Trying To Open A Hookah Lounge

[mrconfident]

Hello all,

I'm trying to open a hookah lounge here in San Diego. Originally I wanted to open this business a little bit north of San Diego since I wanted to bring the hookah culture that was down here up to the Orange County area. But that dream has now been smashed due to a lot of strict regulations north of the county. I was wondering if there are any hookah lounge owners on the forum posting? I just wanted to get some insights on to how you over came the barriers that were set forth by the city/county. Though there are less limitations and restrictions here, the city is still pretty tough on the issue. Same goes for the landlords for the complexes that I've been looking into. Just about everyone I spoke with today (roughly looked at 16 locations) no one wanted to entertain my business plan of opening a smoking lounge...

The city/county itself is divided up into soo many sections that at times I don't know where to run for questions regarding zoning and ordinances issues. I go to city hall they tell me to go somewhere else. Or I would drive to different city halls to ask if the city would even entertain a hookah lounge only to get rejected. Why can't these people not answer these simple questions over the telephone instead of making me drive 30mins - an hours worth of time just to get rejected in my first minute there speaking to them?

I am really trying to make this work and I am doing my best to cope with everything that is going on.

I am really just here looking for some knowledge...how did you guys get started? Did you encounter as much problems as I have? Is there something that I'm doing wrong? What type of questions and to whom should I be asking? I am sorry for the long post, I just had to vent. Today and yesterday has almost been a complete waste. I drove from San Diego all the way to Oceanside (40 minute drive) only to get deny then from there drove to Escondido (35 minutes from Oceanside) only to get deny. Today I looked at a bunch of locations all over the city only to find out that the owners do not want to entertain such a business…I mean do people really discriminate against smoking that much? Is it really that big of an issue to where even the brokers don’t want to help you find a location….



Any insights as to how you got started would really help. I am still very interested in doing this and with this learning experience I am only getting stronger and better understanding the circumstances that stand against me as I proceed to open my business.



Thank you very much for your time in reading my post, I appreciate every bit of it. I look forward to hearing your replies. Edited October 31, 2007 by mrconfident

[Bulldog_916]

Are the places you're looking at within 1000 feet of anywhere that children or the elderly gather? Usually any smoking lounge or vendor has to be 1000 feet away from schools, daycares, hospitals, retirement communities, etc. Makes finding a location difficult if not impossible. Smoking is becoming the new discrimination. I would read the zoning regs for each location if it is a different zone inside the city. Each one has different regulations.

[mdl]

I always thought that Oceanside would be a good area to open a lounge. There are many lounges in San Diego but I guess as long as profits are here more will open.

OT, Bulldog, you from Sac?

[Bulldog_916]

I always thought that Oceanside would be a good area to open a lounge. There are many lounges in San Diego but I guess as long as profits are here more will open.

OT, Bulldog, you from Sac?

Yea, born and raised man.

I've read over the zoning regs as far as tobbacco related establishments for this city and they are pretty stringent. You have to have a special permit with the fire department, permit with the state, all tobbacco related permits. Then you have to find a location. Leasing. Etc. It's tough, lets put it that way.

EDIT: Call the Aladdin Cafe here in Sac, the owner might be able to point you in the right direction. I dunno how good his English is, he's a pretty quiet guy.

(916) 631-8923 Edited October 31, 2007 by Bulldog_916

[mdl]

^
yeah give them a call. Nema is the name of the owners son and speaks fluent english. He's usually good about answering questions.

[hookah hippie]

Mush had a post about the work involved in opening a bar

try searching for it

[MechAnt]

There are several posters that own and run their own hookah bars. San Diego has some stiff competition, the two most well known down there are Fumari and Oddessey. Oddessey is Sonthert's lounge and he makes the Tangiers brand. Fumari is the bar that makes Fumari, the second most expensive shisha on the market behind Smiley's.

[BrotherBuford]

This is one reason why I'm against zoning regs and central planning. You buy a piece of property, you should be damn well able to do whatever the hell you want with it. I don't see any reason why it should be the business of any of the stuffed shirts and petty tyrants you find in local governments.

[mrconfident]

Thank you for all your fast replies.

I do know that San Diego has a lot of competition. But the way I look at it, with the regulations that is enforced north of the county I would be working 4 times as hard as I would down here to make the same amount of profit as I would putting in a quarter of that effort. So might as well put that effort into running a better business down here in county of San Diego.

I'm all ears on guidance, please enlighten me with your knowledge...

Again, thank you to everyone for your replies.

[RayVer]

I guess that doesn't apply here in Tampa. I can literally walk a bit passed across the street and i'm at a hookah bar.

Are the places you're looking at within 1000 feet of anywhere that children or the elderly gather? Usually any smoking lounge or vendor has to be 1000 feet away from schools, daycares, hospitals, retirement communities, etc. Makes finding a location difficult if not impossible. Smoking is becoming the new discrimination. I would read the zoning regs for each location if it is a different zone inside the city. Each one has different regulations.

[waterboi]

I wish someone would open a Hookah bar here in Birmingham,AL. it really sucks not having one around. I think it would do rather well.

[RayVer]

then open one

I wish someone would open a Hookah bar here in Birmingham,AL. it really sucks not having one around. I think it would do rather well.

[waterboi]

then open one

I wish someone would open a Hookah bar here in Birmingham,AL. it really sucks not having one around. I think it would do rather well.

I have seriously thought about it and would if I had the resources to do so. I know it would do well and hell I would be one of the number 1 customers . This city is actually a good size and has a good bit of people( 250k in just the city of Bham. That doesnt count the surrounding cities which total almost a million.). The closest one is 50 miles away in a college town.

[Zildjian]

we need one in fairfax virginia. we have one but the owners are a bunch of rip off theives. and its mediocre (crap service so so hookah) need one right by campus...mush..ever think of moving to northern va??

[waterboi]

we need one in fairfax virginia. we have one but the owners are a bunch of rip off theives. and its mediocre (crap service so so hookah) need one right by campus...mush..ever think of moving to northern va??

Mush, or Bham?

[guyt]

We have tons of them in Nor Cal, but very few a really worth the money.

[Sonthert]

Hello all,

I'm trying to open a hookah lounge here in San Diego. Originally I wanted to open this business a little bit north of San Diego since I wanted to bring the hookah culture that was down here up to the Orange County area. But that dream has now been smashed due to a lot of strict regulations north of the county. I was wondering if there are any hookah lounge owners on the forum posting? I just wanted to get some insights on to how you over came the barriers that were set forth by the city/county. Though there are less limitations and restrictions here, the city is still pretty tough on the issue. Same goes for the landlords for the complexes that I've been looking into. Just about everyone I spoke with today (roughly looked at 16 locations) no one wanted to entertain my business plan of opening a smoking lounge...

The city/county itself is divided up into soo many sections that at times I don't know where to run for questions regarding zoning and ordinances issues. I go to city hall they tell me to go somewhere else. Or I would drive to different city halls to ask if the city would even entertain a hookah lounge only to get rejected. Why can't these people not answer these simple questions over the telephone instead of making me drive 30mins - an hours worth of time just to get rejected in my first minute there speaking to them?

I am really trying to make this work and I am doing my best to cope with everything that is going on.

I am really just here looking for some knowledge...how did you guys get started? Did you encounter as much problems as I have? Is there something that I'm doing wrong? What type of questions and to whom should I be asking? I am sorry for the long post, I just had to vent. Today and yesterday has almost been a complete waste. I drove from San Diego all the way to Oceanside (40 minute drive) only to get deny then from there drove to Escondido (35 minutes from Oceanside) only to get deny. Today I looked at a bunch of locations all over the city only to find out that the owners do not want to entertain such a business…I mean do people really discriminate against smoking that much? Is it really that big of an issue to where even the brokers don’t want to help you find a location….



Any insights as to how you got started would really help. I am still very interested in doing this and with this learning experience I am only getting stronger and better understanding the circumstances that stand against me as I proceed to open my business.



Thank you very much for your time in reading my post, I appreciate every bit of it. I look forward to hearing your replies.

I can help you, I've been in business 4 years and I'm in San Diego.

PM me.

[waterboi]

Hello all,

I'm trying to open a hookah lounge here in San Diego. Originally I wanted to open this business a little bit north of San Diego since I wanted to bring the hookah culture that was down here up to the Orange County area. But that dream has now been smashed due to a lot of strict regulations north of the county. I was wondering if there are any hookah lounge owners on the forum posting? I just wanted to get some insights on to how you over came the barriers that were set forth by the city/county. Though there are less limitations and restrictions here, the city is still pretty tough on the issue. Same goes for the landlords for the complexes that I've been looking into. Just about everyone I spoke with today (roughly looked at 16 locations) no one wanted to entertain my business plan of opening a smoking lounge...

The city/county itself is divided up into soo many sections that at times I don't know where to run for questions regarding zoning and ordinances issues. I go to city hall they tell me to go somewhere else. Or I would drive to different city halls to ask if the city would even entertain a hookah lounge only to get rejected. Why can't these people not answer these simple questions over the telephone instead of making me drive 30mins - an hours worth of time just to get rejected in my first minute there speaking to them?

I am really trying to make this work and I am doing my best to cope with everything that is going on.

I am really just here looking for some knowledge...how did you guys get started? Did you encounter as much problems as I have? Is there something that I'm doing wrong? What type of questions and to whom should I be asking? I am sorry for the long post, I just had to vent. Today and yesterday has almost been a complete waste. I drove from San Diego all the way to Oceanside (40 minute drive) only to get deny then from there drove to Escondido (35 minutes from Oceanside) only to get deny. Today I looked at a bunch of locations all over the city only to find out that the owners do not want to entertain such a business…I mean do people really discriminate against smoking that much? Is it really that big of an issue to where even the brokers don't want to help you find a location….



Any insights as to how you got started would really help. I am still very interested in doing this and with this learning experience I am only getting stronger and better understanding the circumstances that stand against me as I proceed to open my business.



Thank you very much for your time in reading my post, I appreciate every bit of it. I look forward to hearing your replies.

I can help you, I've been in business 4 years and I'm in San Diego.

PM me.

Want to spread your busines this way?

[mrconfident]

I'm looking at all sorts of locations. For the most part of it, I do know that most cities/counties in California will regulate opening a "Smoking Lounge/Tobacco shop" within 1000 feet of any childcare center, schools etc....I'm looking for locations near Marine base, military base, air force base, beaches, college areas etc...And so far, most the locations I've looked at either, the city will permit but the property owners won't entertain such businesses...or vice versa. It is soo hard.......!!!!

[mrconfident]

Hello all,

I'm trying to open a hookah lounge here in San Diego. Originally I wanted to open this business a little bit north of San Diego since I wanted to bring the hookah culture that was down here up to the Orange County area. But that dream has now been smashed due to a lot of strict regulations north of the county. I was wondering if there are any hookah lounge owners on the forum posting? I just wanted to get some insights on to how you over came the barriers that were set forth by the city/county. Though there are less limitations and restrictions here, the city is still pretty tough on the issue. Same goes for the landlords for the complexes that I've been looking into. Just about everyone I spoke with today (roughly looked at 16 locations) no one wanted to entertain my business plan of opening a smoking lounge...

The city/county itself is divided up into soo many sections that at times I don't know where to run for questions regarding zoning and ordinances issues. I go to city hall they tell me to go somewhere else. Or I would drive to different city halls to ask if the city would even entertain a hookah lounge only to get rejected. Why can't these people not answer these simple questions over the telephone instead of making me drive 30mins - an hours worth of time just to get rejected in my first minute there speaking to them?

I am really trying to make this work and I am doing my best to cope with everything that is going on.

I am really just here looking for some knowledge...how did you guys get started? Did you encounter as much problems as I have? Is there something that I'm doing wrong? What type of questions and to whom should I be asking? I am sorry for the long post, I just had to vent. Today and yesterday has almost been a complete waste. I drove from San Diego all the way to Oceanside (40 minute drive) only to get deny then from there drove to Escondido (35 minutes from Oceanside) only to get deny. Today I looked at a bunch of locations all over the city only to find out that the owners do not want to entertain such a business…I mean do people really discriminate against smoking that much? Is it really that big of an issue to where even the brokers don't want to help you find a location….



Any insights as to how you got started would really help. I am still very interested in doing this and with this learning experience I am only getting stronger and better understanding the circumstances that stand against me as I proceed to open my business.



Thank you very much for your time in reading my post, I appreciate every bit of it. I look forward to hearing your replies.

I can help you, I've been in business 4 years and I'm in San Diego.

PM me.

Hey Sonthert,

I sent cha a PM, not sure if you received it or not. Just wanted to get in contact with you, whenever you have some time, please drop me a message. Thanks alot buddy, talk to you soon.

[Bulldog_916]

You have to put it into words they can understand. It has to be lucrative for them. Try to get them to think about the business how you think of it. Even if it's only a few minutes, pitch them some numbers, surveys, etc. It isnt that they think the business is bad, they just dont know that it's lucrative at all. Most of these guys are blue hairs or dont even know what a hookah is. Gather some numbers from the areas you are looking at, then re-pitch it to them.

[dude3516]

I know we need a good priced lounge in orlando, they charge per hose, not per head, and even a single hoser is $12, I mean if I'm payin $12 I atleast want a two hoser.

[mrconfident]

I've always considered that when speaking with these people. A lot of my buddies are telling me the same thing....I will be trying to contact the city of san diego again for some more information. Hopefully they will help me out this time....Just need to be consistance and bug them

[nicayotte]

Show them the culture behind it and how it can not only benifit you but benifit them in return. Just my 2 cents