| With bar ownership, there will come many challenges | | | | backups on hand to replace those that empty out. |
| that you may not have yet considered. Your duties | | | | Keep a record of all your empties too. Try to |
| and those of your employees will require a few extra | | | | determine the proper number of servings you should |
| credentials. Don't get me wrong, it is a fun type of | | | | get from each bottle. After a while, you will be an |
| business but not like any other that you may have | | | | expert at this. |
| encountered. Your customers in a bar situation, are a | | | | You will compare your nightly tallies to the amount of |
| bit different than those in a restaurant environment and | | | | liquor sold and you'll compare to the take calculations |
| special skill sets are needed to prepare your | | | | with different staff members. Make sure the same |
| employees. These are special requirements, that are in | | | | drink is being served by different staff and a similar |
| addition to the normal food service worker chores. | | | | take reaches a similar tally. It sounds like a lot of work |
| Bar ownership or management can certainly be a lot | | | | but in time it will not be an overwhelming task. The |
| of fun at times but you shouldn't be on the wrong side | | | | beers you choose to sell will be the major brand plus |
| of the bar. You have a business to run and sometimes | | | | the choices of your customers. Depending on the |
| things can get out of hand in a pub or lounge so you | | | | space allowed, you will figure out all of this. After you |
| need to be careful and always fully alert. Your | | | | determine your consumption weekly, you will decide |
| bartenders should be friendly and cordial to customers | | | | how much supply to keep on hand. Your beer |
| but always aware of the situation at their duty area | | | | distributor will help you with this task. |
| and throughout their scope of responsibility. | | | | If you should have a draft system is just another |
| You should never let things get out of hand. Be aware | | | | choice that you will make along with your regulars. You |
| of your customer's actions and know how to carefully | | | | will stock what they drink and what is profitable for |
| shutoff a customer when you have to do it and be | | | | you. Everything will essentially be determined by space, |
| conscious of mood changes, that can occur in bar | | | | coolers available, customers and profitability. What you |
| patrons from time to time. Remember, honesty is a | | | | think will sell doesn't always work. As far as wine |
| major consideration when hiring you bar staff. A | | | | sales, start with a red and white and decide what your |
| dishonest bar tender can do you great harm. | | | | customers want. Maybe your market area is not big |
| You may know how to mix drinks and that is one thing | | | | on wine but perhaps it is. Only time will tell and your |
| but knowing how to control your customers is another | | | | additional research. Soon, you will determine what your |
| requirement of equal value. Even if you think that | | | | busy nights are, when to run specials and the needs of |
| you've hired the best barkeeps, still be aware of the | | | | your regulars. |
| feedback that you get from both customers and | | | | You may decide to have a jukebox in your bar. These |
| fellow employees and be sure to watch your tallies | | | | can be obtained from a local amusement company. |
| carefully. | | | | The firm would furnish the music player and help set it |
| Compare other staff takes on similar nights and the | | | | up with speakers etc. Then you would get to keep a |
| liquor costs accordingly. Be on top of what is going on | | | | percentage of the deposits that were taken in on a |
| at all times. It can get hectic especially on busy nights. | | | | regular basis. This same company would probably |
| That careful observation needs to involve the times | | | | furnish pool tables, cigarette machine, video games or |
| when you are behind the bar, as well as when you are | | | | anything else that you thought you had room for in |
| on the customer side of the establishment. | | | | your establishment. There would be a split on |
| As a bar owner or manager, you will want to learn to | | | | proceeds. One thing to remember, you would need to |
| bar tend on slower nights and be always prepared to | | | | have a lot of change on hand, just to get through the |
| fill in for staff who call in last minute or need to leave | | | | weekends. I know that I certainly did but the huge bags |
| suddenly, as this and other situations will arise from | | | | of quarters that I ended up with, helped to make |
| time to time. Keep a list of those individuals that you | | | | change for my cash registers. Also, you will need |
| can call upon, with little notice. This resource may be | | | | coolers and ice machine to finish off your bar. |
| former employees, off work staff or even those with | | | | Everything will depend on the size of your pub, bar or |
| resumes that are currently on file. When you are not | | | | full Lounge with tables. |
| able to get replacements when staff calls in sick, quits | | | | If you have room for a stage and plan to have live |
| on the spot or unexpected circumstances happen, it | | | | entertainment that might include live music, this will |
| will ultimately be you who needs to fill the void. | | | | mean a busy environment requiring more coolers, staff, |
| Be prepared. My experience with the restaurant and | | | | stock and the need for some type of security. For my |
| bar had me working just about every position at one | | | | own operation, I had live music 2-3 nights a week for a |
| time or another. Maybe you will schedule yourself for | | | | long time. My most successful night of the week was |
| certain jobs to reduce your overall payroll. This will be | | | | on a Thursday night. You might think that odd but I |
| your choice as you make the decisions. | | | | established a popular open mike night that lasted for |
| Setting up a bar from scratch is still another chore. | | | | over two years every week. I had a house band that |
| You can decide how many items you will offer to your | | | | worked for me continually and at a much reduced |
| customers. In this instance, the customers will help you | | | | rate. |
| decide. You may be influenced by what your regular | | | | My club attracted a huge crowd and lots of free |
| customers consume. If your place is a fun | | | | performers that wanted to showcase their talent. |
| establishment, you will soon have regulars just like the | | | | Sometimes, there would only be a couple of extra |
| "Cheers" bar. At the start, of course you will have | | | | singers and some weren't very good. Other nights, |
| premium brands on your top shelf. These might be | | | | there might be 2-3 bands performing for free in |
| Absolute Vodka, Grand Marnier, Crown Royal, | | | | addition to my paid house band. There would be |
| Frangelica, and other expensive selections. Your | | | | guitars, harmonicas, trumpets and banjos too. Most of |
| selections will change a bit due to the taste of your | | | | the other competitors couldn't compete with me on |
| regulars. The shelf just below would probably have | | | | that particular night. Sometimes, I would go to the mike |
| Smirnoff, Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, Gilbey Gin and | | | | myself and read off raffles for tee shirts and hats that |
| others. Below this would be your bar brands like Gold | | | | I got from my distributors. The beer salesmen always |
| Crown, Allen's, Popov, bar whiskeys etc. | | | | could get you mirrors, lights, shirts and caps. Especially |
| Similarly, you will decide what kinds of beer to stock | | | | during the holidays and during sporting events like the |
| and decide if you will offer draft beer. Your bottle beer | | | | Super Bowl, they would have posters, banners, table |
| would come from the big three. Budweiser, Miller and | | | | tents and other novelties. The neighborhood |
| Coors will furnish the majority of your choices and | | | | competitors would schedule entertainment only on the |
| your customers will help you decide what else to | | | | weekends. Bands ask much more on a Friday or |
| carry. Certain customers drink certain brands. As for | | | | Saturday as you know. |
| draft, Bud once again is the most popular in most | | | | Like in the food business, a bar needs gimmicks. The |
| states. You might choose to try one of the popular | | | | slow nights for me, happened to be Sun, Mon and |
| light beers which could be a Miller, Coors or Bud | | | | Tues. On these nights, I ran specials. Every Tues. night, |
| product. A third or fourth tap, you might have to | | | | I gave away a couple of large pizzas as a door prize |
| experiment with. Wine will be determined by your | | | | and announced a winner later in the evening. It would |
| customers, price and taste. If you only have two | | | | keep people around longer. They didn't want to miss |
| choices, you would probably have one red and one | | | | the drawing and would come back later if they went |
| white variety. Some areas are bigger wine drinking | | | | off to another place. They never knew exactly when I |
| areas than others. This will be learned in no time at all. | | | | was going to pick a number from the hat. Monday |
| You won't need to do too much experimenting here. | | | | night, I might have margaritas on special or something |
| Setting up your mixer station will be pretty basic. There | | | | else. You have to be creative all the time in these |
| will have to be lemon lime mix, ginger ale, cola, soda | | | | types of businesses. You have to always be aware |
| water and H2O. You will have spicket taps hooked up | | | | of the bottom line and stay profitable if at all possible. If |
| in back of the bar with lines running to your storage | | | | you follow these guidelines, I'm sure you can be the |
| area where you will also have CO2. You'll also have a | | | | success that you know you can be and ultimately you |
| separate system with CO2 for your tap beer. Once | | | | will meet the challenge of your bar ownership. |
| you establish a certain offering, you will need to have | | | | |