Went to check out the bar today

Julie M. · Post by **Julie M.** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 2:43 pm

Jacki and I went to check out a bar that we have been looking at as a potential TG bar. Now I just want to say I still consider this a scary business venture and there's a lot to consider.

What I found sort of funny was picturing Jacki and me behind the bar and looking out over the floor and seeing a bunch of men in dresses. The funny or strange part was I didn't want it to look that way. I didn't want a strictly TG bar. I wanted there to be a mix of anyone and everyone who is TG friendly. It seemed like a more fun place that way.

All this time when thinking how great it would be to own a TG bar I never took the time to picture what it would be like. I just thought how great it would be to have an all TG establishment. But when I stood there behind the bar and looked out onto the floor it just seemed to be lacking if it was all TG.

Does anyone follow this logic? Or am I just nuts?

Julie

Jaye · Post by **Jaye** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 2:50 pm

You're not nuts at all. In order for the bar to survive, it needs to be a place where people of all types feel welcome and comfortable. The hard part is making it that way from the outset. How do you make it obvious to your mainstream crowd that T people are welcome without ramming it down their throats? Mmm, tough one. This will require a bit more thought.

Lorna · Post by **Lorna** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 2:53 pm

HI Julie,

A mixed, yet TG friendly environment is a logic that I live and breathe by.

And if I'm ever in your area, it would be one of my first stops!

*hugs*

~ Lorna

Post by **DonnaT** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 3:17 pm

Think about a sign at the entrance. Rules of Conduct indicating that the bar is TG friendly and and will not tollerate discrimination regarding gender, sexual orientation race, etc. If you cannot accept these Rules, the door is behind you.

Beauty · Post by **Beauty** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 5:45 pm

I must have missed something.

Are you opening a TG bar? Congrats if you are. WOW!

I hope you keep us updated with everything. That totally sounds way exciting.

Have you ever owned a business before?
Have you ever owned or run a bar before?
What gave you this great idea?

I wish you the BEST with everything. I pray it's super duper successful!!!

Beauty

Carolynn · Post by **Carolynn** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 6:15 pm

Wow Julie!!!

Ya'll are gettin' serious here gal!!

And no, I don't think your nuts for thinking about the best business mix for success.

It would be nice to have a sign at the entrance setting out the rules, including "Be Nice!". But maybe the right attitude would be to determine how to integrate the mainstream crowd with the TG folk, rather than vice versa, if you see what I mean? In other words, your not TG friendly, your bar is everyone friendly as long as they play nice. Maybe the "We Welcome Everyone Regardless of Gender, Sexual Orientation, Race, or Religion, So Long As You All Play Nice.", along with "Offenders will be Violated" or some such, and maybe the signs might be enough to get the point across. Hmmm, bathrooms might have to be modified to make them unisex; are they more than one-holers? Overall, an interesting concept. If it flies, I may need to take a vacation.

Is it set up to serve light food, i.e. sandwiches, pizza, etc. or does that raise another can of worms?

Keep thinkin' Julie. You could be onto something.

Elizabeth · Post by **Elizabeth** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 7:22 pm

Hi Julie,

I follow your thinking totally. If I were to go to a bar, I would not only want it to be TG friendly, but would also like to have the chance to actually meet a woman with an open mind.

Having played in bands in my younger days, I have been around bars a lot. It is a tough business. It is very competitive, and the margins are low. I would look very carefully at the books, particularly the fixed costs, and the cost of debt service. You should be able to project how many patrons you need to make money. This should be the basis for all decisions. You have to be certain that you can draw enough people to pay the bills, because once you are labled a "gay bar" there is a certain percentage of people who will never patronize your establishment.

I wish you good luck in this endeavor, but remember it is a business first. How will you pay your bills if there is another terrorist attack, and business drops off? What about winter storms that keep people at home? There is much more to consider than just whether or not to make your bar TG friendly.

And lastly, if the bar was already a gold mine, it would not be for sale. Good luck, and I hope that when I live one of my dreams, to visit the "Windy City" I will be welcomed at your establishment.

Love always,
Elizabeth

Post by **DonnaT** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:15 pm

And if you have coasters made, you put the Be Nice slogan on it!

Bonnie · Post by **Bonnie** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:55 am

Hi Julie: I haven't posted here for a while,but pop in every few days to look around. I have often thought I wanted to open a small neighborhood pub, and yours sounds like a great one. So obviously I agree with what the other girls say, and Elizabeth makes some very good points. One thing I always looked at was proximity to a college or J.C. and either co-locating or integrating a laundramat. "Suds N Duds" are usually crowded, and have a generally laid back kind of crowd. Good luck. Huggs Bonnie

Virginia · Post by **Virginia** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 10:10 pm

Julie,
The problem that I see is how you "express" the bar/pub? If you want it to be a TG bar that is one thing, the other is from my perspective, "TG Friendly" is another. You would really have to have a heavy "drawing card" in order to get both sides of the issue to come in and spend their money. I don't see how you can have both. A lot of patrons will not want to come in and have to elbow to elbow with, as we say " a guy in a dress." And the "shock" when some guys hits on some ?girl? who is not a GG and does not want to be bothered. It's tough, but for my opinion, I would love to go to a bar/pub where "everyone knows your name" and where Virginia could go and feel not only safe, but welcomed and not judged. Those places are "where dreams come true." and if they do exist, -takes notes on what makes them work!
Good luck and I hope that if you choose this route that when I come to Chicago next year I can spend a lot of time in your bar!
Love,
Virginia

Julie M. · Post by **Julie M.** » Fri Oct 15, 2004 8:16 pm

You know, with all that has been happening lately I forgot I posted this. What a great help everyone has been.

So here's the update:
Jacki and I talked to the owner last week. We took a tour of the place and I took a bunch of pictures so I could remember it well. It's about a 100 years old and valued at approximately 175K. All contents are included in the sale, including existing stock.

He has been pulling in from 12K to 25K a month. He employs 6 people. His manager gets a car, full health insurance, all the profits from the machines, an hourly pay and 10% of the profits. He has seen a decline in profits lately to a break even point. As he said, "What's 10% of the profits if you can get more by taking from the till?" Yeah, he suspects theft.

He is a non-involved owner who has gotten into some bigger ventures and he just doesn't have time to police the place. He's anxious to sell.

If we do this we will be drawing in a different crowd. Presently the age ranges from 22-27. I doubt anyone of them will be showing up with two 50+ TG's behind the bar. Yes, we will be dressed.

At first I had thought I didn't want to ever have Jim back there because I wanted that separation. But reality says that's unreasonable. Imagine Sunday football, "Hey Julie, bring another round for me and all my construction friends here." Jacki feels different. She wants to be dressed all the time.

We made a verbal offer today that is less than the value of the land and contents combined. We'll see how that goes.

If I do start spending more time dressed, this could be a good thing to have should dressing effect my other job. And I like the idea of having a little more income to stabilize the unpredicitable construction market.

I think it would work but it's going to present many challenges. But I think I'm up to it.

Julie

Lorna · Post by **Lorna** » Fri Oct 15, 2004 8:24 pm

Good luck, Julie!!

Elizabeth · Post by **Elizabeth** » Sat Oct 16, 2004 12:10 am

Julie,

That sounds like an interesting opportunity indeed. I like the price. Keep us informed.

Love always,
Elizabeth

Beauty · Post by **Beauty** » Sat Oct 16, 2004 5:49 am

Wow! You made an offer!!!

I wish you the best

Beauty

Anne · Post by **Anne** » Sat Oct 16, 2004 4:24 pm

Good luck Julie!

Anne