MID WEST night club

[Uber]

Hello everyone.

I need some help here. Currently I am student and have 2 more years to go until I get my degree in Finance (with certificate in entrepreneurship). I want to open a night club because I think there is good money to be made and the "night clubs" around here BLOW. Then again I do live in Des Moines, Iowa.

I know this type of venture requires a lot of time and money and I am prepared for that. The few night clubs around here suck simply because there is nothing special about them. The music is bad, at best its just OK, and its just a big space with a few flashy lights. There is no techno/trance or haus music or even a dj so he could mix some dance music.

I am a bloody european so my music taste is a little different. I love dance music that pumps you up and the local clubs just play rap. Don't get me wrong rap is cool and all but for a night club we need dance music right?
I have lived here for 7 or so years so I am not sure if the average mid-west American will be into this type of music.

So there is my first question: do you think techno type music will be apealing to the average american?
I have more questions and ideas but i will post those later (not sure if anyone will even read this long ass post)

The metro area:
About 500,000 people
white =90% Black=3.8 and Hispanic= 4%
20-35year olds = about 25% of the population

[Uber]

Do you think techno type music will be apealing to the average american?

The metro area:
About 500,000 people
white =90% Black=3.8 and Hispanic= 4%
20-35year olds = about 25% of the population[/QUOTE]

[Mozatta]

As someone who lives in Des Moines, I can say no to your question. There are clubs around here that play techno, but a lot mix in other music as well. There is a reason for that. There's no demand for such a club.

[The Prof]

I agree. If you are getting a degree in finance, use that degree. Open a club later in life after you have established yourself as a savvy finance guy. I think once you get into a finance job you will see that a nightclub is not a sound investment. Unless you plan on fleecing your customers for a couple of years and selling higher than average priced drinks. There are plenty of Fly-by-Night operations that are experts at opening and closing clubs. Just because you spend a million on club does not make it a million dollar club. Do want to make millions? Then use that degree and come up with a sellable franchise idea that is family or income level oriented. If you do decide to open a club, at the very least buy the buliding and have a little brick and mortar to fall back on when the honeymoon is over. :)

[Uber]

I was thinking with mix music and special events with dj that throw in techno and that type of music. Just better then what is out here now. But mayber there is no demand for that type of music (at least around here)

Prof has a point, I have not done the full research yet on how much money there is to be made. Its just one of those things where you know it could be better.

Thx for the reply. :)

[Jhelm]

I agree with prof. Let me first say that I do not believe there is a market for Techno anywhere outside of the MAJOR metro areas. I have lived in the mid-south all my life, and I know that there just isn't a market for that type of music. Sure, plenty of people like techno, but not enough that hundreds will come to your club on a nightly basis. Sorry to be so negative. Just trying to help you out so you don't make a mistake that haunts you financially for the rest of your life.

I am actually in the process of opening up a club. I have been a bartender for 5 years now, and this is something I am passionate about. It is not about making money, although that would be nice. I believe if your heart is not 100% into it, you should do something else. Successful clubs have nothing to do with the amount of money put in, but rather the love and amount of thought that is put in. But that's just my 2 cents.

[The Event Guy]

Finance is the core foundation of establishing any business let alone a nightclub - hell, especially a nightclub. Now, if you're fly-by-nighter as The prof stated, then yeah... what's the point? But, if you're savvy with money and understand what your investment needs and feed it you could quite possibly a very succesful business owner. And always buy the property if there's other options for it's use.

Now, I really hate when people use the word "Techno" because it's usually a misinterpreted mucis genre. Is there a need for Techno in your area? I have no idea - I'm on the East Coast, but I can tell you that there is a HUGE community that love and listen to electronic music as a whole and it isn't just in the cities. Take New Hampsire, for instance, it's a techno scene is HUGE.

House music is universal and over the past 10 years or so has made it's way to the mainstream Pop radio stations. You actually hear it everyday on these stations, obviously you're not going to hear a Deep Dish or Thunderpuss remix of Madonna, but you will hear her radio edits which all have that 4/4 kick.

In any case, it sounds as if your area listens to country and hip hop, but I bet that if these clubs played some "dancier" versions of these two genres that the dancefloors would be just as packed... I bet there's more people willing to listen than you might think.

My last point is that music is supposed to spark emotions from people or even touch a nerve so Dj's play music that people like, but they also have the ability to control the tempo and "vibe" of the club. Great Dj's can bring out that emotion in you and that feeling is etched in your memory forever.

Music is magic.