Regal

I work at a hookah bar, do inventory, and am familiar with wholesale prices. What I've noticed is that the only reason they survive is because the markup on the tobacco is very large, and sometimes the moneymakers are really the amenities: drinks, alcohol, retail, and tips. One thing you should focus on is building a group of regulars that come in when you open. The real issue with a hookah bar is the turnover rate of customers. If you build enough of a reputation and at one point are completely full and can't sit more people, then those people may actually be waiting for more than an hour. It's impossible to motivate people to smoke for 30-45 minutes, but ideally that's what would happen. As Wade mentioned, the most important thing is a correct atmosphere. If you can build a place that can switch from a relaxed setting to an upbeat late night setting easily then you've set it up well. Unless you're using short pipes don't set them on tables, and be ready for pipes to get knocked over and break (regardless of where they're set). Pricing is a big issue, and I would suggest charging people individually when they arrive, and definitely set a limit to how many pipes a group may have. We're having trouble because The Hookah House's owner thought it was a good idea letting customers get as many pipes as they've wanted which led to coal, foil, water, and pipe use increases while lowering the profit per bowl. Almost never does each person in a group need their own pipe. The real money maker is alcohol and if you can get both a liquor and tobacco license in Ohio then that's what's going to make your business a real hit and profitable. Even on slow nights if you sell a few drinks you can make it a profitable night. In Colorado it's illegal to have a smoking establishment and liquor license. So many of our customers come and go between a neighboring bar. If you run the business with just the owners as employees you you can save a lot of money and 10-20 thousand is feasible within a year, but as any social establishment your success depends on your reputation. This reputation is dependent on two things: the employees and how sociable they are, and the quality of the service/product that you're offering. If customers are always comfortable and the hookahs are quality then your reputation will be very solid. Basically run the place so nobody can complain about anything. What would separate you from the other hookah bar is offering a product that they don't have. Tangiers tobacco for example is a great product, and is unusual. It's prices are similar to those of other tobaccos but it requires a different bowl which may be an issue. Ultimately the cost of bowls isn't very high, but it does cause hassle in the preparation. I'm versed in the actual running of a Hookah Bar more thoroughly than setting one up; so if you have any questions about any specifics when it comes to how to run one I would be happy the share my experiences. Good Luck, Jonathan

[quote name='rhineholt' timestamp='1301435214' post='503508'] Id be afraid of my cat using the wood part as a scratching post or something... [/quote] Ahahaha that's awesome. I've never heard someone say that about the pipes and I'm impressed. Jonathan

When I was smoking in the dorms (being an RA you have to make sure you don't get caught and a hypocrite) I would seal the doors by duck taping them and open a window. If it was a long and or heavy smoking session I would fill up a paper towel roll with drier sheets. They work very well, but are a bit of a hassle. It's not fun blowing every hit out in a certain direction or through an apparatus of sorts. My vote is for smoking outside.

Heyo, I'd have to agree with the 4/20 method. Eric mentioned that to me and after I tried it out it was the best acclimation I was able to get with his tobacco. A correctly packed bowl is key for a good smoke. Although packing hookah bowls isn't rocket science, packing a tangier's bowl correctly isn't easy. There is a reason there is a video with the owner making sure people know how to prepare it. What I find is very important when it comes to packing tangiers is that the tobacco sits evenly. Because each leaf of tobacco you have isn't the same size they won't always stack up on each other evenly; so what you need to make sure is that the tobacco is sitting evenly. Also, what you could do is put a little less tobacco into the bowl if you'd like to tone down the strength of the smoke. Finally, I don't like using coconaras with tangiers because they burn at such a high temperature. Eric uses Fumari coals and I'd have to say those are the best I've ever smoked his tobacco with. Anyway, I hope this helps. Good luck with everything. Jonathan

Regardless of the coal that you are using you'll taste something that shouldn't be if they aren't fully lit. The one type of coals that you might be able to get away without fully lighting them are Coco Naras and I still try to light them completely.

Congratulations dude, I'm glad you had a good time around in San Diego. I'm actually flying on Sunday and I'll probably stop by both places. Did you visit any landmarks or anything special? What did you think of the set up of the Tangiers hookah bar? I thought it's a nice upgrade from the old one. Jonathan

Tangiers Vanilla tastes like butterscotch to me. I do not like Starbuzz vanilla at all. Al Fakher has always been my go to when making a vanilla based bowl.

Heyo, So recently I've noticed that mixed tangiers bowls (grinder style) have a bit of leeway when it comes to how you pack it. I mainly mix them with Starbuzz(SB) or Al Fakher(AF). I know a good number of people who tend to pack them the same way they pack SB but I tend to pack them tighter. They smoke well both ways, but I prefer mine because the smoke is thicker and heavier. What I still haven't seen from the responses is whether people for the most part prefer Tangiers tobacco mixed with other brands or not. The methods of mixing have become pretty apparent but do you all tend to smoke it alone or not? Jonathan

Boulder represent

Hey guys, I was wondering about peoples' general methods and opinions when it comes to mixing Tangier's tobacco with others. Do you always smoke it straight or do you go ahead and mix it with starbuzz, Al-Fakher, Fantasia, or any other brand? For me, it always comes down to if I'm smoking alone or with someone. I find that the bowl will last much longer being straight Tangier's, but if I'm hanging out with someone who isn't as experienced a smoker then I almost always have to mix it with something else. When it comes to flavor, there are few Tangier's flavors that I like to smoke straight. Many times I will mix them with other Tangier's. Kashmir Cherry, Melon Blend, Cactus Fruit, Kashmir Peach, Cocoa, and Blueberry are the only ones I can smoke straight. Finally, when it comes to mixing a bowl with another flavor do you pack it any differently? I know certain people that choose to pack their mixed bowls very lightly, but I tend to pack them the same way. Peace, Jonathan

Working at a hookah bar we retail pipes. This is the model and pipe that we sell the most of, and we have a few of these pipes in our repertoire. Occasionally there are cracks in the glass, but the stem has always been made well. I think that these pipes smoke very well and are some of the best deals on the market. I only have a few complaints: First, like all mya pipes, they have a sphere which is very hard to clean. Second, the base is a little annoying to fill up. It's tough to figure out the perfect level of water to fill, and the shape of the base slips hands etc Jonathan

I have a similar Temsah pipe and I was wondering about other people's experiences with them. So far mine has smoked well but the issue was more along the connections between the metal pieces on the stem. Under rigorous use mine has not only broken but started leaning to a side and it's been practically impossible to use. I was very disappointed and I don't know whether I'll buy another. Any comments? Jonathan

Hey, I'm from San Diego. Apart from all the tourist attractions (Zoo, Sea World, and, of course, the beaches) there are a lot of local fun places to go. The standard strips of dive bars in Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach are always fun, and you can definitely stop by some real Mexican places. Depending on whether what part of San Diego you are there are better places. My favorite place is Rudy's Taco Shop. It's unbelievable! Carne Asada anything is to die for. [url="http://www.rudystacoshop.com/"]http://www.rudystacoshop.com/[/url] You know a legitimate ethnic place when you're the only person who doesn't speak the respective language. When it comes to tangier's tobacco flavors my favorites are Kashmir Cherry, It's Like That One Breakfast Cereal, Melon Blend, Lime, and Cocoa. They're great and all are unique. In northern San Diego there's George's Hookah Company. www.hookahcompany.com. He's an awesome guy who definitely appreciates a dedicated smoker. His place is full of great hookahs and what's unusual is that he is very honest about his products. He will tell you what smokes well and doesn't. It's a relief. Anyway, have a great trip in San Diego. I miss it. Jonathan

We just launched our website. Take a look and tell us what you do or do not like about the site! Considering we are currently back ordered we won't be able to sell any more hookahs before January 10th, but there is a contact form for people who would be interested! [url="http://www.regalhookah.com"]www.regalhookah.com[/url] Jonathan

Hey all, thanks for the kind words! Incubusratm- It is indeed a genie vase, we didn't get it from southsmoke though, we order through a small wholesaler. Epoch- Wood indeed, it is actually beetle kill pine from here in Colorado, it needs to be chopped down before our state catches fire. The wood covers a 5/8" stainless steel downstem. Stule- regalhookah.com should be up in the next day or so and here is vertical pic, and there are more on the way [url="http://img602.imageshack.us/i/hookahalley.jpg/"][img]http://img602.imageshack.us/img602/5310/hookahalley.jpg[/img][/url]

[URL=http://img692.imageshack.us/i/dscf5159s.jpg/][IMG]http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/2993/dscf5159s.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Uploaded with [URL=http://imageshack.us]ImageShack.us[/URL] The product of aerospace grade aluminum, stainless steel, and hand turned pine.

Yea, the Hookah House is legit. The owner is bomb as are the employees (Jonathan will mix you the best bowl...ever). Great place to get work done between 5 and 8; then it becomes a great place to dance, and since it is literally feet from 2 bars, it is the perfect place to party.

Dusk, on my porch, right as the sun is coming down over the mountains. I'm usually smoking pink grapefruit and tangerine Tangiers and drinking a cup of tea...then dinner and night life ending in one more hookah session by the bar.

Holy flying forks batman, how do people keep up with responses? I've never been a big forum person, obviously. First of all, thanks so much for giving us the time of day! Secondly, I will get some pictures of the stem on here post haste. It is wood surrounding a stainless tube, this will help with longevity, and will allow the smoking of whateva flavors you want (something an entire stem made of wood wouldn't really allow). That being said, we are looking heavily into the absorption properties of wood, and lets just say, we are coming out with something made of ebony and never seen before in hookahland ;-) I'll keep y'all updated. I have been amazed at the buzz surrounding wooden hookahs lately; I mention it 'round town and people loose it with excitement...this is a bee ee ay utiful thing! Be Well, Regal P.S I'm going to figure out how to quote properly on here so as I can discuss individual comments, but I'm slow.

[size="3"]What's goin' on HookahForum world? This is our first post, so bare with us, we're trying to figure out all the stuff that's going down here. We (two friends) are in the midst of designing a hookah, actually the design is slowly coming to a close, and we are curious about what smokers think about the look of high quality hookahs. We have found that as you move up in quality and cost of a hookah you are, more or less, wrangled into a hookah that is a glossy, metallic, and has an almost gaudy look (i.e. higher end mya pipes). In contrast the pipe we're making has a wooden stem (beetle pine with lots of blue and gray grain) surrounding the down stem with a large but more translucent vase. What do you think? Do you like bejeweled and flashy, or simple and powerful? [/size] [size="3"]Be well, Regal [/size]