Advice with landlords & brokers

[Sundown]

Hello again night owls. I'm in the stage of looking for a place to open my beer, wine and martini lounge. I'm looking to lease a place with a min of 2,500sq.ft. Idealy I would like 3,000sq.ft. and no more than 3,300sq.ft.. Here in California I'm looking at about 2.25per/ft. with .50 NNN. I've done my research and the space I'm currently looking at used to be retail locations. Actually they are 2 different areas next to each other and the landlord plans on removing the wall to make one big space. I know I will ask the landlord to supply the plumbing I need for the lounge. Is there anything else I should ask for the landlord to do? Most of you know as well that I have to wait 60-90 days for my alcohol license so should I ask for some kind of lower rent during that time period? I'm also dealing with a commercial broker who is charging me 4% of the lease. I need any advice and recommendations from all you vets out there please. I don't want to go into negotiations looking like dumb arse for them to take advantage of. Thank you all in advance and thanks again for all the past advice. I took all of it to heart and practice.

Sundown

[ca. club owner]

If you are getting the place from scratch, from the way this reads. I would really make sure you can get your LIQ. LIC.. And it may take alot longer than 60 to 90 days. You could be waiting a year. Down here is San Diego they just had this big ass thing in the paper with people who had been waiting 8 an 9 months. They had there place all done an was paying rent every month. An could not open up because they had no LIC. An just about lost everything throwing money away every month waiting. Because there is nothing you can do but just wait... Getting one is a real trick nowdays. Just be very open minded to the length of time it can take to get one. An make sure you have enough cash to hold you if your place finishes an you dont have it yet. Thats the best thing I can tall you at the moment. Everything else is pretty simple. They are not in a real hurry to issue them out from the way I see it out here in CA... Good Luck hope everything works out, let me know when you open. I am all ways running up an down the freeway to LA would be glad to stop in a spend some money..

[Sundown]

Thanks CAClubOwner! Where I am opening one up is a designated entertainment zone so I don't forsee any trouble with the liq. license. From what I am told by the ABC here is that I have to have a place already rented and then have to go through a broker first to get my license. So there is no real way to get your liq. license first because a broker won't even talk to you unless you have a place already. It's such a huge gamble. Then again from what I read so far being a bar/nightclub owner is. I am not sure how much they are going for in San Diego but I'm hoping I can land one for about 60k but I am prepared to pay about 80k for it. This is in LA County and what the ABC here is telling me what they go for. If things don't work out with it plan B is to get a type 42 liq. lic. (beer & wine only) until I can obtain a type 48 liq.lic. Anyhow, thank again for your advice and support! If anyone else has any suggestions please I am open to everything.

[ca. club owner]

Yea I understand that, why not get a #47. Or you are not planning on serveing anykind of food. Because I hate to say it, last I checked. An I could be wrong. But last time I checked into it, they were not issueing out anymore #48 in the whole state of CA. They want places to serve food as well as drinks. You might want to check into it.. As far as the cost its hard to say, I have seen some in the paper for like 25k. Resturant closeing down owner saleing his Lic. etc.. There is a way if you get a different number Lic. an have it changed I had a long meeting with ABC on going about doing it. But double check into that. Because I was told no more #48's were being sold...

[teenclub]

less than 3 bucks a square? thats per MONTh not year right?

[40 Thieves]

I would say if you really want to do it and you've seen a need you can fill in your area go for it. $3/sqft shouldn't break your bank if you gotta fork a couple months till you get your license. If it does might wanna save up for a little while longer ;)

[j0hn0]

Hey Sundown good luck with your endeavor - I've been trying to open a place in downtown LA for a while now. Just FYI, my research and discussions with my expediter tell me you need to file your Conditional Use Permit for the alcohol, no matter what license you get, and the C.U.P. takes 6-8 months minimum. So, unless you're already picking up an existing bar space, you're going to have to wait 6-8 months to serve booze. At least in downtown, there's no way around this.

If you explain this you might get the landlord to agree to a nice price and/or participating in development - like getting the building up to code, HVAC, etc. while you wait. Me, I'm desperately searching for an existing bar. Let me know how it goes with you!
-j :D