Lucky 13s
05-04-2003, 04:39 PM
First of all, hello!
I live in Portland Maine, but am originally from San Diego. Portland has an 'Old Port' that is Maine's equivilant to the Gaslamp district in San Diego. All the bars and clubs are centered in the area, which is very touristy. Everything is within walking distance & the area is popular year-round with the local college kids (8 campuses within 20 miles!). In the summer time, it's simply loaded with people. This is Maine's party spot. The problem is that there is nothing new or different here. All the bars are relatively normal & the only dance club to speak of is an over-priced dinky little crap-hole. Yet people go because there isn't anywhere else to go unless you drive an hour and a half South into New Hampshire!
I have an opportunity to rent a 3,200 sq. ft property in the middle of the Old Port that is zoned appropriately for bars. It's in a great location, and I have the money for the rent, as well as the needed money for establishing a Corp. I don't, however, have money for a liquor license & initial start-up costs, which means I need a partner, no way around it. I also don't know how long it might take to obtain a liquor license. I realize I'm going to need a steel-trap contract if I expect to make any money and keep my part of the business.
I have dealt with customer service for several years & know that the better you treat your employees, the better service they provide for your customers. The better service your customers get, the more they want to come back, & the more money they spend. This area is a gold mine, but nobody has tapped it. I intend to do everything I can to at least try. I have some great ideas and certainly will put forth more effort to make my patrons happy that anyone else around here seems to.
Can anyone point me at some resources for business building, initial costs, & ways to find potential investors? Additionally, if on the off chance anyone knows a good law firm that operates in Southern Maine, please let me know. Any advice is appreciated. I've read most of the posts here, & have learned quite a bit. Thanks.
I live in Portland Maine, but am originally from San Diego. Portland has an 'Old Port' that is Maine's equivilant to the Gaslamp district in San Diego. All the bars and clubs are centered in the area, which is very touristy. Everything is within walking distance & the area is popular year-round with the local college kids (8 campuses within 20 miles!). In the summer time, it's simply loaded with people. This is Maine's party spot. The problem is that there is nothing new or different here. All the bars are relatively normal & the only dance club to speak of is an over-priced dinky little crap-hole. Yet people go because there isn't anywhere else to go unless you drive an hour and a half South into New Hampshire!
I have an opportunity to rent a 3,200 sq. ft property in the middle of the Old Port that is zoned appropriately for bars. It's in a great location, and I have the money for the rent, as well as the needed money for establishing a Corp. I don't, however, have money for a liquor license & initial start-up costs, which means I need a partner, no way around it. I also don't know how long it might take to obtain a liquor license. I realize I'm going to need a steel-trap contract if I expect to make any money and keep my part of the business.
I have dealt with customer service for several years & know that the better you treat your employees, the better service they provide for your customers. The better service your customers get, the more they want to come back, & the more money they spend. This area is a gold mine, but nobody has tapped it. I intend to do everything I can to at least try. I have some great ideas and certainly will put forth more effort to make my patrons happy that anyone else around here seems to.
Can anyone point me at some resources for business building, initial costs, & ways to find potential investors? Additionally, if on the off chance anyone knows a good law firm that operates in Southern Maine, please let me know. Any advice is appreciated. I've read most of the posts here, & have learned quite a bit. Thanks.