SteakGrisel
Well-Known Member
I could really use some help opening a Brew shop! I live near 2 brew shops and the prices are crazy high. I need to fight the man!
Yet another I want to open a brew shop thread
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TopherM
Well-Known Member
+1 to this. I'd rather open in an underserved area than an overserved area. High prices either means they have very FEW customers, or WAY too many. If they aren't absolutely packed when you are there, then there's your answer.
barneygumble
Well-Known Member
I know how the OP feels tho. I wanted to open an adult full nudity brew pub. Talk about red tape.
landshark
HMFIC
I know how the OP feels tho. I wanted to open an adult full nudity brew pub. Talk about red tape.
You need to move to a county with no Zoning....
Come to think of it, I know where one is.
There is an older abandoned church for sale. We'll have our serving area and a stage already installed for us. Hardwood floors too!
barneygumble
Well-Known Member
Sounds like a plan! I was thinking about naming it after that old Zappa song!
OP
OP
SteakGrisel
Well-Known Member
I need a plan.................Gosh my situation blows.
I seriously considered opening an LHBS. I live on an island with heavy tolls on every bridge. Our only close-by LHBS' are in Brooklyn or NJ. The ones in BK are great, and I work in Brooklyn so the tolls are a wash, but there is certainly a market here for an LHBS. NYC is much more mom and pop oriented than many people would realize. Chain restaurants and stores are the exception here (restaurants especially). Local is good and it works. In a place where driving 5 miles can easily take 45 min, having a store nearby is very important.
Some light research led me to a few points:
1. It's a low start up cost business. Basically just location and some inventory. If you go light on the equipment at first, start-up costs are nothing compared to other businesses. As for location, you really just need a storefront and some shelves and a table, both of which can be built cheaply. The only necessary "expensive" equipment is a computer or two, a fridge, and a mill.
2. There is very little, if any, permitting involved. NYC requires some stuff, but I bet many other locations require nothing beyond the basic business paperwork and a little insurance.
3. Employees? Maybe one? Hours? Doesn't even have to be open for the entire day. Being that an LHBS is a narrowly targeted business, limited hours are acceptable. This is huge because it means an LHBS can be run as a side job. My LHBS of choice started out with very limited hours and prospered to the point that they now have a great store in a high rent neighborhood with multiple employees and full hours. Better to test the waters to see what the market requires before jumping in full-bore.
Handled correctly, I feel that running an LHBS is much more desirable than being involved in actual brewing. I know that some people just have that passion for putting their beer into other people's hands, and good on them, but I don't. To me, it's about bottom line, and an LHBS seems like a much more practical brewing-related business to get involved in.
Some light research led me to a few points:
1. It's a low start up cost business. Basically just location and some inventory. If you go light on the equipment at first, start-up costs are nothing compared to other businesses. As for location, you really just need a storefront and some shelves and a table, both of which can be built cheaply. The only necessary "expensive" equipment is a computer or two, a fridge, and a mill.
2. There is very little, if any, permitting involved. NYC requires some stuff, but I bet many other locations require nothing beyond the basic business paperwork and a little insurance.
3. Employees? Maybe one? Hours? Doesn't even have to be open for the entire day. Being that an LHBS is a narrowly targeted business, limited hours are acceptable. This is huge because it means an LHBS can be run as a side job. My LHBS of choice started out with very limited hours and prospered to the point that they now have a great store in a high rent neighborhood with multiple employees and full hours. Better to test the waters to see what the market requires before jumping in full-bore.
Handled correctly, I feel that running an LHBS is much more desirable than being involved in actual brewing. I know that some people just have that passion for putting their beer into other people's hands, and good on them, but I don't. To me, it's about bottom line, and an LHBS seems like a much more practical brewing-related business to get involved in.
Grinder12000
Well-Known Member
Sorry I thought you were talking about a brew pub. Lol Ky bad. After helping to open a nano brewery one thing to remember is that you will work 12 to 14 hours a day minimum 7 days a week for at least 4 months. Every single day. You will have to deal with so much more then brewing. From dealing with hundreds of salesmen on what potato chips to by to constantly hiring new employees while YOU wait on tables.
Your day will normally start about 10:00am to midnight. After 4+ months you might get one day off a week BUT you will feel guilty.
You will get emails from people that are jealous and think your brew sucks and in reality it might be average because you don't have enough beer because you are packed and you NEED beer.
You will deal with non beer things like large windows being broken at 4 in the morning by love making drunks.
If you want to make beer, become a brewer at a brewery, don't "own" a brewpub.
BUT. I know EXACTLY how you feel.
BTW. What is crazy high. $4.50 for a pint is the norm and you can't charge less if you want to pay the bills.
Remember. A liqueur license costs 15,000 and that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Your day will normally start about 10:00am to midnight. After 4+ months you might get one day off a week BUT you will feel guilty.
You will get emails from people that are jealous and think your brew sucks and in reality it might be average because you don't have enough beer because you are packed and you NEED beer.
You will deal with non beer things like large windows being broken at 4 in the morning by love making drunks.
If you want to make beer, become a brewer at a brewery, don't "own" a brewpub.
BUT. I know EXACTLY how you feel.
BTW. What is crazy high. $4.50 for a pint is the norm and you can't charge less if you want to pay the bills.
Remember. A liqueur license costs 15,000 and that is just the tip of the iceberg.
TopherM
Well-Known Member
What? Here in St. Petersburg, FL, a liquor license carries equity ownership, there are a limited number of them, and they costs more like $80-120K.
A beer and wine license is about $15-20K.
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