I Plan On Opening A Sports Lounge?!
I Plan On Opening A Sports Lounge?
AM PLANNING ON OPENING A SPORTS LOUNGE FOR TEENAGERS. THIS MEANS NO (<-KEY WORD) ALCOHOLIC DRINKS OF ANY KIND WILL BE SERVED AT THIS FACILITY. I;M PLANNING ON SERVING FOOD, BUT I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE A COMPLEX MENU. I DON'T WANT THIS "LOUNGE" MISINTERPRETED AS A "CLUB" THIS IS JUST A HANGOUT WHERE TEENAGERS AND THOSE OF AGE CAN COME AFTER SCHOOL AND RELAX, LISTEN TO MUSIC AT MEET FRIENDS. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A BAR IN THIS LOUNGE TO GIVE TEENAGERS THE "GROWN-UP" EXPERIENCE. HOWEVER, AS PREVIOUSLY INDICATED, THE CAN ORDER DRINKS BUT NON ALCOHOLIC. THE CAN ORDER MIXED DRINKS SUCH AS FRUIT PUNCH MIXED WITH SPRITE, ETC. THE WILL BE SERVED IN A SHOT GLASS TO ONCE AGAIN GIVE THEM THAT "GROWN UP" EXPERIENCE. I STATED THE ABOVE TO STATE MY QUESTION: IS THERE ANY BUSINESSES LIKE THE ONE I JUST MENTIONED THAT I CAN CONTACT (VIA INTERNET). DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEAS OF WHAT I CAN INCORPORATE TO MAKE THIS BUSINESS A SUCCESS AND MORE APPEALING THE PUBLIC? ANY AND ALL SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOME!
Answers:
This is a million dollar question.
It has been done, and I imagine that there are still some around in NY or LA.
What are the patrons there for?
To eat?
To socialize? (Hang out and do/spend nothing)
To act like adults?
You are going to have to come up with more things to sell them than food and soda pop.
Lots of guys will tell you that the secret is live music. Not so. That's just another expense that takes up floor space which should pay, not cost.
Look at what Dave and Buster's is doing. Go from there.
Source(s):
I was in the club and concert business for ten years. I got out, everybody gets out because there is no money in it, unless you have the three things that really count....location, location, location.
What a drag!!! yawn yawn.
Interesting concept and I know you have put alot of time into it. Some thoughts I have: Giving teenagers fake shots is going to be looked upon like giving candy cigarettes to children. Not good, alcohol or not. If it were me, I would try to steer away from the 'fake bar" feel and head more toward a trendy coffee shop type atmosphere. You can still have a bar and serve all of the same stuff but the more it seems like a bar the more bad reputation it is likley to get. I suggest investing in a large commercial type blender and doing N/A daquiris/smoothies.
Something else to think about. Are you planning on taking home enough money from this place for it to be a full time job? Did you know that the average restaurant profits $.05 out of every dollar of revenue. That means for you to make $25,000 in personal income you will need to do $500,000 in sales or $1,400 per day in sales= 140 people per day every single day to spend $10.00 each. This may seem insignificant but this is all for you to take home $25,000 per year. That is not really all that much money. Many people have dumped their life savings into a restaurant because it has always been a dream of thiers to have one only to loose it all in 2-3 years and have to start from scratch. 75% of all restaurants fail in 3 years. 85% fail in less than 5 years.
I don't want to rain on your parade though, these are just the thoughts of a guy who has been in the Food and Beverage industry for almost 20 years and still has to work 50-60 hrs a week. Keep that in mind too. Do you really want to work 50% more than all of your friends?
You need a hook, and sports alone is not going to get it.
You might look at a health drink bar with teen music and videos?
A shot might be a diner / theater that plays old black and white movies so you could charge a cover? You could still offer your mocktails.