cityboyyy Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 hey i was interested in opening a hookah lounge in south florida.. does anyone know what permits i need to get started ? thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IzA-Hookah Posted June 11, 2006 Share Posted June 11, 2006 Not sure about exact laws in Florida but I have read that most hookah bars have to be classified as a tobacco retailer to be legal. This means selling tobacco products like a cigar shop would including carding minors and the whole ordeal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pavlakos_politakos Posted June 11, 2006 Share Posted June 11, 2006 yeah,but its not like they ever do.at least not here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliteHookah.com Posted June 11, 2006 Share Posted June 11, 2006 If you go to your states website you can probably find some helpful information, especially from the department of taxation. Also, look up your local federal small business delevopment center office. They are free advisors that the government provides to small businesses to help them be successful and legal. Opening a hookah bar normally requires several different kinds of licenses. These include an Other Tobacco Products Sales license, as well as the same types of licenses a regular restaurant would be required to maintain. It's pretty complex and I'm not a lawyer, but I hope that helps to point you in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokintom Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 yeah i too have always kind of wanted to just open and run my open shop/lounge, i was just wondering how much that whole thing would cost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imonlyapuppet Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Roughly $30,000 to startup, it seems Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Well, my project goes beyonda simple cafe. Figure in rent, insurance, wages (including taxes,fica, etc), utilities, advertising, furnishings, paper goods, equipment (coolers, sinks, are you making food?), ingredients, (you making your food yourself, going to need an inspected kitchen). Then theres the hookahs, coals, extra bowls and vases, Ma'asell....You going to incorporate? Got an accountant? Can you figure payroll? So you take your expenses, figure them by the day, minth, and year. Then figure how much profit you are going to make by selling your stuff and renting your hookahs. See if the income comes out higher than your expenses... Ah..and permits asside, and Elite hit a good list there, what are the laws about smokign indoors in your city or town..find that out FIRST before you put any more time into planning.... That help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40thieves Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Smoking laws are crucial - make sure nothing in the pipeline will effect your business venture. Its not like you would lease a place and then be stuck with it if you couldn't smoke, but your initial investment could be lost before you're business even had a chance if a strict smoking ban goes through. Most states are more savey now and leave a window for tobacco retailers, casinos etc. Just went through the whole ordeal. Overall the most important thing is to keep the books straight - insurance - taxes - wages etc. Food/Liquor require credit checks and inspections as well as trained staff, certifications and specific appliances. A solid business plan incorporating your vision is key and needs to be written as sort of an owners manual so that you could pretty much hand it to anyone and they could run the biz. Hatch out each element and find out what is really necessary to pull it off, from licenses to lighting then go for it. Running a solid business takes a lot of falling on your face and the people that make it never give up. My lounge is a first for me but I've been in business for myself since I've been out of college in the production world so all the admin stuff that sneaks up on people is easy for me. Your SBA (small business association) for your state should provide a ton of getting started info that is necessary for you to do business in your state. Sorry for the run on... its what I do. C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthEastSmoker Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 from a pure business standpoint, sit down and come up with a good, solid, honest business plan. I'm assuming you'll need a loan from a bank or credit union for the initial startup cost. For that, you WILL need a business plan to apply for a business/small business loan from your local bank. Be honest with yourself (and the bank).. don't expect huge (or any) profits for a time when you first open. Work out expected fixed and variable operating costs, projected income, etc, etc.. Unless you've got the ca$$$h for the initial startup, you won't get anywhere without the bank's approval. 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