[guids]

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Guids,

I've never run a business, but I've been to my fair share of clubs, and I think I've got a decent sense for what makes them successful:
1. Reward your loyal customers handsomely, especially if they are hot chicks or guys that bring hot chicks. This is essential to ensuring that your club isn't just the spot that is cool for one year but is empty the next.
2. Number 1 was probably, obvious, but here is something that many club owners neglect: Make sure your staff doesn't treat your male customers like [censored]. We all know that having a lot of female customers is essential to the success of any night club, but don't forget that the large majority of your money will be coming from dudes. So make sure your male bartenders aren't busy flirting with the chicks while some dude has to wait 10 minutes to buy a round of patron shots.
3. Do everything in your power to deter the thug/ghetto crowd. I'm not sure what kind of music you plan on playing, but I would strongly consider not playing hip hop
4. Make sure you do not hire any bouncers who have something to prove. A bouncers job is to prevent fights, not to let out his rage over not being able to play high school football anymore. The last thing you want is a lawsuit or police scrutiny because of some meathead bouncer.
5. Don't be penny wise, pound foolish with mixed drinks. The marginal cost of alcohol is very low compared to what you'll be charging. People are happier when drunk and don't appreciate paying 10 bucks for drinks with no alcohol in them.

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Actually, I forgot about the bouncer part, I have a good friend that is a big dude, bad ass reputation, but is really good with people, perfect for a security guy, people are scared of him, but in the 5 years that Ive been running with him on a pretty nightly basis, Ive never saw him in a fight. Im forming an LLC for him, and getting him started with a "security" firm. My hope is that after we hire him, and his crew of guy (all trained in security classes) and after a year or two of semi-incident free nights, that I can start reccomending "his" company to other bars around us, basically Id like to start up a "private" police force for every bar around the city, that knows how to handle people correctly, keeps fights to a minimum etc, adn get a peice of the profits. It also give me club a little protection because we are hiring an "outside" company.

the bar taht was there before us started attracting a ghetto crowd, and after an 15 year stint at that location (which is sick in the night club industry) they were forced out of their lease by the leasing company, so obv, I know not to make that mistake

The cheap stuff will be reasonably priced, the expensive stuff will be expensive, my thought is that if you are the type to drink the expensive stuff, you arent going to care how much it is.

as far as rewarding loyal customers, this is where lots of people get into trouble, rewarding loyal customers does nothing really imo. If the place is run correctly, you will always have business, if it isnt run correctly, the only customers you will have left after a year are the "loyal" ones looking to score free/cheap drinks because you took care of them when you were doing good business.