Know-How Exchange : Other

I am not an expert on nightclubs or retail. But I would say that generally speaking, you will get much more helpful information from this forum if you provide lots of details.

For example, what country are you in? Do you know why the other night club failed? Are you planning to change the style of the nightclub? What demographics are you targeting? Do you have any experience in this area? Do you have enough funding to stay open for six months? Do you or your partners have business experience? Gabonese source of business coaching, such as the service Corps of retired executives?

Details, details, details.

As general advice, it seems to me that some locations are simply bad locations. I have seen certain locations which have had a steady stream of closed businesses, and so one day I will certainly check is the quality of the location.

I would also try to find out why the previous business failed.

Good luck to you.

It's presumably in a catchment area. Knock on a few doors and find some people who used the club and find out what they thought of it. You might even be able to find someone who used to work there.

However, even a good club can go broke with poor financial management.

Here's my two cents worth: Telemoxie and Saul have given you very solid advice. You need to do some research in your area to find out what happened and if you have the resources and the stamina to prevent it from happening to you.

Consider the following. I live in Orlando. We have been through more clubs in my area than most people would believe. It's not the location or general atmosphere that closes them most of the time, it's the fact that they are built on fads, the latest and greatest crazes at the time. We've had ipod clubs (hear your own music), country clubs, clubs that offered cheap beer certain nights, and who can forget Club Paris, that was modeled after the "exciting" life of Paris Hilton. People went for a while, but then they got old and even though the owners tried to make changes and updates, these clubs were branded with what they initially opened with.

The audience for clubs is very transitory. You need to consider if you are will to continually update your club to meet the expectations of a changing market, or if you will open without a them or fad to support you, then you better have a product that can withstand the test of time...again you need to be willing to put the money, effort and research into your business.

Keep in mind, too, that your best research is both with the former owner (why did it fail) and with your current demographic. What are they looking for (both short-term and long-term). I will tell you that the clubs that have been successful had a a short-term and long-term plan: We will open as..., continue as a..., grow into a... They are successful because they opened with realistic expectations.

I would find out what the area is missing, check this location to see if you can provide what the area is looking for/missing in this location successfully and decide if you really, truly want to get into this line of business. It's not for everyone.

I wish you all the best.

Dorothea

Go to clubs in the area that have been in business a while and notice what they are doing right.

Pick a theme that matches the area, is it near a college, a factory? Determine whether pool tables will get them to come regularly, and the type of music or other activities.

Talk to the former manager or an employee and ask what they did wrong. They have no conflict of interest like asking the person trying to sell it to you will in finding out why they failed. It could have been low attendance, or the owner couldn't manage money, some people never have enough.