Layout & Atmostphere For Hookah Bar?

[PhxKarma]

I am looking to get some input from the community about what you prefer when you go to hookah bars.

What do you prefer when you go to a hookah bar? Do you like to sit in bar style chairs, or lower to the ground in couches/loveseats? Do you prefer a middle-eastern theme, or more of a modern feel, or a mix of both?

I have an idea for vip booths, where you can rent these rooms by the hour, the rate will include the hookah, shisha, coals, drinks, and maybe a few other things, I am even considering putting TV's in each of the rooms, letting them control it.

I made a basic layout of what I am thinking for seating, what do you guys think? (2000 sq ft)



The sectioned off rooms are the vip areas, I might just seperate them by a wall, or heavy curtains. Edited February 3, 2009 by PhxKarma

[Victim026]

I am looking to get some input from the community about what you prefer when you go to hookah bars.

What do you prefer when you go to a hookah bar? Do you like to sit in bar style chairs, or lower to the ground in couches/loveseats? Do you prefer a middle-eastern theme, or more of a modern feel, or a mix of both?

I have an idea for vip booths, where you can rent these rooms by the hour, the rate will include the hookah, shisha, coals, drinks, and maybe a few other things, I am even considering putting TV's in each of the rooms, letting them control it.

I made a basic layout of what I am thinking for seating, what do you guys think? (2000 sq ft)



The sectioned off rooms are the vip areas, I might just seperate them by a wall, or heavy curtains.

Right now the place looks really cluttered, you need to space things out more so you can allow your servers access to all of those tables. I would go for a middle eastern theme, as for the rest I've seen good bars with all of the above but would probably prefer comfy couches and chairs above anything.

[PhxKarma]

Right now the place looks really cluttered, you need to space things out more so you can allow your servers access to all of those tables. I would go for a middle eastern theme, as for the rest I've seen good bars with all of the above but would probably prefer comfy couches and chairs above anything.

There is enough space between everything to fit easily, you could fit between anything without trying, I measured it all out.

I might theme each vip room different, like have a rasta room, a black-light room, and maybe a red room.

[NIGHTS OF BAGHDAD]

i like the layout, but i think you'd do well to have 2 sections, one for modern and one for that middle-eastern theme..you never know what kind of mood the customers are in..also i myself like to sit lower..not on my butt..but lower then bar stools..

[Tyler]

http://www.aladdinstallahassee.com/

That's the hookah bar I used to go to every day in Tallahassee. Very comfortable. It had 4 different rooms each decorated differently yet had a common theme which tied them all together. They used Tray Tables in the bigger rooms for Laptops and teas and scuh and it worked out wonderfully. By far the best hookah bar I've been to and I'm currently sitting in #29 (which is horrible, $11 for a small bowl of AF Orange-Melon mix, ghetto as hell, and horrible music, please play some Arabic music!).

[PhxKarma]

I might split the main area into two seperate rooms, with different themes, that is a good idea.

[K1024]

you gave up on the pool tables?

i like it assuming theres enough space. i would keep alot of the tables bigger so that people with laptops can put them there without fighting the hookah for space. for that matter put plugs everywhere to attract said people with laptops.

what is the very bottom right area?

[Rocinante]

http://www.aladdinstallahassee.com/

That's the hookah bar I used to go to every day in Tallahassee. Very comfortable. It had 4 different rooms each decorated differently yet had a common theme which tied them all together. They used Tray Tables in the bigger rooms for Laptops and teas and scuh and it worked out wonderfully. By far the best hookah bar I've been to and I'm currently sitting in #29 (which is horrible, $11 for a small bowl of AF Orange-Melon mix, ghetto as hell, and horrible music, please play some Arabic music!).

I've been to Aladdins with my cousins who live there and it was a really nice set up, probably one of the best looking hookah bars ive been to.

[Stuie]

I am just throwing this out there...but your prep/non seating area looks WAY undersized. Just a thought. I imagine a busy night and you don't have enough room for clean and dirty hookahs and it might get out of hand. Just something to keep in mind.

[soldier92]

I agree that there doesn't look like enough space. And I also think that couches, or big chairs, are better than bar stools.

Personally I don't like the VIP rooms thing but I don't know how other people would feel about it, I would feel scammed paying extra for a little room with a blacklight personally.

[K1024]

i think the vip rooms are more about it just being you and your friends and not having to worry about everyone else...

[soldier92]

That makes sense. What I meant I guess is that they shouldn't each have some sort of gimmick, they should just be a more private section so that people aren't bothered by others, I don't think they need things like blacklights or tvs.

I would go for a middle-eastern look. I think it's more comfortable and appropriate than the modern, strobe lights and terrible music bologna.

[Voski]

You can go with one coed bathroom to save room. And that way you can wrap the bar around since there won't be a wall if you remove one bathroom. The bottom left looks to cluttered, I wouldn't want to sit that close to random people.

[Nikon1323]

i agree with everyone else the bottom left does look clutter....the biggest thing i can tell you is to VENTILATE the place well.....the one thing that annoys me most is how un-ventilated most bars are and you just get a stomachache or a headache.... and if you looking for a good theme...go with it all have some sections with pillows on the ground with a middle eastern style and other areas with nice lounge couches....but yea best to do is a good amount of room so groups can kind of stick to their own if they really want to......

[f22a4bandit]

I think that the layout is nice, but I definitely agree that there needs to be more space. I generally find that people want a little more separation from other customers, giving them a more relaxed feel rather than being cramped and feeling that people just go there to be seen, at least from what I've experienced. Just clean up the layout a bit more and you'll have yourself a top notch design.

[JDHarding]

I'd do a Japanese 'Zen' motif, but that's just me. I think that sleek, clean Japanese look is cool. Everybody sits on the wood floor on giant pillows or something surrounding a low table with the hookah on it. Bamboo and rice paper walls and seperators.

But then again the walls might catch fire.. boo..

[inino]

depends on location. if you are in a college town, then a dance floor and dj will probably triple or quadruple your business. low couches are great on the edges and tables and chairs in the middle. if you play middle eastern music, as sad as it sounds, nobody will come. i like the idea of those private rooms, but i dont know about charging people for them.

[newjacksm]

People play middle eastern music where I go and there is a lot of people in there.

[PhxKarma]

I am not charging for the room, I am just going to sell the room as a package, you get the specialty hookah (mya frost or km) with a phunnel bowl, so you get more shiha, and plus you get 4 drinks and a spot to chill privately with your buddys. If I do not sell it well, they will just be extra areas to sit.

[Victim026]

I am not charging for the room, I am just going to sell the room as a package, you get the specialty hookah (mya frost or km) with a phunnel bowl, so you get more shiha, and plus you get 4 drinks and a spot to chill privately with your buddys. If I do not sell it well, they will just be extra areas to sit.

And how much are you intending to charge for these rooms?

[joytron]

where are you gonna keep all the hookahs you arent using at the beginning of the night?

[Zinite]

where are you gonna keep all the hookahs you arent using at the beginning of the night?

Good point. Need a storage area for hookahs, coals, shisha, and drinks

[PhxKarma]

That is what the office on the side of the bar is for. Its a 8x10 room, enough for a small desk and a few storage racks.

[joytron]

where are you gonna keep all the hookahs you arent using at the beginning of the night?

Good point. Need a storage area for hookahs, coals, shisha, and drinks

Im kinda confused, the way i see it you need somewhere to keep all the hookahs, clean the hookahs, and pack bowls. Do you plan on doing all that in the room? Also /i would suggest having less VIP rooms, maybe even only one. Consider it as groups of four, what percentage of the people are gonna be using the VIP rooms. I like the idea of having a package and not jsut renting the rooms out that way if its crowded you could use those rooms for regular people and keep one room available in case you sell a vip package.

I llike the idea of the zen or middle eastern theme.


Good speakers are a must. Have you thought about doing different types of music night? (Like a reggae night or a downtempo night etc.)

You should also have happy hour, like cheaper bowls early in the night so that you maintain a good stream of people the whole time.

[PhxKarma]

I was thinking of doing a early bird type of deal, if you come before 6pm you get $2 off or something.

I have the bar for all the packing and everything, there will be sinks, lots of shelves for the hookahs, etc.