Vanity: Any Advice on Opening a Small Pub? (Tips or Warnings??)

inquiring minds | today | self

[Yaelle]

FReepers are the best small business owners in the world. Surely some of you have advice on what to do, what never to do, when to grab it, and when to run far away.

What do you think?

[Ranger Drew]

I say...GO FOR IT!

Just don't kick out the smokers. They need love too. :)

[fanfan]

Have you ever run a business before?

I mean, hands on?

[anonsquared]

Don’t drink up your profits.

[Yaelle]

Ping for small business (pub) advice!

[buccaneer81]

The insurance premiums would frighten me.

[posterchild]

Will give advice for pints.

[iowamark]

If you have no experience working in a bar, I would get some ASAP before making a decision.

[Yaelle]

No smoking in CA. Whatcha gonna do?

[listenhillary]

Hire staff that don’t drink alcohol?

[buccaneer81]

Just don't kick out the smokers

No need. The state will do it for you.

[BobL]

You’re nuts.

Nothing personal, but unless you’re willing to forget about EVERYTHING you’ve ever known (including this site), you will not stand a chance. It’s vicious out there and the government will make your life HELL.

Other than that, best of luck.

[posterchild]

Do you have experience working in a pub or restaurant? If not a trusted and experienced employee would be very useful.

[Cacique]

Don’t drink and eat your profits..

[Yaelle]

I think he’d insist on doing every job in the house under the current owner as a condition of sale.

Some business experience and some restaurant bar experience but never as the owner!

[Le Chien Rouge]

I am part owner of a pub for the last 7 years.

The best advice I could give you:

1) location is EVERYTHING
2) start menu very low budget with high profit margin foods like wings,fries and Pizza
3) play the beer vendors off each other to get best deal
4) start all people part time and keep the best for full time
5) remember what Rodney Dangerfield said about the business world in ‘Back to School’....prepare to ‘grease’ certain government inspectors and zoning officials
6) have fun!!!!!!!!!

[Thunder90]

Make sure you hire a competent chef and that you remain passionate about your business (and on top of your staff). The staff need leadership and discipline from you, or your business will fail.

This is from Chef Ramsey’s “Kitchen Nightmares”...

[rabidralph]

I'd say get a proper inspection done by someone knowledgable about restaurants and the equipment that goes in them, as well as a building inspector. Is the equipment old, newer? Have there been any health violations there and what were they for? Does the current management keep the place clean every day? What kind of reputation does the pub have now?

You should watch a few episodes of Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares. He identifies a lot of common sense fixes for failing restaurants, chiefly, the food not being freshly made, too many items on the menu, the menu not distinguishing itself from the other restaurants in the area.

Of course, you will be responsible for the drunks that have accidents after visiting your pub, so that liability is something to consider. Sounds like an exciting opportunity if you decide to take it. Keep us posted.

[Yaelle]

Nothing personal, but unless you’re willing to forget about EVERYTHING you’ve ever known (including this site), you will not stand a chance. It’s vicious out there and the government will make your life HELL.

I'd love some more details. Extreme local gov't is good, but of course we are within the great state of Culliforneeah...

And we are not nuts for CONSIDERING it, are we?

[Yaelle]

Bless you — great, precise advice, all points. THANKS!