How to open a bar: Some tips

Open a bar: Do you want to feel like at home while you work? Make your own space by opening a successful bar!
In this guide I will give you useful information to start this stimulating activity!

open a bar

Choice of location
It is essential that your customers can see and find your place, so you need to evaluate:

if your target passes in front of us, at what times and with which dynamics
what kind of traffic is in place (ex: the station is a crowded place and attracts every type of client)
how to see the room from the outside: the customer, unconsciously, tends to enter more willingly into a bar where he sees well inside
Requirements
Opening a bar means setting up a business, and then becoming an entrepreneur.
Opening the VAT number, identifying the most suitable company form and registering the company with the Business Register will be the first three steps in which it is best to rely on an accountant.

Then you need a property that must be up to standard, that is, in order with regards to licenses and requirements that are often imposed by local legislation (Municipal or Regional).
The same applies if you choose to acquire an existing bar, because you cannot take it for granted.

Bureaucratic steps

Open a bar


presentation to the Municipality of the form for communication of commencement of activity including the required attachments (data of the owner, company, opening hours, viability, ASL compliance, etc.);
request to the municipality for authorization to display the sign;
request to the Revenue Agency for authorization for retail sales of spirits;
payment of SIAE rights for the dissemination of music and images;
request for fire certification to the Fire Brigade (only for premises of size equal to or greater than 450 square meters)
Personal requirements
Having successfully attended professional courses, established or recognized by the regions or autonomous provinces, regarding the activity of food and beverage administration, obtaining the SAB and HACCP certificate, the first required only for the entrepreneur or for one of the members, while the second is mandatory for all the personnel assigned to the preparation or the service.
Alternatively, it is sufficient to have a suitable qualification, such as the hotel certificate.

Costs to Open a bar

Thinking of starting your own business without planning is a suicide, an action that will most likely lead you to bankruptcy or otherwise lose money.

So don’t overlook the business plan!
In this document you will have to mark all the items of expense that you will have to face in view of the opening of your bar: not only what regards the more concrete aspects, but also those related to the fulfillment of the Italian bureaucratic requests.

In the case of the purchase of a bar that has already started, you will need to purchase the license, the value of which will depend on the turnover.

You can also evaluate the opening of a franchise, which can be convenient in terms of visibility and guarantee to customers.

Rent

Open a bar
The cost of a bar depends mainly on the size and location.
In fact, one of the heaviest costs is just the rent, together with the utilities and staff. I value around 50 thousand euros.

Similarly, if you decide to take over a pre-existing room, the sum to be paid to the previous owner can be around 100-200 thousand euros, even if it can be paid in installments against an advance.
At this expense we must then add the notary’s fee, as well as the compensation of the mediator (about 2% of the sum) for a total of 7-8 thousand euros.

Tools and consumables

Open a bar
To take into consideration:

  • A professional coffee machine, which can cost more than 2 thousand euros
  • Oven: 500 euros
  • Chopper: 18 euros and blender: 10 euros
  • Refrigerators-freezers: 2 thousand euros
  • Sink: € 150.
  • Cash register: 600 euros
  • Dishwasher: 600 euros
  • Slicer: 150 euros
  • Ice chop 50 euros
  • What else is needed to open a bar?

What else?

  • 2 Shakers: € 20.
  • 100 normal glasses: 250 €.
  • 70 Cocktail glasses: € 560.
  • 50 Coffee cups: € 75.
  • 40 dishes: 60 €.
  • 300 Packs Napkins: 300 €.


And as for the furnishings:

  • 40 chairs: 2,300 euros
  • 10 stools: 160 euros
  • 10 tables: 500 euros
  • 1 counter: 25 thousand euros


Management costs

Open a bar
The main ones are:

  • staff
  • Utilities
  • Raw material
  • Insurance policies

Bar management

Open a bar

By “bar management” I mean everything that revolves around offering the customer service.

It is essential to speed up and optimize this process.
But for this you can feel comfortable: with our management software Ristomanager you can:

  1. manage the tables
  2. keep memory of orders
  3. manage warehouse stocks

What are you waiting for to provide an efficient service? Try Ristomanager for free

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