A bar was something which I had wanted to own since I was a teenager and after 15 years of working in sales, I decided that it was time to step away and create that dream I had in my mind for such a long time. My bar is called Haidak and although we had a difficult couple of years in the beginning, we have slowly built the place up and recently it has been very successful. Before I invested in the bar I did a lot of research into what people want and what makes a great bar, and I visited some incredible places which have managed to get things just right. For me, there are certain aspects of what makes a great bar, and these are what I think people should focus on.
Theme
People need to know what they are going to get when you build a bar, and the theme which you choose is going to be vitally important in this. Picking a theme is also a way in which to understand what kind of clientele you are going to get coming through the doors. It doesn’t matter what the theme of your bar is, be it sports, music or something a little more niche. The key however is to pick a theme and ensure that each aspect of your bar fits in with it.
Tables and Chairs
Something which so many bars get wrong in my view is the way that they set up tables and chairs. If we think about why people come to a bar it is for two reasons, to socialize or to get away from everything and this is why it makes sense to cater for both of these in your seating arrangements. Putting lines of tables close together doesn’t give people that intimacy that they are looking for and the best option is to vary your seating from booths to big and small tables, not forgetting to have seating options at the bar for those flying solo.
Entertainment
You should decide early on if you are going to be a bar which offers entertainment, because half measures won’t cut it. If you are going to play sports then make sure you have a number of TVs placed throughout the bar, if you are going to offer games then set up an area with a pool table and some gambling machines. If however you don’t want anything, don’t slip a gambling machine in there to make some extra cash, as this is going to detract from the main feel and mood of the bar.
Service
Service is a huge aspect of having a bar and if you can’t offer people this then you aren’t giving them much incentive to come out. People want to get a drink when they need one, they want a little bit of conversation and they want to feel looked after. If you can’t offer this then they may as well stay at home and have a drink with some friends instead.
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