Opening a bar requires planning, some location scouting and financial backing. Before you open your doors for business, you should put in place a strategy that will help your venture succeed. When a bar starts to become popular it is usually not by accident.

Business Plan

Developing a business plan for your bar requires more than just establishing a marketing strategy, outlining your manpower needs and determining your initial investment. While all of these things are part of a standard business plan, a bar requires you to go a few steps further. Your bar will need an identity that customers can easily understand. If your bar will have a theme, you need to outline that in your business plan. If you intend to have live entertainment you will need to be consistent with your schedule so that customers know what to expect when they plan an evening's entertainment. For example, you can have a rock band every Friday and a country band every Saturday. Even though the musical styles are different, if you stick with that schedule you will begin to develop a following for each night. You will also have to determine how large you want your bar to be and how much inventory you will need and to consider other factors, such as vending machines and supplies. When you have created budgetary numbers for all of these considerations, you can then bring them together. That's the amount of money you will need to start your business.

Location

One of the most important aspects of developing a successful bar is location. If your bar is easy to find, then you can draw more bar-hopping traffic, and you can bring in more passers-by than if you are tucked away in some difficult location. The neighborhood you decide to establish yourself in is also very important. If you intend to be a rock 'n' roll bar with live music, then setting up your bar close to a residential neighborhood may be a problem. Contact your zoning board to find the rules for opening a bar before you decide on a location. Try to locate close to other businesses that may complement your bar. If you do not intend to sell food, try and get a location close to restaurants that are open late to accommodate your patrons. If you do not want to put an ATM in your bar, locate near a bank so your customers can have access to their money.

Liquor License

Once you have found your location, you will need a liquor license. This is usually done through the state. You can obtain an application by mail and sometimes online. You may have to pay a fee. Eligibility can depend on the number of licenses already in the area where you are seeking yours, as well as proximity to churches, libraries and schools. If there are already a large number of bars in your area, you may have to wait until one of them closes to get a license. In addition, you will have to undergo a background check.

Finances

A good plan and a prime location are not going to do you any good if you cannot finance your start-up. Because you will be opening a bar, you can start your business in stages to accommodate your budget. If you cannot afford a lot of advertising and a grand opening party, then do what is called a soft opening. A soft opening is when you open your doors and advertise with fliers and maybe some newspaper advertising, but you do not go for the big impact of a grand opening. As you develop your clientele and your bank account improves, consider having the grand opening party and bring your advertising to a higher level without breaking the bank.

Source:

EarthBar.org: Steps to Open a Bar

GrowThink.com: How to Open a Bar

MySmallBiz.com: How to Open a Bar or a Tavern an Easy Guide

More Information:

GatorChef.com: 9 Steps to Setting up a Wine Bar