[Mbaptista]

Originally posted by deleon
No booze? Nooooooo!


(And just to annoy you Americans/Canadians, the legal drinking age in Australia is 18!)

In quebec the age is 18 as well :P

[Matt.Dean]

Here in Ontario, the age is 19 (yay!, but I still have yet to drink......)

Also, a Timmie's is a reference to the Tim Horton's coffee store chain. It's kind of a major thing in Canada. More info can be found at www.timhortons.com if you're really interested.

I do have to say, they have good chili.

[Outta Hand]

Originally posted by Matt.Dean
Here in Ontario, the age is 19 (yay!, but I still have yet to drink......)

Also, a Timmie's is a reference to the Tim Horton's coffee store chain. It's kind of a major thing in Canada. More info can be found at www.timhortons.com if you're really interested.

I do have to say, they have good chili.

ah yeah! you could always open a coffee pub! Irish up your coffee sir?

[Frozenfox]

Ahahahahah Timmies..
/wipes tears from eyes
How true.


Hey B.Talarico I'm am doing something like what you are researching right now as my business. I run a rehearsal studio during the week but on the weekends we have been holding "All Ages" concerts for the past year and they have been taking off! Infact this month and next month are sold out for events. I've seen "Teen Clubs" come and go and the one problem that they have it that they don't treat it like a real club. You have to have bouncers to deal with the idiots that will try and break the rules and end up getting out of hand. Check bags for alcohol / drugs / etc. and get rid of those trouble makers ASAP! You do not want to deal with drunks! They're just a pain in the A$$. I know because I just had my front door kicked in from a girl who was celebrating her birthday. We busted her with alcohol and told her leave - put it in here car - before she came back in.

Well, she decided that she would rather down her 8-ball of beer and then proceede to smash it in the parking lot. So at that point our bouncer kicked her out and told her politely to go home because we cant have her in here. Well she got more belligerent and bangin on the windows during the performance of one of the bands and tried to force her way in. So the bouncer banded her, she hit him and then kicked my glass door in.

Here's the best part: my bouncer stopped the concert right in the middle of the performance and gave the crowd 2 options: Either we get the name and number of the girl responsible or we hold the bands financially responsible for the cost of the damages. 30 seconds later we had her name, # and address and forwarded that on to the cops.

So a couple tips of advice:
- Get insurance.
- Have bouncers. Treat it like a real club and check everyone.
- No boose. Too many headaches to deal with and the insurance triples if you are serving. Not to mention the lisences etc.
- Kick anyone out who is under the influence of boose. Weed is a touch and go... I haven't seen any problems with anyone yet who have been partaking in the 'herbage' only. Your call.
- rent out your shop as a "Venue" to bands and DJ's. This way you are guaranteed to make money whether the event is a success or failure.
- Make the bands responsible for promoting the event. This way they have no one to blame if it flops but themselves. Also they will work harder.
- You get free advertising. With the bands promoting the event, you're getting free advertising of your venue.
- Have the bands sign a contract. For damages. (I'll now be implementing that idea. )
- Rent out space to someone who already is running a juice bar. That way you don't have to "re-invent" the wheel and pay for all the start up / stocking / invetory costs. They alreay have branding out there and they have learned all the tough lessons. That way you take less of a risk if the juice bar fails.
- Provide your location for business meetings in the mornings. running a club is primarly an evening thing - when everyone is out of class / work / etc. You'll be dead for most of the day unless you can provide meals for the lunch crowd. That's my problem right now: I'm packed during the evening, but I'm burning dollars in wasted and empty space during the day.
- Cater to the business/corporate crowd, the 12 - 18 year olds(I bet they have nothing to do), Birthdays, private parties, socials etc.
- If everything takes off, I want some shares

[Frozenfox]

Another shot of my door

[B.Talarico]

hey frozenfox and thanks for the info. that is to bad to hear about that stuff. its like all we want to do is have a place where people can come party, dance have a good time and what do they do but start trouble, its quite sad but there is alot of A$$()o() holes out there but im happy ur business is doing good and if im ever up in bc ill forsure stop by and we can have a chat. but i have alot on my plate this, work and working for a place out of chicago now so i have to go to chicago every 2nd and 3rd weekend each month. but hey its for the love of music and knowledge and experience im doing this. so you got to do waht you got to do.

[Frozenfox]

I hear you brotha!! I also work in the broadcast industry for all the major TV networks and I love the whole industry. When I work 14 hours a day .. it doesn't feel like work when I'm here. Keep me up to date and email me if you have any questions or are going through some tough times. There's not a lot of support in our industry.

Cheers

[B.Talarico]

hey everyone just wanting to give a little update. the partner i had that was going to help me setup the business plan fell threw i trusted him and he ripped it up. anyway I'm looking at trying to maybe find some new people to help with the company and even some investors that we can show the plan to when we get it finished. I'm looking at trying to open a big enough club now to where we can hold concerts and even be able to throw big partys for big name companies, im on the dreamin stage right now but thats what im looking at now.

thanks everyone for your feedback its been great.

[jazzcat84]

I'd stay away from the juice bar idea. It limits your clientel. I've seen it tried over and over again. I've honestly never seen one work. Not that you can't, it just seems a little wishy washy.. However I wish you the best of luck...

I'd go with booz


Regards!

[Frozenfox]

I'd stay away from the juice bar idea. It limits your clientel.

I have to disagree. It really depends what your demographic is. I'm on the west coast of Canada and there is a real health kick going on here. A big trend now a days here is a more active lifestyle and people are eating healthier here. And juice bars have exploded here in the last 3 years. Not only are you drinking something that is tasty and healthy for you, but you can get a power boost, vitamin boost or other additional options added to your drink.

In areas where outdoor activies/ sports are common, a juice bar will work, whereas some place say like Regina, a juice bar may not be as accepted. It all depends on your demographics.