starting a bar

[Panthro]

Depending on your area you could get food truck to come and support your food business and have different ones on different days. Then after 10pm have a popcorn or kettle corn machine.

[thefuzz]

Just a warning Philly, it's not easy, and the money per hour is not what it's cracked up to be.

 

If I were going to do it, I would do craft beers, sold both on tap, in the 6 pack, and in bottles and cans.  Same with wine, have a good selection, but also do single pours.

Take advantage of local artists, musicians, and food trucks.  It's going to be really hard to get "regulars" unless you have great food, and that just means more cost, and having to hire a legit chef.

[SCMunnerlyn1]

I go to the one in Myrtle Beach whenever I'm there. It's more fun if you give it right back to them, then they take the gloves off.

I went there once as a kid I vaguely remember it. But I do recall then giving some guy who was about to go the bathroom a hard time telling him he better not take a poo in there.

[Seal (SmittyIsOurSavior)]

Put it in Asia and I'll work for you for a year or two.

[R0CKnR0LLA]

Just a heads up, get ready for massive amounts of red tape. You will spend quite a bit of time and energy jumping through government hoops, especially dealing with food and alcohol.

My best advice would be to partner with someone that has been in the restaurant business. Let them run the kitchen/food aspect and you can handle the drinks/bar. Setting up the two parts as separate businesses is probably the way to go, I've seen many small local bars do this. It will greatly reduce your startup costs and the amount of things you have to worry about.

[SmokinwithWilly]

From a business owner standpoint, make sure you are prepared for what you are about to give up if you pursue this. I never really thought that when I opened my business, my work week would go from the 50-55 hours I normally worked to 80-90 per week or more. I literally eat sleep and breathe my business. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication and an enormous amount of time taken away from your family. Make sure your wife knows exactly what is getting ready to happen. 

I would sit down with other business owners and find out where they struggled in and out of the business. Figure out where your strengths and weaknesses lie, and the best way to handle them. And most of all, be brutally honest with yourself. Don't gloss over things. 

I'll be honest, there have been occasions that I thought my marriage was going to fall apart because I couldn't be in both places at once. I've given up a lot to be in business. I've missed anniversaries, birthdays, family events, because I'm too busy working. It's a lot of sacrifice. I'm not trying to discourage you at all. Owning your own business can be one of the most rewarding experiences financially and emotionally.

[TimTom]

Philly, have you seen this reddit post? 

http://www.reddit.com/r/Entrepreneur/comments/1y7tl9/advice_needed_from_people_who_have_started_and/cfi8al

Can't remember if it was posted around here a couple years ago...

[Kevin Greene]

Depending on your area you could get food truck to come and support your food business and have different ones on different days. Then after 10pm have a popcorn or kettle corn machine.

A food truck......

You really want your patrons to exit the bar and walk outside to order an appetizer?

Although personally I do love the smell of week old grease exiting the exhaust fan on your typical Roach Coach.

[Panthro]

A food truck......

You really want your patrons to exit the bar and walk outside to order an appetizer?

Although personally I do love the smell of week old grease exiting the exhaust fan on your typical Roach Coach.

its a popular thing at local breweies

[thefuzz]

A food truck......

You really want your patrons to exit the bar and walk outside to order an appetizer?

Although personally I do love the smell of week old grease exiting the exhaust fan on your typical Roach Coach.

We are in NC.

 

I wouldn't even begin to start a bar that didn't have extensive outdoor eating/drinking possibilities.

[Crixtala]

A food truck......

You really want your patrons to exit the bar and walk outside to order an appetizer?

Although personally I do love the smell of week old grease exiting the exhaust fan on your typical Roach Coach.

up here in Asheville, Wedge, Highland Brewing, Pisgah Brewing and several other places all do this... the food trucks love it, make a killing and the people at the bars are always satisfied and there for hours

[cookinwithgas]

Quality control of your food is potentially going to be a problem if you outsource it, and consistent quality is what brings people back.

 

I would think that one bad day at the roach coach could kill you in todays hyper connected world.

[Crixtala]

Quality control of your food is potentially going to be a problem if you outsource it, and consistent quality is what brings people back.

 

I would think that one bad day at the roach coach could kill you in todays hyper connected world.

but that's kind of the good thing with food trucks... those that follow and enjoy food trucks know that the quality is on the truck, not the establishment that gives them a space to park

if someone comes in and says, 'man, that food truck stinks,' philly can just say, 'thanks for the observation, we'll try to get another one next time.'

[cookinwithgas]

Could be, I'm no expert on bar management. I personally would like to do something like this, but my wife would freak out at the idea of getting food from a truck no matter how good it seemed, so we'd end up having to go to the #$$% Applebees across the street.