So, you want to open a bar. And not just any bar either. You want your bar to be so successful that it’s the place where everyone in your community goes to watch the game, laugh, cry or just a place to stop by and hang out after a tough day at work.
You know what we’re talking about. It’s the kind of place where everybody knows your name.
How do you get started? That’s the #1 question most people have.
Well, using Texas as an example, it’s important to understand the liquor licensing laws and other legalities. Hiring a lawyer is an excellent way to ensure you meet all of your legal obligations.
Or tracking bartender and wait staff hours might seem like a challenge at first. Forget tracking this stuff by hand and go digital by using a handy time tracking app like Clockspot.
In addition to the information we’ll share below, you’ll also need to innovatively advertise your bar and more. It’s a lot but we have faith in you. Keep reading to discover our best tips and practices.
Tip #1: Finding Your Ideal Customer
More than anything else, you need to determine the ideal customer for your bar in order to achieve success. If you open your bar in a neighborhood where bikers tend to hang out, the best option will be to open a biker bar. If you open a bar in a neighborhood where sports are very prevalent, you’ll have lots of success in opening a sports bar. Basically, you should look at your neighborhood and determine the ideal customer within it and open a bar to cater to their needs.
Obviously, the bar has to be appealing. But it also has to be in compliance with the rest of the community. If young professionals are spending lots of money and working in the area, then your establishment will do very well if you can get them to come to your place regularly. So you have to determine who’s living and working in your community and open a bar to fit their tastes and personality.
Now is the time to look over your location. Now is the time to get a better grasp of the community. Once you have this information in place, you can design a bar to fit the personalities and livelihood of those working and living in the area.
Tip #2: Create a Consistent Business Concept
So, you figured out your ideal customer at this point. Now it’s your turn to create a bar atmosphere that they will love. It’s time to establish a bar that has the look and feel of a place that your target market would spend time in. If you can pull this off, you’ll have customers coming in and out of your bar day after day, month after month, and year after year.
Looking at an example, let’s say you want to open up a sports bar because your research determined it would have a great chance of success. Obviously one of the main things you’ll need is large-screen TVs. Without them, your customers won’t hang around because the TV screens will be too small and they won’t be able to enjoy the game.
Create a concept for your bar and remember to stick to it. That’s how you achieve lasting success in this game.
Tip #3: Follow the Competition
What are your competitors doing? It’s a simple question that you need to answer. Start looking at the things that make them successful and use this information to your advantage.
No one is saying you should rip off your competitors because that isn’t cool. But take their ideas and shape them and mold them into something else so it becomes your own. That’s how you’ll achieve lasting success in the bar business.
Final Thoughts
Clearly, opening a bar is definitely going to present its challenges. Are you up for the task? If so, you can create and develop a successful business that will survive and thrive for many years to come. It’s up to you to put in the work, do the research, and ultimately create a neighborhood bar that everybody loves so get moving.
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