Kamran Posted May 5, 2010 Share Posted May 5, 2010 Hi everyone, I am new to the forums and have been crawling the threads for a while. Anyways I have been planning on opening a hookah bar in seattle for a couple years now. It has just been an issue of finishing school and putting together a proper plan. Another concern of mine was how to make a 'legal' hookah bar as most have been closed down over the past 5-6 years. At the moment there are 4 hookah bars I know of in the Seattle area. This is great news because the number is slowly increasing, thus giving me more optimism in opening a place up. Right now I am scoping out a smaller area of 1000-1200 square feet. I am investing more in the quality of the cafe rather than the size. I am trying to see how the rest of you financed the opening of your hookah bars . Also if you have borrowed money , who did you borrow from and what was the criteria for borrowing funds? Any help is great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatonethere Posted May 5, 2010 Share Posted May 5, 2010 This should help: [url="http://www.hookahforum.com/topic/11575-so-you-want-to-start-a-hookah-lounge-updated/page__st__80__p__438870__fromsearch__1&#entry438870"]http://www.hookahforum.com/topic/11575-so-you-want-to-start-a-hookah-lounge-updated/page__st__80__p__438870__fromsearch__1&#entry438870[/url] [url="http://www.hookahforum.com/topic/35273-is-a-hookah-bar-really-profittable/page__p__436573__fromsearch__1&#entry436573"]http://www.hookahforum.com/topic/35273-is-a-hookah-bar-really-profittable/page__p__436573__fromsearch__1&#entry436573[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcane Posted May 5, 2010 Share Posted May 5, 2010 study the smoking laws in your area and it'd help to see how the existing hookah lounges stay open too.... after that, research and good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chreees Posted May 5, 2010 Share Posted May 5, 2010 Well, I'd say to make it legal as possible so they don't shut you down anytime soon is to use herbal shisha.... but that's just no fun. Hell, I bet after they ban all the places that use real tobacco they'll be coming after the ones that use herbal because it "influences kids." Hell, I didn't know what hookah was until I moved away for college. Same for all my friends.... Government needs to stay out of parenting. Anyway, hope you find all the info you need. Good luck on your venture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delSol_si Posted May 5, 2010 Share Posted May 5, 2010 Hire Mushrat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellydancerakn Posted May 5, 2010 Share Posted May 5, 2010 [quote name='delSol_si' date='05 May 2010 - 08:03 AM' timestamp='1273071815' post='466776'] Hire Mushrat? [/quote] OMFG +1 +1 +1!!!!!!! Since I live on the otherside of puget sound it would be truly epic if i could just take the ferry and go to mush's bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamran Posted May 6, 2010 Author Share Posted May 6, 2010 [quote name='delSol_si' date='05 May 2010 - 08:03 AM' timestamp='1273071815' post='466776'] Hire Mushrat? [/quote] Who is Mushrat? Thanks for the advice folks. How many hookahs do you all think are necessary for 1000 sq ft? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fineout Posted May 6, 2010 Share Posted May 6, 2010 how many people are you planning on max? you should have at least one hookah for every two people, so take however many people you can have, divide it by two and bam...maybe add a few extras just in case you need a spare part or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellydancerakn Posted May 6, 2010 Share Posted May 6, 2010 [quote name='Kamran' date='05 May 2010 - 09:40 PM' timestamp='1273120838' post='466890'] [quote name='delSol_si' date='05 May 2010 - 08:03 AM' timestamp='1273071815' post='466776'] Hire Mushrat? [/quote] Who is Mushrat? Thanks for the advice folks. How many hookahs do you all think are necessary for 1000 sq ft? [/quote] Mushrat is the head moderator on this forum. He used to own a hookah bar, that was apparently amazing, but due to local smoking lws and fines he was forced to shut down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamran Posted May 6, 2010 Author Share Posted May 6, 2010 [quote name='fineout' date='05 May 2010 - 09:43 PM' timestamp='1273121021' post='466892'] how many people are you planning on max? you should have at least one hookah for every two people, so take however many people you can have, divide it by two and bam...maybe add a few extras just in case you need a spare part or something. [/quote] Hey fineout, I am trying to fit as many people as a 1000 venue can legally fit. I think that may be 50? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamran Posted May 6, 2010 Author Share Posted May 6, 2010 [quote name='bellydancerakn' date='05 May 2010 - 10:58 PM' timestamp='1273125483' post='466905'] [quote name='Kamran' date='05 May 2010 - 09:40 PM' timestamp='1273120838' post='466890'] [quote name='delSol_si' date='05 May 2010 - 08:03 AM' timestamp='1273071815' post='466776'] Hire Mushrat? [/quote] Who is Mushrat? Thanks for the advice folks. How many hookahs do you all think are necessary for 1000 sq ft? [/quote] Mushrat is the head moderator on this forum. He used to own a hookah bar, that was apparently amazing, but due to local smoking lws and fines he was forced to shut down. [/quote] Where was Mushrat's bar? And is he from Seattle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellydancerakn Posted May 6, 2010 Share Posted May 6, 2010 [quote name='Kamran' date='05 May 2010 - 11:36 PM' timestamp='1273127816' post='466915'] [quote name='bellydancerakn' date='05 May 2010 - 10:58 PM' timestamp='1273125483' post='466905'] [quote name='Kamran' date='05 May 2010 - 09:40 PM' timestamp='1273120838' post='466890'] [quote name='delSol_si' date='05 May 2010 - 08:03 AM' timestamp='1273071815' post='466776'] Hire Mushrat? [/quote] Who is Mushrat? Thanks for the advice folks. How many hookahs do you all think are necessary for 1000 sq ft? [/quote] Mushrat is the head moderator on this forum. He used to own a hookah bar, that was apparently amazing, but due to local smoking lws and fines he was forced to shut down. [/quote] Where was Mushrat's bar? And is he from Seattle? [/quote] He's from North Carolina Here is the thread [url="http://www.hookahforum.com/topic/37715-hookah-bliss-is-no-more/"]http://www.hookahforum.com/topic/37715-hookah-bliss-is-no-more/[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamran Posted May 6, 2010 Author Share Posted May 6, 2010 Additionally, What were the main venues you hookah lounge owners used for obtaining capital? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted May 6, 2010 Share Posted May 6, 2010 Since you clearly didn't bother to click on the links Thatonethere so handily provided for you above. I'm Mushrat, the Admin for the forum. Read the threads and THEN try asking questions. No use asking for help if you aren't going to TAKE it now is there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff_T Posted May 6, 2010 Share Posted May 6, 2010 Not sure how much you've looked into the smoking laws in WA, but I don't think it's very easy to open a lounge around here. I also thought that the hookah lounges that were in Seattle have all closed... I don't have any personal experience with this, but I'd highly suggest looking more into the laws/hiring a lawyer to help you out before you dive in head first (don't want to be throwing money into something that will go nowhere). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchard Posted May 6, 2010 Share Posted May 6, 2010 [quote name='Jeff_T' date='06 May 2010 - 06:38 AM' timestamp='1273153128' post='466942'] I also thought that the hookah lounges that were in Seattle have all closed... . [/quote] Nope. We've still got Majles on Capitol Hill (on 12th) and Nightowl in the U-District (on Roosevelt I think). I heard there was another somewhere near the U that opened up recently, as well as one in Bellevue or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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