nightclub/bar help

DRtechie

"everyday is a holiday"
Jan 27, 2002
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phiota.net
I am helping a friend write a business plan for a nightclub in Santo Domingo but we're having problems finding market information. Has anyone written a business plan for this type of establishment in DR? What are somethings I should really be concerned about?
 

lilsam

Santo Domingo Sammy
Jan 2, 2002
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Depends on the style bar or nite club. Remeber a lot of times you have to pay off some of the local police or Health Dept officials or they do things like go to the bathroom throw away the toliet paper and write you up for not having it. Its always good if going into business to have a partner who is a local resident Dominican
The companys like Brugal and Presidente will help you get started with free beer and rum to help you.Also refrigerators and the like with their trade symbols on them. Pick your Barrio carefully also,and try to be in league with current bar and disco owners.If you have employees have to get Health cards over at health dept. Are you gonna have girls?? Good idea if you do that when its not tourist season if you have a small rest in the place to cook some food in off season to help them and their familys that way when the tourists are around they will help you.I hope this helps a lil ...Ls
 

JayUKcomingtoDR

New member
Jan 15, 2002
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At last, some1 else is wanting to open a club

I am from the UK and am wanting to open a bar or club in the DR.
I have had some great info of locals and ex-pats warning me to go slow, move there for 6 months and get a feel for the DR. I am there again next week.
I would also be grateful afor any info on opening a club. Is there a market for "DANCE" music over there. I heard alot of Merengue, even in the clubs i went to in Sosua, which was ok ish, but surely there is a dance scene too?
Lilsam, you seem to know a bit, have you worked in bars and clubs? Do you know how i get other products over there? Like other makes of beer and lagers?
Do you need licences to trade. Do you need licences to play live music.
Do you know any1 with club experience who wants to go into business?

get back if you can guys

Jay
 

lilsam

Santo Domingo Sammy
Jan 2, 2002
224
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I am reading this message late sorry. While I myself have not run a bar or disco I have had friends that have. If you need further info you may email me thru the board and I will try to get you in touch with some of them.Lil sam
Also check the archives here Dolores and Rob have put some good information here on the web site. For legal isssues check in the legal section..
I know this has been all said before but it is a good idea to mosey around the web site here...
 

lee2004

New member
May 9, 2004
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DRtechie said:
I am helping a friend write a business plan for a nightclub in Santo Domingo but we're having problems finding market information. Has anyone written a business plan for this type of establishment in DR? What are somethings I should really be concerned about?

This has nothing to do with what you asked but im ony very young but have aspiring ideas concerning a new bar/restaurant, but to be honest apart from small business plans including info on estimated intakes and outgoings i really have no idea of how to go about doing it!! please can you help??
 

DRtechie

"everyday is a holiday"
Jan 27, 2002
443
0
0
phiota.net
lee2004 said:
This has nothing to do with what you asked but im ony very young but have aspiring ideas concerning a new bar/restaurant, but to be honest apart from small business plans including info on estimated intakes and outgoings i really have no idea of how to go about doing it!! please can you help??

geezzz, this is a blast from the past....

The restaurant/bar industry is one of those where experience is king. In liue of prior experience my suggestion to you is to do your research. Start off by working on the business plan and leave the financials for last. Decide what your competetive advantage is going to be and how you're going to differenciate yourself from everyone else on the street. Select your target demographics and work on those details. Once you have a solid plan it would be worth your while to look at the landscape and see who else is doing what you want to do. Those are your competitors. Develop a strategy to steal market share away from them.

The Financials are usually tougher to calculate. One the of the things I did was to sit down with about 12 restaurant/bar owners and interviewed them on what their startup and operation costs where (of course they though I was doing a project for school). Come up with a list of equipment you will need and start researching real estate cost. Use this to estimate your startup costs as well as on going operational cost. When you come up with a figure add an addional 30%-50%. One of the biggest reasons whese type of business fail is lack of capitalization.

Anyways, if you're really serious about doing something like this than make sure to do due diligence. Read up as much as you can on the industry and work on a solid business plan. It took us two years of working on a business plan before we could complete first round financing. Good Luck.
 

Bonche.com

New member
Nov 18, 2003
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www.bonche.com
Dance..

What will be your target group? Dance as in house, progressive, trance, etc. Or are you just looking for a place to start a bar? Also where would it be located? In the city, a beach or a small town? Each of these choices will have a heavy impact on your strategy.

There is a market for everything in DR. Specially dance clubs. I'm just interested to know what would be your genre of choice for the venue and the location, since your investment will greatly depend on those variables.

If you wish to sample a bit of what goes on in DR, visit our website at www.bonche.com. A party guide for the DR, covering most of the club events in the city.