r/BarOwners

I know 1.5oz tends to be the standard in the US but we did 1.25oz for a couple of years to protect margins. Also with the assumption that a ton of bartenders over pour anyways so even with pushing 1.25oz on the staff, you'd still see some inventory variance.

But the slightly lower standard pour has become a major issue of contention between staff against management/owners and most just ignore it. Our GM wants to eventually open his own spot so I explain to him that pour/price strategy should never be decided by a bartender because they don't consider the full picture and frankly, it's not their call. But should I just give up on it? I even had a staff member gaslight me and say that I was the one that trained them on 1.5oz standard pour.

I'm already anticipating some of your replies "stop being cheap" or "it's your bar, do what you want" haha. Any insight is welcome if you've gone through something similar.

Hi everyone!

I’m seriously considering opening a small cocktail bar and would love to hear from anyone who has actually owned or operated a bar especially if you’re in the greater Vancouver area.
I’m thinking of leasing rather than buying, and keeping it pretty small: around 25–30 seats max, with a focused cocktail menu and just a few food items rather than a full kitchen/restaurant. Ideally open just 4 nights a week.

For those who have done something similar:
What was your approximate startup cost?
- How much did you spend on renovations/build-out, equipment, liquor, permits, etc.?
- What kind of monthly operating costs surprised you?
-Is a small 25–30 seat cocktail bar realistically profitable?
-What are the biggest expenses people underestimate?
-Would you do it again if you could start over?
And most importantly - what are the biggest reasons you would or wouldn’t recommend opening a bar?

I’m still in the research/planning stage, so I’m trying to get a realistic picture before committing to anything.
Would really appreciate hearing from actual owners/operators - the good, the bad, and the ugly!
Thanks!

we are ten minutes from a mid size venue and a saturday with a show on is worth roughly double a normal one. i build the rota off last years calendar because it has never let me down.

the show moved across town in august and i had no idea. nine on the floor and two on the door, and we took about 40 percent of forecast. i sent four people home after ninety minutes, which is its own kind of damage because three had turned down other shifts to be there. about 600 in wages for a night that needed four.

now i check the venue listings before i build anything more than two weeks ahead, which is an embarrassing thing to write down as a process. is there something better than me reading a whats on page every fortnight?