If you live in a place with few bars around, opening up a new one is your ticket to a profitable business. Since competition isn’t so aggressive, you have greater flexibility and control over your day-to-day operations. You will need to go through a few preparatory steps before reaching that end goal. Here’s a simple guide you might find helpful in the long run:

1. Come up with a business plan

Every successful establishment has to start somewhere. Specifically, it needs to have a solid business plan. This serves as the blueprint for your bar, outlining the underlying business model and describing a unique concept. More importantly, it seeks to answer the purpose behind the idea.

Your business plan should include a long-term goal along with sub-goals or short-term goals. You also have to identify the people you will need to hire and vendors and contractors to reach out to. It also needs to showcase your business’s unique identity through a well-structured brand kit. This should include a compelling value proposition and visual content that sets it apart from other bars within and outside the community.

2. Pick the perfect location

Once you have a business idea in mind, you need to look for a place that’s perfect for setting up your bar. Ideally, you will want to place your establishment in areas with lots of foot traffic. Then again, you can also choose a more discreet location if you want to establish a sense of exclusivity. However, you need to make sure the area is affordable.

Expect to pay higher rent if you pick a prime storefront in a more urban neighborhood, particularly in the center of Pittsburgh. You can negotiate for lower fees but that rarely happens, especially if you live in states that have seen astronomical increases in commercial property values.

3. Secure the right licensing

Since you will be serving alcoholic drinks, it’s important to ask local administrators if there are special requirements to be secured. Most localities have strict ordinances governing the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages, so be sure to review laws and secure licenses to operate your bar. You may also need a building permit if you opt to build your establishment from scratch.

4. Design around a theme

Depending on your business concept, you will want your bar to follow a certain look and feel. This will depend largely on the type of patrons you want to serve. If you want your bar to cater to working-class drinkers, go for a traditional mid-western appearance complete with a vintage jukebox. For a more sophisticated look, opt for modern fixtures and ambient lighting that appeal to the tastes of young adult professionals. Whichever the case, promote the interior on social media. Use Facebook to highlight the best parts of your bar and why it should be on everyone’s must-see lists.

5. Offer up a tantalizing menu

Aside from offering up a wide selection of local beers and international wines, come up with a food menu consisting of carefully sourced options. If your bar is tailored to the luxury crowd, make sure to offer premium food items.

Your charcuterie offerings could use some Swiss and cheddar cheese that has been inspected thoroughly using a cheese block x-ray machine. When it comes to meat that goes along with premium wine, you may want to look for a supplier of steaks and wagyu beef. With a great menu, your bar is poised to attract even non-drinkers.

Endnote

It’s never too late to open up a bar. So long as you have the means and a great idea in your head, you can take the first step towards building a successful watering hole in your place!