How to Open a Bar in Texas, California and Florida
Looking for how to open a bar in Texas? How to open a bar in Florida? how to open a bar in California? Here we will provide you with a complete guide on how to start a bar business.
Do you want to know how to start a bar from scratch? We know it very well, let us give you some advice.
How to Choose a Concept and Brand Name for My Bar?
This is perhaps one of the most fun things when starting your bar from scratch, thinking and creating your own brand.
Currently in the market there are many ideas from which you can get inspired, since they are ideas that work and that people like.
Let’s talk about the name first, it is important that you choose it well since your customers must remember it and share it. We recommend you think of a short name and preferably that includes the word bar, this is because if someone searches the gps or Google for a place to drink, they will type in the search engine the word (s) “bar with live music”, “Bars near me” or “bars in [city]”, thus raising the possibility that your bar will appear first on the internet.
The name must be short and easy to remember, preferably related to something everyday or popular.
WHICH BAR CONCEPT SHOULD I CHOOSE?
As we mentioned before: there are already many ideas on the market from which you can be inspired.
HOW MANY BAR CONCEPTS ARE THERE?
The number of bar themed concepts is very high, there are an infinity of types of bars.
We recommend that you opt for the most popular ones and not so much for the eccentric ones, since that would require a deeper study of the area.
The most popular and classic are always the reliable ones to start with, as people know them and are used to it.
TYPES OF BARS:
Traditional bar
Traditional bars are not very big, fast foods like burgers and fries are served.
All kinds of public can attend, from the elderly, youth and children. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are served.
Irish type bar
They are the favorite bars of young people, it is characterized by its decoration with elegant finishes, good lighting and rustic furniture.
These bars are popular for specializing in draft beer and for playing rock music.
One of its main features is live music and games like billiards.
PUB style bar
These types of bars are more than nightlife, live music is an important factor in these types of bars.
Prepared drinks, beer and fast food are part of what this type of bar should always offer.
The entrance is limited only to adults and the hours can be extended until 3 am, depending on the area and permits.
Bar and video games
These bars are increasingly popular with young people as they offer two things that they love a lot “alcohol and video games”.
For this it is necessary to offer service of Xbox, Playstation, slot machines, jukebox, dance machines and more.
They are an excellent option if your bar will be near a university or offices.
Access is limited to adults only and fast food such as hamburgers, hotdogs and more can be sold.
Bar Restaurant
This is the bar of choice for families looking to eat and drink, the menu should be a little big.
The variety in food and drinks are a strength of these bars, access is allowed to the whole family, that is, children, youth and adults.
Live music, karaoke, board games, or various activities can be offered to keep the family entertained.
It is generally recommended that there be a children’s play area.
Karaoke bar
This type of bar should have everything you need for a good experience for people who like to sing.
There must be a stage, screens to see the lyrics, and good audio equipment with microphones.
These types of bars can be family-style or be exclusively for adults. It depends a lot on the schedules.
Theme bars
Theme bars are very popular for being creative and having things of general interest.
Themed bars can be about a place, a celebrity, a movie, etc.
For example, bars with the theme of Star Wars, vintage or anime.
How to Do a Zone Study for A Bar?
How to set up a bar? Well one of the great answers is this: do a zone study.
Before opening any business you must study the area in which you want to start. This is because you must measure your chances of succeeding or failing.
We recommend the following, once you have identified the area in which you want to open, check this:
Do you have universities, jobs or offices nearby? This is important, since many of your clients will be them.
How many people pass daily near the area where your store will be? If the area is not very busy this can be a problem. Is the area safe? Are there more businesses and do people know it’s safe to go around?
We recommend you personally go to the area at different times (morning, afternoon and evening) and verify this, since it depends a lot on whether your bar thrives or not.
How to Make a Business Plan?
The business plan is essential for any business and obviously very important for a bar. It will literally be the manual or instructions that will be followed to make your bar prosper.
The business plan reflects the ideas, the entrepreneurial initiative and the set of objectives to be achieved.
It also helps to plan tasks, assess risks, measure the real amount you have to invest and set the administration of the business.
All the strategies, structure and solutions to possible problems are also there.
Having a business plan is important because it will help you know if you are doing things right. Every bar that has thrived has one.
To set up your bar you need to know the trends in cocktails and mixology, so we recommend this video:
Permits to Open a Bar in Texas, Florida and California
To set up a bar in USA and any state of it you need some essential documents:
- Taxpayer registration : You need to register with the SAT and register your new business as required by law to start paying taxes.
- Land use permit : This permit is necessary to be able to use a property, it is required in most cases.
- Business opening notice: This permit is easy to get, it needs to be processed, it allows you to start operations of establishments no larger than 60 m².
- Alcohol operating and sales license: In the USA, depending on your type of bar, a different permit is required.
Each permit has a different price and you should consult it before planning the type of bar you want to give you an idea of how much you need to invest.
How to Plan the Opening and Advertise My Bar?
After making your business plan, it is important that you set the date for the opening. For this you should investigate whether in your city you can already open a table service business or only deliver food at home.
This taking into account that in your city there may still be problems with the health contingency. Check the traffic light in your city.
Before starting we recommend you advertise in various ways, the first is by making announcements on social networks. Take advantage of digital media, because advertising is more accessible to your pocket when it is digital and you decide what type of clients you want to reach. You can do this with Facebook Ads.
The other option is printing flyers with attractive promotions and posters that help give visibility to your new bar.
The most recommended social networks to use are Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp and Pinterest.
Also try to join a food delivery app like Uber or Rappi to have more customers.