Whorsquini Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Hi everyone. I'm going to be opening a hookah lounge in early September called The Crimson Lion. I live in Wilkes-Barre PA (Northeast PA) and I'm opening the lounge right off of a college campus (there's also another one 2 miles away). The total student population will be around 5,000 and I'll have around 1,450 square feet of space. Smoking laws prohibit me form selling food that would amount to over 20% of revenue, but the place I'm leasing is divided into two areas, so i could serve food on one side and have smoking on the other. This is a small startup so if I average 15 session a day (2 people per hookah $10 a session) I make out OK. I'll also be selling coffee (I guarantee the best in the area), bagged snacks (food will come later if I can get around the law with the other side of my store), and unique soft-drinks. I don't plan on serving alcohol becasue of the license cost and hassle, and I'm considering letting people order food at first where I will pay for delivery if they spend so much in my store. I'll also be using the same vendor in NC as Mushrat (BTW, can I get the same shisha supplies as he does [http://www.hookahbliss.com/?page_id=5] or does he get specialty stock in addition to the NC vendor?). Does anyone have any advice on things I may be missing or any ideas to add to it? So far my startup is only costing me $15k and I have the money in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giant Ninja Robot Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 ATMOSPHEREEEEE!!!!! The thing that will keep me from frequenting a place is a shoddy and plain atmosphere. Hookah is all about a sensory experience so I would recommend really going for the gusto with the interior design. Set yourself apart so that people want to come bcak and see you for a unique and cool experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whorsquini Posted July 29, 2009 Author Share Posted July 29, 2009 QUOTE (giant ninja robot @ Jul 29 2009, 12:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>ATMOSPHEREEEEE!!!!! The thing that will keep me from frequenting a place is a shoddy and plain atmosphere. Hookah is all about a sensory experience so I would recommend really going for the gusto with the interior design. Set yourself apart so that people want to come bcak and see you for a unique and cool experience.Absolutely, I definitely plan on focusing on atmosphere. I'll also have a lot of help from people who know what they're doing. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zinite Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 How well do you know hookahs?The main problem I have with lounges is that they don't care about the hookahs. I'd pay $10 or more for a good session if the water was changed out before each use, the stem was rinsed out before each use, the hoses were assigned flavors, so that when I order mint, I get a hose that's been used with mint, and when I order berry, I get a hose that's been used with berry, etc. Also, teach your employees how to use the damn coals. 3 quick lights on a small bowl will ruin it for everyone. When I first told my mother that I bought a hookah, she was put off because she had been to a lounge at one point and she took one pull and it burned her throat. That type of experience is likely to make you not have repeat business./end rantBest of luck, this forum is a wonderful resource for casual users and lounge owners alike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whorsquini Posted July 29, 2009 Author Share Posted July 29, 2009 QUOTE (Zinite @ Jul 29 2009, 12:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>How well do you know hookahs?The main problem I have with lounges is that they don't care about the hookahs. I'd pay $10 or more for a good session if the water was changed out before each use, the stem was rinsed out before each use, the hoses were assigned flavors, so that when I order mint, I get a hose that's been used with mint, and when I order berry, I get a hose that's been used with berry, etc. Also, teach your employees how to use the damn coals. 3 quick lights on a small bowl will ruin it for everyone. When I first told my mother that I bought a hookah, she was put off because she had been to a lounge at one point and she took one pull and it burned her throat. That type of experience is likely to make you not have repeat business./end rantBest of luck, this forum is a wonderful resource for casual users and lounge owners alike.Thanks for the rant. I know enough to only use natural coals and have them going on a hotplate so customers don't have to wait very long (rotating the burning coals is also a good idea, which improves employee-customer interaction). I also know to change the water and clean everything. However, the assigning hoses to flavors is something I did not consider. Thanks for your input! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoapplesplease Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Hey I always thought a hookah bar should be like a sallad bar.Have a huge supply of tobaccos and let people set up there own bowls hookahs like a buffet.You just step in line pick a bowl cruise the tobacco pick what you want and at the end of the line theres the bar tender handiling the coals.Helping anyone who needs help.Anyways coffee,tea,and board games such as chess dominos and batgammon.and lite music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinyj316 Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 comfortable seating is a must! I've been to my fair share of hookah bars, and the ones that seem to be doing the best have the most comfortable seating areas... I'll give you two examples1) Kings Hookah Lounge in Portland, OR...Its a converted 7-11... they have pouffes, padded benches, couches, a couple high backed chairs, and they turned the entire beverage cooler into one long couch that has pillows all over it... (they took the doors off, killed the compressor, and put tube lighting gels over the fluorescent lights to create ambiance... Its in a more high class area of portland, but from what i've seen, its busy all the time2) (i forget the name) in Canton, MI...Its in a strip mall. They have very limited seating, and the seating they do have is bar stools with a couple couches and some really cheap wood chairs with low backs... there are very few pillows/cushions, everything has a cold industrial feel to it...this place is in a more high class area of canton, but its rarely busy...Sure, there are some other differences between them... (#1 uses cocos, #2 uses 3k; #1 has a great atmosphere, #2 is too modern)... but they both use KM hookahs, both primarily use starbuzz/AF/Nak, both serve really good coffee, both clean their hookahs regularly and use individual hoses for each flavor type... The prices are comparable... I think one charges $12 for starbuzz the other charges $11.50...What I'm saying is... make your place comfortable, and people will be more inclined to come back, or stay longer and order more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezter6 Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Man I miss the ol' W-B PA. I went to wilkes. My roommate went to Kings.Where's your lounge going to be?Oh - and if my ex wife comes in your lounge -- please promptly stick a hookah stem in her behind and tell her to GTFO.KTHXBAI! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom1 Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 I have relatives in the poconos, so I'd definitely come check it out. Would you be selling tobacco too by any chance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RingsMaster Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 the whole different hose for different flavor thing an be avoided if you get all washable hoses and clean them after ever use, the one think i really look for is that everything is clean and thats its comfortable to be in. i like a very calm atmosphere where i can talk to my buddies and we can just chill. something to consider would be lighting, very ambient also match that with ambient music and i think it would be a very chill place Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunsboy Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Wow.. I am moving to the US. Canada have shit for hookah spots. The best spot ever here that I have ever tried in Montreal sounds like the worst hookah hole in the US.I really want to be catered and smoke a good hookah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1v3th3ad Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 by chance do you know a red head chick that went to IUP named Shannon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjdx88 Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Please keep us updated...I will sttop by when I come up to check out the Lionshead Brewery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whorsquini Posted July 30, 2009 Author Share Posted July 30, 2009 QUOTE (jezter6 @ Jul 29 2009, 03:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Man I miss the ol' W-B PA. I went to wilkes. My roommate went to Kings.Where's your lounge going to be?Oh - and if my ex wife comes in your lounge -- please promptly stick a hookah stem in her behind and tell her to GTFO.KTHXBAI! Hahaha! I plan on signing the lease tomorrow at the place across from the old Roche car dealership (It's gone now and there's a small King's parking lot) on the corner of Main and North Street. It's also right across from the new dorm construction. I can't make any promises on the ex though. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whorsquini Posted July 30, 2009 Author Share Posted July 30, 2009 QUOTE (Tom16689 @ Jul 29 2009, 04:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I have relatives in the poconos, so I'd definitely come check it out. Would you be selling tobacco too by any chance?I'll only be selling shisha at first, but I'm definitely open to expanding to tobacco and cigars eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whorsquini Posted July 30, 2009 Author Share Posted July 30, 2009 QUOTE (mjdx88 @ Jul 30 2009, 12:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Please keep us updated...I will sttop by when I come up to check out the Lionshead BreweryI'll do my best. Look me up on Facebook and become a fan, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wilkes-Barre...02818833?ref=ts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now