Delinquent said:
I used to work in the restaurant business for a few years and also bartended a little. I'm fine with the types of people that will inhabit the bar but I'm sure it's not the type that you are thinking of. Someone that's looking to be by themselves in a quiet type atmosphere will not wanna come here. It'll be loud and crazy. Of course all bars have their assholes but that's expected. The hours don't bother me either since if we didn't have to wake up for work everyday, we would probably be in a bar or club.
Last sentence cracks me up.
I have been to every type of bar, club or spot there is under the sun...in that world I have seen it all. Too much.
As far as the nightlife, I'm looking to do exactly what you described. Something needs to be done to bring Orlando back to what it once was. It used to be one of the most popular spots for their world renown clubs. As you say though, chruch st is a ghost town primarily because I think people are afraid to take the risk. But what they don't understand is if they did take the risk, I honestly think more and more businesses would follow suit. I am infact looking around church st or Orange ave. I really don't wanna stray too far from Orange ave since Orlando's downtown really isn't that big compared to other cities.
Bars or anything else...it is all business. That means making it work is an economic proposition, not a social one. The economics have to be sound.
bars are just another form of the real estate business, except this time it is 99% likely you are going to be a tenant, so you are playing the game from a different position.
Some stuff to consider
- There are vacancies in downtown O-town because the economics failed, not because the places weren't "cool" enough. Ever wonder why fun places close,while "Happy Mcbride's" irish pub stays open with 3 old people in there and no nightlife? Economics.
In other words, the rents were too high. This happens all the time...at NY's South St. Seaport, Buckhead in ATL, even shitty Jacksonville and the Landing. Premier spots charge higher rents, and after the novelty wears off, the economics don't work. I gave you three examples, there are 100s more. Stupid city planners never learn; they are bureaucrats doing economists' jobs. (I am a real estate guy too.)
You would think landlords would lower rents...but with a development like church st, they probably got some city money or tax breaks so are not hurting that badly. Dumb landlords also raise rents when stuff is empty to make new tenants pay for the mistakes of old.
In other words, you need to start finding out who owns what down there.
Once you're armed with that, you need to see what kind of influence the city or county exerts over the area...probably more than you will like, and your landlords may also have relationships with the city that will cause them to not mind their space being empty.
You've got to learn how to walk in the unpleasant world of small - city real estate...in a well known area. It can suck.
After that, you gotta crunch some numbers.
We already talked liquor license
Another big hidden bar cost is insurance. You want a place that is loud and crazy? me too. But AIG is going to price insuring it appropriately, and that means HIGH.
COnstruction. What do you want this place to look like? Whatever you think this will cost, double it. (I'm in this biz too).
I'm not trying to rain on your parade. That's Cheffy's job (hehehe) just want to make sure you cover all the bases. I'd be first in line at any place you opened.
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