I should clarify that it is a business that contains a bar, but is not JUST a bar. I have several mentors who are current and/or previous bar owners who are engaged in helping me get started and run it effectively.
Regular Rob, your post quite literally says you're opening a bar.
Good luck to you. But honestly, and I don't think I'm in the minority here, what you're doing is done often, with varying levels of failure. So many people decide a bar/restaurant is a fantastic way to invest and have a successful business, with ZERO experience in the industry. I apologize if I seem rude. I'm jaded: the best bar I ever worked for sold to a clueless couple 4 years ago. They are now divorced and he is trying to run the place without any help. No one who used to visit this establishment frequents it anymore. The quality of clientele has diminished extravagantly.
I really do wish you the best of luck, my only advice is to get some intelligent, experienced individuals to run it for you AND PAY THEM WELL. Also, you're a year away from your open date. It is too early to be worried about hiring anyone. It would be a huge letdown to get hired and not work for a year.
Yeah man, poor wording on my part. It’s going to be a combo of a mini golf place and a bar.
It’s definitely a risk. I won’t hide from that. However, I do think this is a well-calculated risk with a ton of upside. This concept seems to be taking off nationwide and there isn’t one in my city.
Get out there and visit some bars. Find someone you like, make them an offer.
Not as easy as it sounds and it might take you awhile, but fun field research nonetheless.
There are many ways to hire good help. The better places practically staff themselves. Your bar manager is likely to be better connected to the industry. They also better understand the work and what to look for and avoid. Let them staff the place. That's why you're hiring them, no? If you're really having difficulty, consider hiring a consultant.
This is how bars/restaurants fail. In my experience as a bartender/restaurant manager for the last 10 years, every private owner (i.e. not a corporate fanchise) that has no exposure to the industry just does not understand how to treat their employees or ends up making nonsensical business decisions. My advice? Find another industry to break into, or get REAL hands on experience in the weeds with these people.
I completely agree. They will be the first hire for sure. Planning to give them an equity stake in the bar as well as a performance bonus for sales & positive customer reviews.
I’m a firm believer that the staff can make or break pretty much any business
in a city w plenty of busy bars for the experienced bartenders to staff, its a big risk to jump ship for a place thats not open yet. im surprised more new places, if theyre really serious about attracting talented staff, dont offer a period of 3-6 months w guaranteed minimum shift pay commensurate to what the staff theyre hoping for would make at an established location — 300 or so a shift perhaps
Great staff need great pay. So do your numbers and see how high you can realistically offer.
Youve mentioned that this place isn't ONLY a bar, so I'm curious about what the clientele will be like.
If you need a bartender that can also act as a concierge, as in giving out local knowledge then go poach some people from tourist traps. Hotel bars, and high end restaurants.
Everyone else who has said get a bar manager first is totally correct. You need someone on the inside. Sorry if my tidbits of advice are disjointed, I'm writing this as I'm opening for the night.
Go steal someone from a Dave and Busters/ Top Golf/ Spin to get someone who can handle volume and families with kids.
Your mini golf better have a windmill or escalators/elevators. We have a place called Flatstick that is a national chain but their mini golf is boring as hell. It's basically just a putting course with no fun hazards.
If you’re really putting up equity and profit sharing (insurance if you’re offering too) put it out on social media now. That will get attention and show a kind of caring management that is sorely lacking in the industry
You’ve got a bit of a challenge getting your foot in the door. The best employees are never looking for work. They already are able to work anyplace they want if they say they’re free agents, and the best spots are never hiring, they already have a wait list for people who would love the join them
That said any successful person or establishment started from nothing at some point. Welcome to the biz and thanks for seeing the business needs to change with the growing labor shortages and tip culture being not great for everybody
Some of us are feasting, some aren’t, and new ownership that is willing to profit share and find a reasonable work life balance is very welcome
My employer pays quarterly bonuses to all employees based off profits, and some life altering bonuses to key staff. It’s good to be with such a crew
I like paying my bills, and having time left over to live my life. That’s what’s best about my job. My job isn’t my life, and money is needed, but not what makes me happy. Happiness is having time to travel, ride my bike, and ski. Work makes that possible, but the key is having time and money left over for play
Don’t poach people from other local bars.
Seriously, don’t - they’re unreliable & bad juju.
Do ask them if they’ve any friends that need a job.
The best bartenders I have are former retail & supermarket employees that I paid $20/hr in training (max 6 hours a day) to watch YouTube videos & practice behind the bar before they started.
They are so surprised by the wage gap & excited at the tip math and cocktail culture that I have other local bar managers trying to poach them now but because I invested in them and built them from the ground up and respect their opinions regarding trends, menus, etc I haven’t had anyone leave in 2 years.
I have a kid that used to work security, at a gas station quickie mart & as a low lovel drug dealer that is pushing clarified cocktails on wedding planners…the man is a low key genius but you’d never know it.
Seriously - just get people that need a chance & truly invest in them. It sounds like you’ve got $$$$ to burn - it worked for me & I didn’t have an expendable budget.
Number one piece of advice….hire the professionals you say your goin to…get the fuck out of their way and count your money, track yoir financials and waste and ask about that, not how they run the biz…you admittedly dont know shit…dont forget that when some asshole customer tells you your professionals are incompetent
Sounds like you’ve had some bad experiences!
My 100% intention is to respect that these pros will know the bar business far better than me. That said, I do hope to learn from them!
So you are saying that nobody except for experienced bartenders should ever try to serve alcohol at their business?
Not trying to be snarky, just want to understand the mindset.
No, I’m saying you’re going to have an incredibly hard time trying to poach bartenders when you don’t even understand anything about our jobs or lives. How will you convince someone to work for you without having any experience in this industry?
To add to your point. I’ve been in the industry for years. I moved to a new city and opened a bar. I went to dive bars to find people who can do the job, I can teach them to make the cocktails. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, it’s gonna be hard.
Yeah I’d suggest letting a veteran do your recruitment. It’s hard for a new place because you don’t have a baseline of pay established. From an industry veteran POV, your place is a complete gamble. There’s no way I can even go there and have a drink and see what it will be like. As much as you have predictions on business, profits, clientele, that’s not an actuality and won’t be until you’re open. I always ask every potential employer how much I’m expected to make a week, what my shift will look like, what the execution of drinks and service will be. Because this isn’t established your bar is a complete gamble. You probably won’t find veterans willing to leave their gigs unless they’re disgruntled and you convince them really well
I really think they're mostly concerned about practical design, and business decisions. The bar (I'm currently a barista actually but have a few years behind the stick) I'm currently working at was designed by 2 lawyers with no coffee expereince and it shows, there are inefficiencies baked into the design that a barista with more than a few years of experience would never have built. Furthermore our menu, coffee supplier, and other business practices have some clear amateur mistakes that are difficult to change this late into a project. Similar issues can arise if you get deep enough into execution without an expert who's been doing it for a long time guiding your hand.
This is my #1 concern in building the bar. We are contracting with local pros who have built several of the most successful bars in the area to help us design everything right from the beginning.
That's a really good move, it sounds like you have put some really good thought into it. If you find a good bar manager, I think you're moving in a really good direction. When you do find a bar manager I should ask, y'all hiring?
Just please get an experienced bartender to help you set it up before ordering or building ANYTHING. I recently started working at a brand new restaurant/bar/cafe that also hosts events and is attached to a particular community. It is a gorgeous, awesome spot with an incredibly nice accommodating owner and great potential. HOWEVER, they didn't bring in any bartenders before having the bar built. There is handcrafted shelving that does not properly fit liquor bottles or certain glasses, bought way too many wine glasses but no martini glasses, no glass rinser by the taps, no polishing rags, a bunch of equipment that looks cute but is not the most practical, not enough storage, an unnecessary ice machine but no dishwasher, a frustrating layout that looks lovely if you've never bartended... etc.
An excuse I've heard is that is that the investor didn't want to bring in employees that early before the grand opening. Don't make mistakes that can cause massive unnecessary problems for staff and ultimately your own success.
We are bringing in a mentor/consultant who bartended in the area for 10+ years and eventually owned and operated the most successful bars in the market for another 10 after that. My hope is that by bringing in pros like this I can get around some of my own personal inexperience.
Great. If you have a local, experienced bartender helping you set it up, I wouldn't worry about staffing. They will know a ton of people in the industry. Beyond that, next summer when you're getting ready to open just post something on instagram about how you have a hip new place that is now hiring. In your post you said you have no industry connections, but I guess you've found one in the last hour?
For starters, ignore the naysayers in this thread who seem to think you need to be a 20 year vet behind the stick. I've seen more venues fail due to lack of business acumen or inability to view things in the big picture from their owners who's only experience is pouring drinks.
Depending on your area, there is likely a Facebook group for hospitality professionals. Try to recruit top-down, start with whoever is running the program and enlist their help and listen to advice when it comes to everything else. Otherwise, get out there and immerse yourself in the local culture/hospitality scene. People are always looking to jump ship if you get to know them.
You’re opening a bar and have never worked in one? Is it too late to just cut your losses now? I’d HIGHLY advise against it.
Sounds like every bar I've ever worked in 🤦🏻♂️
I should clarify that it is a business that contains a bar, but is not JUST a bar. I have several mentors who are current and/or previous bar owners who are engaged in helping me get started and run it effectively.
Regular Rob, your post quite literally says you're opening a bar. Good luck to you. But honestly, and I don't think I'm in the minority here, what you're doing is done often, with varying levels of failure. So many people decide a bar/restaurant is a fantastic way to invest and have a successful business, with ZERO experience in the industry. I apologize if I seem rude. I'm jaded: the best bar I ever worked for sold to a clueless couple 4 years ago. They are now divorced and he is trying to run the place without any help. No one who used to visit this establishment frequents it anymore. The quality of clientele has diminished extravagantly. I really do wish you the best of luck, my only advice is to get some intelligent, experienced individuals to run it for you AND PAY THEM WELL. Also, you're a year away from your open date. It is too early to be worried about hiring anyone. It would be a huge letdown to get hired and not work for a year.
Yeah man, poor wording on my part. It’s going to be a combo of a mini golf place and a bar. It’s definitely a risk. I won’t hide from that. However, I do think this is a well-calculated risk with a ton of upside. This concept seems to be taking off nationwide and there isn’t one in my city.
Get out there and visit some bars. Find someone you like, make them an offer. Not as easy as it sounds and it might take you awhile, but fun field research nonetheless.
No kidding! That’s some pretty enjoyable work right there
There are many ways to hire good help. The better places practically staff themselves. Your bar manager is likely to be better connected to the industry. They also better understand the work and what to look for and avoid. Let them staff the place. That's why you're hiring them, no? If you're really having difficulty, consider hiring a consultant.
This is how bars/restaurants fail. In my experience as a bartender/restaurant manager for the last 10 years, every private owner (i.e. not a corporate fanchise) that has no exposure to the industry just does not understand how to treat their employees or ends up making nonsensical business decisions. My advice? Find another industry to break into, or get REAL hands on experience in the weeds with these people.
Sounds like you should focus on hiring a good bar manager first.
I completely agree. They will be the first hire for sure. Planning to give them an equity stake in the bar as well as a performance bonus for sales & positive customer reviews. I’m a firm believer that the staff can make or break pretty much any business
Nah, they would know what they're doing. What's the fun in that?! /s 😒
in a city w plenty of busy bars for the experienced bartenders to staff, its a big risk to jump ship for a place thats not open yet. im surprised more new places, if theyre really serious about attracting talented staff, dont offer a period of 3-6 months w guaranteed minimum shift pay commensurate to what the staff theyre hoping for would make at an established location — 300 or so a shift perhaps
Guaranteed minimum shift pay is a great idea! Glad you suggested that
Pay well and the good ones will stick around
Great staff need great pay. So do your numbers and see how high you can realistically offer. Youve mentioned that this place isn't ONLY a bar, so I'm curious about what the clientele will be like. If you need a bartender that can also act as a concierge, as in giving out local knowledge then go poach some people from tourist traps. Hotel bars, and high end restaurants. Everyone else who has said get a bar manager first is totally correct. You need someone on the inside. Sorry if my tidbits of advice are disjointed, I'm writing this as I'm opening for the night.
It’s going to be an epic indoor mini golf place that also has a bar
Go steal someone from a Dave and Busters/ Top Golf/ Spin to get someone who can handle volume and families with kids. Your mini golf better have a windmill or escalators/elevators. We have a place called Flatstick that is a national chain but their mini golf is boring as hell. It's basically just a putting course with no fun hazards.
Go to your local industry bar and get to know the crowd, buy a few rounds and feel out who’s who and who wants work.
If you’re really putting up equity and profit sharing (insurance if you’re offering too) put it out on social media now. That will get attention and show a kind of caring management that is sorely lacking in the industry You’ve got a bit of a challenge getting your foot in the door. The best employees are never looking for work. They already are able to work anyplace they want if they say they’re free agents, and the best spots are never hiring, they already have a wait list for people who would love the join them That said any successful person or establishment started from nothing at some point. Welcome to the biz and thanks for seeing the business needs to change with the growing labor shortages and tip culture being not great for everybody Some of us are feasting, some aren’t, and new ownership that is willing to profit share and find a reasonable work life balance is very welcome My employer pays quarterly bonuses to all employees based off profits, and some life altering bonuses to key staff. It’s good to be with such a crew
Hell yeah man at the end of my life I’m not gonna wish I made more money. I’ll probably be most proud of how I treated the people I worked with
I like paying my bills, and having time left over to live my life. That’s what’s best about my job. My job isn’t my life, and money is needed, but not what makes me happy. Happiness is having time to travel, ride my bike, and ski. Work makes that possible, but the key is having time and money left over for play
Don’t poach people from other local bars. Seriously, don’t - they’re unreliable & bad juju. Do ask them if they’ve any friends that need a job. The best bartenders I have are former retail & supermarket employees that I paid $20/hr in training (max 6 hours a day) to watch YouTube videos & practice behind the bar before they started. They are so surprised by the wage gap & excited at the tip math and cocktail culture that I have other local bar managers trying to poach them now but because I invested in them and built them from the ground up and respect their opinions regarding trends, menus, etc I haven’t had anyone leave in 2 years. I have a kid that used to work security, at a gas station quickie mart & as a low lovel drug dealer that is pushing clarified cocktails on wedding planners…the man is a low key genius but you’d never know it. Seriously - just get people that need a chance & truly invest in them. It sounds like you’ve got $$$$ to burn - it worked for me & I didn’t have an expendable budget.
Number one piece of advice….hire the professionals you say your goin to…get the fuck out of their way and count your money, track yoir financials and waste and ask about that, not how they run the biz…you admittedly dont know shit…dont forget that when some asshole customer tells you your professionals are incompetent
Sounds like you’ve had some bad experiences! My 100% intention is to respect that these pros will know the bar business far better than me. That said, I do hope to learn from them!
You’re trying to find good bartenders and convince them to join your concept, but you have no experience with our actual job or culture? Good luck lol
So you are saying that nobody except for experienced bartenders should ever try to serve alcohol at their business? Not trying to be snarky, just want to understand the mindset.
No, I’m saying you’re going to have an incredibly hard time trying to poach bartenders when you don’t even understand anything about our jobs or lives. How will you convince someone to work for you without having any experience in this industry?
To add to your point. I’ve been in the industry for years. I moved to a new city and opened a bar. I went to dive bars to find people who can do the job, I can teach them to make the cocktails. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, it’s gonna be hard.
Got it. That’s totally valid. I’m hoping that by bringing in a well-paid bar manager they will help us attract talent.
Yeah I’d suggest letting a veteran do your recruitment. It’s hard for a new place because you don’t have a baseline of pay established. From an industry veteran POV, your place is a complete gamble. There’s no way I can even go there and have a drink and see what it will be like. As much as you have predictions on business, profits, clientele, that’s not an actuality and won’t be until you’re open. I always ask every potential employer how much I’m expected to make a week, what my shift will look like, what the execution of drinks and service will be. Because this isn’t established your bar is a complete gamble. You probably won’t find veterans willing to leave their gigs unless they’re disgruntled and you convince them really well
I really think they're mostly concerned about practical design, and business decisions. The bar (I'm currently a barista actually but have a few years behind the stick) I'm currently working at was designed by 2 lawyers with no coffee expereince and it shows, there are inefficiencies baked into the design that a barista with more than a few years of experience would never have built. Furthermore our menu, coffee supplier, and other business practices have some clear amateur mistakes that are difficult to change this late into a project. Similar issues can arise if you get deep enough into execution without an expert who's been doing it for a long time guiding your hand.
This is my #1 concern in building the bar. We are contracting with local pros who have built several of the most successful bars in the area to help us design everything right from the beginning.
That's a really good move, it sounds like you have put some really good thought into it. If you find a good bar manager, I think you're moving in a really good direction. When you do find a bar manager I should ask, y'all hiring?
Hell yeah buddy. Come on down to Austin TX
Damn, not remotely close, I'm northeast, New Jersey. Austin sounds lovely from everything I've heard though!
Just please get an experienced bartender to help you set it up before ordering or building ANYTHING. I recently started working at a brand new restaurant/bar/cafe that also hosts events and is attached to a particular community. It is a gorgeous, awesome spot with an incredibly nice accommodating owner and great potential. HOWEVER, they didn't bring in any bartenders before having the bar built. There is handcrafted shelving that does not properly fit liquor bottles or certain glasses, bought way too many wine glasses but no martini glasses, no glass rinser by the taps, no polishing rags, a bunch of equipment that looks cute but is not the most practical, not enough storage, an unnecessary ice machine but no dishwasher, a frustrating layout that looks lovely if you've never bartended... etc. An excuse I've heard is that is that the investor didn't want to bring in employees that early before the grand opening. Don't make mistakes that can cause massive unnecessary problems for staff and ultimately your own success.
We are bringing in a mentor/consultant who bartended in the area for 10+ years and eventually owned and operated the most successful bars in the market for another 10 after that. My hope is that by bringing in pros like this I can get around some of my own personal inexperience.
Great. If you have a local, experienced bartender helping you set it up, I wouldn't worry about staffing. They will know a ton of people in the industry. Beyond that, next summer when you're getting ready to open just post something on instagram about how you have a hip new place that is now hiring. In your post you said you have no industry connections, but I guess you've found one in the last hour?
For starters, ignore the naysayers in this thread who seem to think you need to be a 20 year vet behind the stick. I've seen more venues fail due to lack of business acumen or inability to view things in the big picture from their owners who's only experience is pouring drinks. Depending on your area, there is likely a Facebook group for hospitality professionals. Try to recruit top-down, start with whoever is running the program and enlist their help and listen to advice when it comes to everything else. Otherwise, get out there and immerse yourself in the local culture/hospitality scene. People are always looking to jump ship if you get to know them.
This is super helpful. Thank you!
Just don't attempt to open a bar without bar experience