night where ladies are free and guys are $10 cover. That is popular here too. Advertise in college newspaper (if they have one) or online postings as well as myspace.

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If you haven’t got one already, buy a driver license scanner. It verifies the I.D., plus the information it extracts off the driver license you can use for marketing

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Suggestions: Do a website, especially if you live in a college town. Also, advertise with flyer, radio and such at the local college (special offers for college students maybe-maybe free admission, Honestly, you'll probably make most of your money on alcohol. ) So I think your admission is a good fee for everyone else.

Definately stay away from country (unless you have a specific night), most college students won't come to that--depending what state you live in, lol. 80's night is great, under 21 is great, a rave night would be neat, Have you ever seen the clubs that have the big bubble machines (looks like bubble bath)? I know they would take alot to clean up I'd think, but those are pretty neat. Bands are always good.

I live near a college with many bars. Most of ours don't offer covers. There is one new one that does have one that is 5, but I haven't been there. Happy hours are very popular here. All of the bars have specials 10-12 every night. Some are 1.00 margaritas, .25 drafts and wings, 1.00 well specials, 1/2 off everything, 1.00 shots, 1.00 imports, 1.00 domestics.

Are you going to have any food there?

Have tvs for sports games. I would definately do something for most of the games on Sunday and Monday for football.

Might consider dartboards, pool tables, pinball machines, jukebox, if you have room. There is one new bar that you are able to choose what song you want to play on a screen and it instantly plays.

I have zero idea on stuff like this.

But, wow. What a cool life

Jason

Being that my dad has owned many different types of bars over the years I have a couple of things to throw at ya. I know you said you have the liquor license for the next two years, does this include the dancing? In Michigan there are several different types of licenses. We have to have a different one for the ability to have a jukebox and dancing. Those are a little harder to get and your insurance raises quite a bit.

Get in touch with a company that provides the pool tables, juke boxes, games etc. You split the profit and your guaranteed to always have the newest stuff without the hassle of things breaking down.

We have found that when we cater to a younger crowd that we did not make as much money. They would often be well on their way to being intoxicated before they walked in the door...to save from spending too much money. They are also a very fickle bunch, for months your bar would be "THE" place to go...then someone would find another place and they drop you.

It has been our experience that if you cater to a 30's crowd and serve food and have a kids menu you get a more steady customer base. You get families in until 9pm and after that open it up to a more party atmosphere. Sports bars are really hot right now. You can sponsor some adult teams for softball etc and give them a discount on their game nights.

ETA: In Michigan the license stays with the building. So if we were to move to another building we would have to apply for a new license. Every bar we have ever purchased the license was part of the sale and we had to go before the Michigan Liquor Control board to request it to be transfered into our name. Also another snag we have here is if an establishment it closed for liquor control violations the building cannot be re-opened for three years...even if the property is sold. This deters family members from just reopening in someone elses name. Another weird rule is that for instance a person buys a bar and license and wants to tear it down and build new in order for the license to remain valid a portion of the old bar must still exist. A bar that just opened up here had to keep an exisiting wall to fall within the guidelines.

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You are right! here you have to have a separate permit for dancing in your place besides the liquor license and the insurance is a bit more, but as I am an agent myself it isn't something to bad for good liability coverage. Thanks for the idea on rental items where the profit it's split it does sound better than having to repair all the time if something happens & keeping up with the music as it changes all the time. I am going to look into that especially to see how fast they come to fix something.