Taking Over A Hookah Lounge Soon, Need Some Tips Please!

[amalik91]

[color=#505050][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]So soon me and my family will be taking over a hookah lounge in lake forest and I was hoping if anyone has any tips for a beginner of the business? All tips are welcomed! [/font][/color]

[color=#505050][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]Also a big thing my family has tasked me to do is to advertise like crazy, since no one knows of this hookah lounge around here. I know I can't go out and hand out flyers about it since there are laws against that, but I'm going to be wearing T-shirts, placing an ad in the school paper, word of mouth, facebook, and twitter. Is there anything else I can do as well? I heard that I can advertise the hookah lounge as long as I don't advertise the tobacco, I can say that "It's a great place to socialize, party, and study" without mention the hookah or tobacco. Is this true?[/font][/color]

[headhunter]

[quote name='amalik91' timestamp='1349405951' post='557850']
[color=#505050]So soon me and my family will be taking over a hookah lounge in lake forest and I was hoping if anyone has any tips for a beginner of the business? All tips are welcomed! [/color]

[color=#505050]Also a big thing my family has tasked me to do is to advertise like crazy, since no one knows of this hookah lounge around here. I know I can't go out and hand out flyers about it since there are laws against that, but I'm going to be wearing T-shirts, placing an ad in the [b]school paper[/b], word of mouth, facebook, and twitter. Is there anything else I can do as well? I heard that I can advertise the hookah lounge as long as I don't advertise the tobacco, [b]I can say that "It's a great place to socialize, party, and study" without mention the hookah or tobacco[/b]. Is this true?[/color]
[/quote]

well first off what school paper? hopefully college? and secondly it depends on your area laws, if pavo is around he has a lounge so he might know and mush might too just gunna wait for them to chime in

[Santino]

Do you smoke the hookah regularly?

[Rani]

I don't believe the flyers are illegal so long as they don't indicate tobacco sales, HOWEVER, the first thing you need to do is get yourself down to City Hall and find out exactly what you can and can't do. It's easier to spend the time at the counter than it is to have to pay the fine if you make a mistake. There are several people who currently do or have owned a lounge as members, so they'll be able to answer more detailed questions. But on the legal tip.... And what you can and can't do...... Only City Hall can tell you that one.

'Rani

[amalik91]

[quote name='Santino' timestamp='1349461515' post='557908']
Do you smoke the hookah regularly?
[/quote]

Yes I do


[quote name='Rani' timestamp='1349466893' post='557914']
I don't believe the flyers are illegal so long as they don't indicate tobacco sales, HOWEVER, the first thing you need to do is get yourself down to City Hall and find out exactly what you can and can't do. It's easier to spend the time at the counter than it is to have to pay the fine if you make a mistake. There are several people who currently do or have owned a lounge as members, so they'll be able to answer more detailed questions. But on the legal tip.... And what you can and can't do...... Only City Hall can tell you that one.

'Rani
[/quote]
The hookah lounge is located in Lake Forest, but I want to advertise the lounge at my college located in Irvine. I would need to go to Irvine City Hall to find out about advertising legality right?

[Rani]

[quote name='amalik91' timestamp='1349481890' post='557940']
[quote name='Santino' timestamp='1349461515' post='557908']
Do you smoke the hookah regularly?
[/quote]

Yes I do


[quote name='Rani' timestamp='1349466893' post='557914']
I don't believe the flyers are illegal so long as they don't indicate tobacco sales, HOWEVER, the first thing you need to do is get yourself down to City Hall and find out exactly what you can and can't do. It's easier to spend the time at the counter than it is to have to pay the fine if you make a mistake. There are several people who currently do or have owned a lounge as members, so they'll be able to answer more detailed questions. But on the legal tip.... And what you can and can't do...... Only City Hall can tell you that one.

'Rani
[/quote]
The hookah lounge is located in Lake Forest, but I want to advertise the lounge at my college located in Irvine. I would need to go to Irvine City Hall to find out about advertising legality right?
[/quote]

Yep....Anywhere you're conducting business. You.gotta go by that city's rules.

'Rani

[Pavo21]

as a lounge owner here is the rules for advertising...THERE IS NONE!! unless the city comes to you directly and slaps in on the hand and says NO.

Also what lounge are you taking over. I am in Redondo Beach, I know of a couple lounges in lake forest.

[amalik91]

[quote name='Pavo21' timestamp='1349495004' post='557946']
as a lounge owner here is the rules for advertising...THERE IS NONE!! unless the city comes to you directly and slaps in on the hand and says NO.

Also what lounge are you taking over. I am in Redondo Beach, I know of a couple lounges in lake forest.
[/quote]

Hookups Hookah Lounge, we are getting in about 3 weeks.

But tell me more about the advertising, what kind of ways do you advertise (no need to tell me the hard secrets) And are you able to advertise everything? It would be awesome to make a flyer saying we have over "this and this number of flavors and combinations of Starbuzz and Al Fahker.... come to Socialize, party, and study" The lounge has a front and back where people in the front usually study and socialize and a backroom for the large groups.

[Pavo21]

well here is a copy of our flyer but..facebook twitter friends the forum
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/Blitzbolt/FlyerForprintingCBH.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/Blitzbolt/FlyerForprintingFRONTCBH.jpg[/IMG]

truely its really all you need, the word hookah should explain it all

[Matto]

If there are any bars nearby I would talk to their owners, if there's no direct competition (i.e. you're not serving alcohol) then they may be open to letting you hang flyers in their bathrooms and such.

[amalik91]

[quote name='Matto' timestamp='1349543893' post='557994']
If there are any bars nearby I would talk to their owners, if there's no direct competition (i.e. you're not serving alcohol) then they may be open to letting you hang flyers in their bathrooms and such.
[/quote]

there's 2 other lounges and all the owners hate each other basically. I've went to their lounges and it doesn't compare to the one we are taking over.

[Kathrynx]

I have a question, what is the reason your family is taking over the lounge?

You don't have to answer, but if you can see any problems the previous owners had, those are the first I would try to address in making sure you will be successful in your ventures. For instance, if the lounge has a bad history or word of mouth indicates that people didn't like the place before hand, maybe change the name of the place-it might bring "new" customers to go to the location again.

Don't overlook a simple business card, or a business card that you can stamp 10 or so times per visit so when they come over they can get a good percent off a hookah or a free bowl.

[amalik91]

[quote name='Kathrynx' timestamp='1349573427' post='558003']
I have a question, what is the reason your family is taking over the lounge?

You don't have to answer, but if you can see any problems the previous owners had, those are the first I would try to address in making sure you will be successful in your ventures. For instance, if the lounge has a bad history or word of mouth indicates that people didn't like the place before hand, maybe change the name of the place-it might bring "new" customers to go to the location again.

Don't overlook a simple business card, or a business card that you can stamp 10 or so times per visit so when they come over they can get a good percent off a hookah or a free bowl.
[/quote]

The previous owner is a family friend and the amount of money generated is good enough to take over. The previous owner has been there for 6 years and would like to move on to other businesses.

but yeah we have business cards made and we will make the stamp cards for visitors

[Urloc]

[quote name='Pavo21' timestamp='1349510402' post='557977']
well here is a copy of our flyer but..facebook twitter friends the forum
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/Blitzbolt/FlyerForprintingCBH.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/Blitzbolt/FlyerForprintingFRONTCBH.jpg[/img]

truely its really all you need, the word hookah should explain it all
[/quote]

I would change the last sentence

"Proudly serving Tangiers, Al-Fakher, Layalina and Starbuzz"

by

"Proudly serving Tangiers, Al-Fakher and Layalina (but we also have Starbuzz if you want)"