Would a high end sportsbar do well in CR? One with state of the art stuff, etc...

[RIOSHILL]

I am talking if some group came into CR and spent some decent money on a sportsbar/grill with a ton of plasmas, HUGE screens, etc., would they get a return on their coin? I know the big one in San Pedro went out of business, so perhaps people in CR just aren't into that. Who knows? CR still doesn't have Wendy's, so I guess a huge group coming in and doing an ESPN ZONE type of sportbar wouldn't happen.

Any issues or questions? Rioshill@hotmail.com

 

[JudgeWapner]

If there were rooms in the back and the right type of waitresses,think it would do well.

 

[newbie666]

imo..
why you think SAND, and nowadays TERRA-U
are so profitable?...

cheap beer...

if, and only if... they can compete those prizes... then they have a chance to make profit...

if not, look at 360, or RAICES, or El Pueblo...
are tons of teenagers that can only afford 2 beers x night

 

YES, IT WOULD DO VERY WELL.

I am friends with the old owners from All-Star Bar and Grill, here in San Pedro. I remember the days when they were really working to promote it and get people in the bar...and it worked very well! You just need to be commited, have the $$ to back it, and be willing to hire the right staff...that is key. If the waiters/waitresses are not attentive, smart, AND HONEST you are screwed. Without a good chef...you are screwed. Needless to say, you need a super solid manager.

I would love to see it happen and I would support it in full.

Jake

 

[RIOSHILL]

Jake, I actually thought the All star sportsbar was decent. Why did they go under?

Any issues or questions? Rioshill@hotmail.com

 

[JudgeWapner]

Rio,the reason the went under?No rooms in the back.

 

They were not commited enough to the bar. They had other business ventures going on and the bar took second place.

Jake

 

[Tarheel_in_cr]

I remember those days Jake...the good all days.

 

[wolfie_cr]

well for me its all about the music

its so damn hard to find a place with decent 70's 80's rock or country music, that's the stuff I like to hear when I am drinking anyway

 

[wolfie_cr]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> I remember the days when they were really working to promote it<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I remember a night when there was a wet tshirt contest ..................they were working AND getting very good results

 

[Angelle]

All Stars my old home away from home. I lived down the street from there.

LOL I had to stop going there when I would walk in and they would have my drink ready for me by the time I got to the table.

I wish All Stars was still open for my trips back down to CR. It could be like a high school reunion.

 

[canuck23]

So I see a wanna be barteneder/manager. A few alcoholics, and maybe a taxie driver responding.

Of course it would do well, throw in a VIP area with a few pool tables and let the chicas drink free soda. Crowd will be there.

 

[WildBill]

Just make sure there is a poker table for the Tuesday game and the place will be in business for a long time

Actually I talked with two people about it in the past and they said problem with bars there is exactly as was stated before, to keep the steady crowd of Ticos in house you can't charge much for the domestic beer. Then keep the gringos happy with the amenities mentioned for sports and a big selection of imported beer and spirits. Worst problem though is bar patrons are very fickle there. The hot bar can suddenly become tired and next thing you know you are getting a third of the crowd you had. At that point instead of fighting it, you have to redo your business model and change things up quickly. In short a bar like this would require a lot of work and require some risk. It could do fabulously well if it draws in a lot of the gringo crowd, but it still needs to keep a base of Ticos coming in and to do that has to have an element that isn't so "high end". Complicated stuff isn't it?

 

[American]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by RIO SHILL:
Jake, I actually thought the All star sportsbar was decent. Why did they go under?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

When All-Star was doing well was before 9/11, in the "hey-day" of CR's economy. One of the reasons they went under had to do with the economic downturn of CR after 9/11. Also, there was rampant theft going on there as well. In the bar business in CR, you are going to be paying very high rent most likely, and you're selling beers for $1.25 a bottle. There's not much of a profit margin. The only beer distributor in Costa Rica is Cerveceria Costa Rica, which has a monopoly. Cerveceria CR will even compete against it's own customers by throwing special events like the 4th of July where they will be giving it away. Also, you have to deal with the quincenas. People are only going to spend money on two weekends a month. The rest of the time they don't spend nearly as much. Semana Santa they don't even allow bars to be openon the weekend, as well as two or three other weekends a year (they close down the bars when there are elections). If you charge at the door you have to give the municipality 6 % of the gross at the door, and if music is being played you have to give 6% to ACAM as well. That's 12% of the gross door for which you get absolutely nothing in return. You have to pay liscense fees every three months also. And if there is any profit after the landlords, lawyers, accountants, government (who you have to constantly bribe to stay open), employees and their benefits, then you pay 30% tax on profit. And keep in mind, you're trying to make money off people who are making $80 a week.

Save yourself a lot of blood, sweat and tears and just enjoy someone elses bar.

 

WOW.

American, I am impressed. Thanks for the lesson. Damn!

Jake

 

[newbie666]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by wolfie_cr:
well for me its all about the music

its so damn hard to find a place with decent 70's 80's rock or country music, that's the stuff I like to hear when I am drinking anyway<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

try mini taberna in desamparados...
ppl go with harley davidsons, all the time they play, journey, hendrix, doors,, hippie music.. they also have videos /DVD for each song...
nice ambient. also the mini skirt chicks.. are tasty!!!

 

[newbie666]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by WildBill:
Just make sure there is a poker table for the Tuesday game and the place will be in business for a long time

Actually I talked with two people about it in the past and they said problem with bars there is exactly as was stated before, to keep the steady crowd of Ticos in house you can't charge much for the domestic beer. Then keep the gringos happy with the amenities mentioned for sports and a big selection of imported beer and spirits. Worst problem though is bar patrons are very fickle there. The hot bar can suddenly become tired and next thing you know you are getting a third of the crowd you had. At that point instead of fighting it, you have to redo your business model and change things up quickly. In short a bar like this would require a lot of work and require some risk. It could do fabulously well if it draws in a lot of the gringo crowd, but it still needs to keep a base of Ticos coming in and to do that has to have an element that isn't so "high end". Complicated stuff isn't it?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

good example is how Mundo DID...
bigdogs was an small franchise, and nowadays mundo change its name from Big Dogs, to Bull Dogs, he charge almost 700 x beer, and all the time is full.. if you see all the tico crowd are often bookies... if not then bookie friend related...

each day you can see at least 5 to 7 gringos...
+ the snack food they sale is quite bit expensive but... at least once you finish, you appreciate each cent you spent on it...

i could say the secret ingredient of bulldogs is the kind of friendship you have with every single employee over there...

as i remember all star became a hip hop place... so ppl instead of drinking they use to go for dancing... same stuff when charlie from NASA opened DINOIZ..

 

[Alejo]

All star was great. I loved it.
With Bull dog's the only problem i see is the service, once you know the waitresses they just tend to keep you in the back of the list, just because they know you.
And i'm not quite sure if that can be really called a sports bar, what kind of sports bar doesn't know that the NBA finals are being played? I had to step in there and ask for the game for them to have it on the tv's, and when we finally got it, you think a sports bar would put the game sound, wrooooong, guess again, it was music instead of the commnents

My point is, ticos aren't really that intrested on american sports, other than Sele partidos, you get other than gringos or bookies, which can be a great income, if you know how to handle your bussiness

 

[Alejo]

tarheel and Jake, i do remember the good old days too

 

[wolfie_cr]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> try mini taberna in desamparados...
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

newbie wheres that? I hope its easy for the direcciones cause I don't know desampa for shit