Post #495651 by Swanky on Wed, Nov 25, 2009 9:35 AM

Not enough info to give advice here. Where you are thinking is a big factor. Location is key, not just what city, but of course where in that city.

There is more advice than you can imagine here. As someone who actually wrote up a business plan for a tiki bar and planned to open one, I can say that you must be ready to be there before opening and after closing pretty much every day and work hard at it for a solid year. You have to sell the sizzle as much as the steak. That is, unlike your typical place where the theme is jus something on the walls, you need your theme to be all-encompassing. You gotta promote it. Some will not get it. Some will go crazy for it, some will embrace it as kooky. All will see it as very unique. Throw a nice wide net, but keep it real. Plan to have the smallest footprint you can manage. Better to turn people away on the most crowded night than have them in a very empty place most nights.

Remember that in the end, you gotta rely on your local regulars. Every good, long standing bar is a neighborhood bar. People may cross town to see it, but they likely won't be there 3-4 nights a week.

Get the advice of every bar owner manager, restaurant owner manager you can. Mostly they are the same issues you will have.