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Owning a club

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 Taso
(@taso)
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Topic starter  

I have an interest in owning my own blues/jazz club. I was wondering if anyone could tell me how one goes about starting this? lol. I'm planning on majoring in buisness management/administration. Seemed like this would be the route to go. I don't think I have to worry about the money to get the place started.

Anyways, just a few words to point me in the right direction, give me a CLUE about what is required of a club owner, would be appreciated.

Taso

http://taso.dmusic.com/music/


   
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(@greybeard)
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Joined: 21 years ago
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To make it a success, a 25-hour working day. If necessary, you work nights, too.
From a management point of view, you're not only running a bar, you're running a theatre, as well (and, probably, a restaurant).

I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
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 Taso
(@taso)
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Topic starter  

Thanks for the reply Greybeard.

Yeah, a restaurant (although a basic one) as well.

25 hour working day?! And I was sitting here like an idiot thinking there were only 24 ;) I understand what you are saying. It would probably be closed during the day though, and opened up around 7-8ish.

I don't know, like I said I know nothing about it.

What major in college would help with this? The only thing I can think of is buisness management/administration. It's a good thing cause it leaves me with some outs, if the club doesn't go to well, I can work for a company in accounting, buisness law, etc.

I'm thinking maybe the only real way to learn about how to run a blues club is to talk to owners, and work at one and see how things are done.

A very ignorant,
Taso

http://taso.dmusic.com/music/


   
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 Mike
(@mike)
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First, you have to write down every vision you have of “your club”.

After that, you have to have access to groups that can for fill your needs.

I don't think ‘Running' it will be a problem if you have a steady stream of talent retable available. To me, the major problem would be advertising a new business that will attract ‘Great' names.

Location is a huge factor as well.......


   
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 geoo
(@geoo)
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I "know" some guys that opened a dance club here in OKC. Before they did so, they visited every club that was similar to the one they wanted to open and took LOTS of notes. They didnt copy the looks of the other clubs but they did get alot of great ideas of what works and what doesnt.

And yes, Business Administration would probably be best.

Geoo

“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)


   
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(@kingpatzer)
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Majoring in business is not a bad idea.

Other things you should probably be doing:

1) get a job as a waiter, busboy or host at a joint similar to what you want to own and get a feel for how the day to day operations run.

2) get the names of every booking agent in your state and start building relationships with them. Send them a nice card asking if they'd consider mentoring you on the management side of the music business.

3) Same as #2 but for successfull club owners.

On your idea of only being open in the evenings . . .

Maybe, but you'll still be working from early morning through late night. You have to get your food and drink deliveries. You have to balance your books. You have to count your inventory. YOu have to fix the broken lights. You have to run sound checks. You have to interview staff. You have to do a thousand things you can't do when you have clientel in the house. On top of that, you will probably find that you'll need to be open for lunch and happy hour to generate revenue anyway . . . a closed bar doesn't make money, and you want to make money.

I've worked in and around bars and clubs off and on for a long time before I moved to the financial sector . . . You'll need a partner, or a hired manager you can trust. Someone will need to be there from about 4 in teh morning till 2 or 3 hours after close (read 4 or 5am) every day. One lesson you'll need to learn fast is that you can NEVER have a minute without managment presence in the club.

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST


   
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(@greybeard)
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Kinpatzer lifted the lid on bar life. There is no time when there is not something going on. Much of it is "maintenance" - clearing tables, cleaning tables, chairs, floors, walls, ceilings, decorations, toilets, washbasins, urinals. Resupplying toilet rolls, tissues, the feminine things, the bar, beer pumps, beer cellar. Cleaning glasses and making the bar look presentable and efficient (scruffy bar means noone can find the bottle that they need).
Books have to done, floats (for the tills) prepared, tips and wages have to be calculated.
You'll also have to deal with the LAW! You'll have the fire brigade and city officials to satisfy that the entrances and exits are adequate and that you have enough fire-prevention and fire-fighting equipment. You'll need to prove that the premises fulfill the cities ordnances regarding building safety, etc (electrics, water, sanitation - you're not going to be licenced for 300 people if you've only got one toilet).
You're going to have to get some form of security setup for the takings - you have to hold them until you can get to a bank (and that's the next hassle - getting there with several thousand in cash).
Sorry, 25 hours was a mistake - it's nearer 26. :lol: :lol: :lol:

I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
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 Taso
(@taso)
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Topic starter  

Thanks for all the responses,

Geoo, sounds like a good idea. I'll definitly be doing that sometime in the future. Good to hear buisness administration is the way to go.

King patzer, thanks for the detailed reply. As far as getting a job at a place similar to the one I want to run: My family is looking at buying an apartment in Philly for me and my brother, in a building called the Grande. The Grande, will be home to Philadelphia's House of Blues club. I'm hoping to be able to get a job there (imagine going down the elevator and being at work!! ;) )

Good ideas asking for a owner to kind of mentor me. Seeing as I'm greek, I'm sure the family knows at least 3,000 people that own restaurants ;) But really, I know we know one, I'm sure we know more. And, my god mother is a lawyer, so I'm sure she could help me with some of the legalities.

A thought that has crossed my mind before I read it in your post: Hiring a manager. I think I'd want to know what's what first, that way I can be sure (as sure as I can be) that I'm not getting screwed over. A hired manager would cut a lot of the stuff that has been listed down me thinks. (I think, as you can obviously tell, I'm no expert, haha)

Accounting is part of the management/administration program, so I think that'd be a help as well. (As far as the books go, wages, etc) Thanks again for another reply Greybeard.

Apparently, it's going to be a lot tougher than I had thought. Very feasible I think though.

Any more comments?

Also wondering if anyone had a clue how much it would cost to get this blues club off the ground, in NYC. (Estimated cost for the buisness/property, all the utilities, furniture, decorations..etc)

Thanks again,
Taso

http://taso.dmusic.com/music/


   
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(@greybeard)
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As a Greek, you'll know that nothing comes for free! We expect an invite to the opening night! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
Greybeard's Pages
My Articles & Reviews on GN


   
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 cnev
(@cnev)
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Taso,

That's my dream too. Too bad I don't live in CT anymore we could hook up.

I worked at a rock club for about five years and then I was involved in opening one with the intent of becoming a partner but it didn't work out.

The money to start is the most critical. You'll have to have a big enough bank account to cover all your overhead, salaries etc for at least 6 months before you'll see any real cash flow and that's if you to it right.

Then you need someone to get the liqour permit, dealing with the health inspectors etc. Having a lawyer in the family is definitely an advantage.

You basically then have to have a business plan laid out, especially if you need to finance money. If your independantly wealthy..please adopt me now...then you may not have to be so detailed but you do need to write down what and how you expect the club to be, calculate the amount of food liqour you need to sell in order to make a profit etc.

And there's almost no way you'll make any money without selling alcohol..cuz you ain't makin it on food or cover from patrons. And anytime you serve alcohol there will be problems sooner or later so you will need at least 1 - 2 security personnel. Depending on the size of the club you will need 8 -10 people right from the start on the payroll. Don't even delude yourself into thinking you could do it on your own, you need a bartender, at least one waitress, a cook if you have food, 1 - 2 security, a manager, a bookkeeper, someone to do the sound, book bands etc.

Remember you'll be dealing in a cash business and unless every employee is a relative you can assume some "missing"cash. You need to account for that.

I'd say about $500,000 to start would be the min in NYC and that's probably low.

I can see it now "Kramerica Blues Club"

"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!


   
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 Taso
(@taso)
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Topic starter  

haha.

Thanks for the response CNEV, I read threw it real quick, I'll read threw it again a little later today and post back.

Greybeard, everyone from guitarnoise, along with Eric Clapton, shall be invited :lol:

http://taso.dmusic.com/music/


   
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(@blackzerogsh)
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Clapton would've probably stopped playing guitar by then. So you vould proabaly make him a bartender or that guy who hands out towels and mints in the mens room :lol:


   
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(@danlasley)
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Google: "Bar for Sale"

Amazing what's available, assuming it's current.

Laz


   
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 Taso
(@taso)
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Topic starter  

Cnev, thanks for the detailed reply. 500,000 sounds like it may be a little low, but I havn't really checked it all out, so maybe that could get me something half decent. I wasn't planning on doing everything myself. I was actually initially thinking about just owning it, and hiring someone to do all the dirty work. I don't know now though. Gotta really think about this stuff, and I can't really do that until I get some experience with it.

lol blackzerogsh...Clapton is God, he'll be playing forever. DUH.

Thanks for the tip Laz, I checked some of the stuff out, that'll give me a few clues about costs and such.

Thanks everyone.

http://taso.dmusic.com/music/


   
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 cnev
(@cnev)
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Taso,

Your right I think $500,000 is probably way to low. The place I was involved put about $200,000 for renovations and then at least another 100,000 - 150,000 for start up and that was just a small place.

The costs in NYC or Philly have to be 3 to 4 times that so your probably looking at $1,000,000 at least.

Chris

"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!


   
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