Buying a Tavern...need advice!

[drumbunny1]

I'd really appreciate any tips or advice from anyone who has managed...owned or operated a bar/tavern. Me and my fiance are looking to buy a small tavern in our hometown....the tavern has been in business for about 20 years but the owner just passed away and her son is selling it...so We want to buy it and give it a facelift...get live music playing...get a younger crowd in there and just run the joint....we have great vision and are pretty level headed...I'm just wondering if anyone has ever owned anything like this....if I could get some advice or horror stories of what NOT to do...anything really would be appreciated! Thanks!

I can only tell you about our local.
It's about 150 years old and had a great clientel. then it was sold to a solicitor who thought he should change it into what he thought a pub should be. (lost customers especially the locals.
Then he sold it to a local couple who thought the same as you, they wanted to bring it forth into the twenty first century and lost customers agian . they wanted a younger crowd and got them . they ended up pissing all the locals off with the loud music and had a police precense that the pub had not ever experienced before. Again lost all the local customers
THen they moved on and sold it.

Then a mum and son brought it and it's again the best pub in the district.

You see the previous owners forgot about the locals and made the new enviroment unwelcoming for them . Which is fine during the tourist season but they forgot it's a locals who provide the bread and butter during the off seasons and in the depth of the winter months.

Now the loud music is gone and all the old farmers are coming back to drink. We don't see the police around anymore (they have basically forgotten about the pub) . Families have come back to have meals and the fisherman aren't using the caravan holiday park to drink anymore they are coming back in to spend money.

So the only advice I can give is in the end look after you're bread and butter customers they are the difference between making the pub a pleasure or a bad business choice.

[JacksDad]

Uh-huh.
What she said.

Very wise advice.

[weeder]

Magentas points are very serious, and true. From a New York perspective. I have seen local bars bought and FIXED UP many times. They went right down the drain $$$$ because everyone loved them just the way they were. Like she said.. Lost all the locals. Id go slow with the renovations, and trying to pull in the young. Very often, they dont have any money, and going out is a special occassion.

[Patsy Warnick]

Drumbunny

First - LICENSE - what type of license? will this contract include the existing license or do you plan on applying for different license?
Read the license closely - that will determine what you will be allowed to do....
There are several different license's the State provides - and the State limits the types..

Second - you stated you plan on gutting the place - I'm assuming this place has a walk-in. A walk-in is the main cooler where the cages of beer are hooked up etc..
Where the walk-in is place will determine how the bar is set up.
You need to find out if the walk-in can be moved (if necessary) this is determined on the structure of the building & plumbing & access etc..

These two main items should keep you busy - they're the most important

I would be happy to suggest after these two items are investigated.

Patsy

Hey I know I'll go takes some pics of my local. And explain what's been done to it over a seven year period .............It might be relevent maybe not . but there are a couple of things in it that seems to draw the attention of the tourists and locals alike.

[JacksDad]

Originally Posted by magenta flame

Hey I know I'll go takes some pics of my local. And explain what's been done to it over a seven year period .............It might be relevent maybe not . but there are a couple of things in it that seems to draw the attention of the tourists and locals alike.

Any excuse.

OIY!!! I'll have you know it's still morning here.




Hhhmmmmmm ..................might wait an hour before going down

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by drumbunny1

I'd really appreciate any tips or advice from anyone who has managed...owned or operated a bar/tavern. Me and my fiance are looking to buy a small tavern in our hometown....the tavern has been in business for about 20 years but the owner just passed away and her son is selling it...so We want to buy it and give it a facelift...get live music playing...get a younger crowd in there and just run the joint....we have great vision and are pretty level headed...I'm just wondering if anyone has ever owned anything like this....if I could get some advice or horror stories of what NOT to do...anything really would be appreciated! Thanks!

Keep em drunk ?
If theyre drunk theyre spending money.
That and water down the beer.