Christopher Brown worked on the following,
What better insight into the inner workings of ‘industry life’ than firsthand experience? Familiarize yourself with the world of running a bar: the ins and outs, the ups and downs, the perks and pains. It’s a complex environment, teeming with variables like unpunctual vendors, entitled regulars, money-hungry landlords, and genuinely amazing people. Bar experience, particularly at management level, will teach you what to watch out for, and also how to deal with issues that arise while allowing you to walk away from it when your shift ends.
The beauty of a thorough business plan is that it unearths many hitherto unanswered questions. Consider it a very necessary Devil’s Advocate, forcing you to answer awkward questions that are more or less guaranteed to come up later on. A completed business plan is the difference between pie in the sky and fully-cooked ideas. You can find great, thorough business plan templates online.
This will dictate the size of the bar you open, which in turn dictates the amount of starting capital you will need. If you want a sports bar, it’s going to need to be bigger than your average neighborhood bar, and contain a lot more expensive TV and audio equipment. As a very general rule of thumb, one square foot of bar will cost you between $100- $120. Your type of bar will also shape who your ‘ideal customer’ is. Speaking of which…
Another unwritten rule is to open or take over a bar on the corner of a street — if possible. Ideally, one that your ideal customers will pass often. Your business won’t fail or succeed based solely on location, but more foot traffic usually means more walk-ins. Keep in mind, your bar can’t be close to a school or place of worship in many states. Otherwise, you’ll risk having issues with your…