Own a large nightclub but want to increase revenue

[AAAgent]

So my family owns a really large private venue/club in Philadelphia. Currently, we've leased the business out to a new owner who isn't doing too swell and we're in the process of taking the club back. We are a private venue that hosts weddings, birthday party's, mexican band nights, hip hop parties (used to..they're too much trouble now because of violence), concerts, strip shows, oldies nights, etc. Basically we rent it out to whoever, whenever, and we provide a kitchen, stage, and one of the largest dance floors in the city.

Starlight Ballroom is the original name when we first opened but it was legally changed to Club Polaris. We had such a large client tele previously when we were called Starlight Ballroom that every just kept calling us that.

Anyways, we're thinking about how we can expand/increase business and one of the options thrown out there was restaurant during the day. I think we can just continue what we're doing just use technology and social media more effectively. Restaurant for such a large venue doesn't seem logical. We do have the kitchen/license for it.

Any suggestions?

 

[jammer]

have you thought of staging an after work happy hour for the professional crowd? In what kind of area are you in, is it a neighbourhood, business district, etc?

I would do a restaurant during the day, fashionable (25+) nightclub on weekends, and weddings and other special events on certain days. Maybe you can also include a salsa night.

 

[PrettyBoyAJ]

Bar/Restaurant is the first thing that comes to mind. A lot of the popular nightclubs in Atlanta and metro Atlanta are bars/restaurants during the day.

 

[jammer]

^^ agree with AJ. Just convert a part of the place into a fine dining area. And then on the weekends, people can go there too as a restaurant and then just go clubbing right afterward.

 

[AAAgent]

Have you guys google earth/mapped it...The club is HUGE. We have enough space to fit 1500 people standing.

The area is alright. Traffic is high during the day as its right next to the traffic court. The crowds around the area aren't too great. The city is about 20 blocks away so not really close and Northern Liberties, a upcoming area is about 10 blocks the other way.

REstaurant/pub doesn't seem feasible as the place is huge.

 

[Huffman]

If size is the problem, why not separate the place into one big area and a smaller one... and you will use only the small one during daytime. At nighttime you have a multi-area club.

 

[AAAgent]

I was considering that and have pitched that many times. Not sure how much construction will cost but i think they estimated 20k+ to seal up the area with retractable walls.

That's definitely a viable option then making it into a restaurant type atmosphere.

 

[Aristippus]

You could always make one small section of it a brewery. Starlight Ballroom and Brewery.

 

[Aristippus]

If everyone already calls it Starlight even though you changed the name, people will probably welcome a change back to the old name, with a slight twist.

 

[Bible_Belt]

You said you were a concert venue. I've been involved with mma events in a lot of different venues. My favorite was a Harrah's Casino and what made that place so nice was that it had giant, fold-out, retractable seating. The concept was like high school bleachers, except it was all individual padded seats. People loved it, because they got up above the crowd and could see a lot better. I've also helped put on fights in bare warehouses. One of the first things we did was built box seats up above the crowd that we could sell at a premium price. Most people don't want to get jostled around in a big crowd. They want their own reserved space, and they want to be able to see. And they'll pay more if you can meet those needs. Revenue matters more than attendance. It's always easier to make more money off less people and you can do that by investing in your venue.

 

[LiveFreeX]

You could have an Asian Invasion night where young single asian women looking for marriage get in free. Charge all the guys on the forum 20 bucks a head. You'd have a lineup out to the parking lot.

Also the opposite an all singles feminist and women's empowerment night.

 

[FairShake]

I know that area. It's kind of no-man's land between NoLibs and Fairmount. I don't think you will get a ton of foot traffic needed to get a successful restaurant business going. Not until you see the neighborhood clean up some. Not that it's dangerous, just kind of dirty and barren.

I think reaching out to a different demographic might help. Especially one underserved in Philly like MMA or an affordable all-ages concert/club spot. That would take some networking and social media reachout.

 

[d!ckmojo]

Cool thread bro~

The City of Philadelphia has got a lot of really cool historical heritage, and preppy cred. These days its a bit of a ghetto apparently, but I'm sure people in that city still yearn for the old days of class and culture that Philadelphia was renown for.

If you want to make the absolute most profit possible, you have to aim at the absolute richest, most classiest clientele.

What I would do would be to officially rename the club "Starlight Ballroom".

Then, I would renovate it out like this club in my hometown Brisbane called "Cloudland"
Check out these images of it~ http://bit.ly/UaWhL3

It is the most classy venue in town and it makes an absolute mint. Drinks and prices there are soooo expensive, yet its always absolutely packed, because its the trendiest and most awesome place to be.

All the hot chicks hang out there, because its so upmarket. And then, because that's where all the hot chicks are, all the rich suave guys go there. And then, because all the rich suave guys are there, even more hot chicks go there, and its like a virtuous spiral that feeds on itself getting stronger and stronger and making the club owners richer and richer.

To get into the club, you have to be dressed to the nines. If you don't have a nice shirt and dinner jacket at least, you won't be let in. The more stylish you look, i.e. tie, bow tie, pocket square, etc, the better chance you have of being let in.

It feels so fresh and vibrant inside the venue, because of all the greenery and plants in there. Its almost like a conservatory inside there. In fact, that's exactly what its like, a full conservatory with the most epically stylish decour and packed with smoking hot chicks.

Aim for the upper class clientele. Be discerning, be discriminating. Appeal to the whitest, preppiest, richest, classiest demographic at the expense of all else.

Thus you can succeed.

 

[d!ckmojo]

Because its called "The Starlight Ballroom", run a Masquerade Ball and make it a grand event, like "'Le Bal oriental", "The Party Of The Century".

http://thefrenchsampler.blogspot.com.au/2011/08/party-of-century.html

 

[AAAgent]

we don't aim for the upperclass clientele because most of the time, promoters can't pack our place enough to make the party seem popping (unless its a hip hop event). We are a private venue so we don't have to advertise and market our events as that takes alot of work. Hosting our own events does seem like it'd be a great idea but you have to understand that Starlight is extremely large. One of the largest (I believe we advertise "The Largest) dance floors in philadelphia.

We stand 1500 people.

 

[Vantagepoint34]

So my family owns a really large private venue/club in Philadelphia. Currently, we've leased the business out to a new owner who isn't doing too swell and we're in the process of taking the club back. We are a private venue that hosts weddings, birthday party's, mexican band nights, hip hop parties (used to..they're too much trouble now because of violence), concerts, strip shows, oldies nights, etc. Basically we rent it out to whoever, whenever, and we provide a kitchen, stage, and one of the largest dance floors in the city.

Address is below for you to google it and take a look.

467 North 9th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
its called the Starlight Ballroom or Club polaris.

Starlight Ballroom is the original name when we first opened but it was legally changed to Club Polaris. We had such a large client tele previously when we were called Starlight Ballroom that every just kept calling us that.

Anyways, we're thinking about how we can expand/increase business and one of the options thrown out there was restaurant during the day. I think we can just continue what we're doing just use technology and social media more effectively. Restaurant for such a large venue doesn't seem logical. We do have the kitchen/license for it.

Any suggestions?

Getting a Country club style kitchen would be a big step forward. Once that is constructed, think about taking your Clients to a different Location. Think of it as an expansion pack. There's my two cents.

 

[AAAgent]

We have a small restaurant style kitchen. If we turn it into a restaurant, it will probably need to be made bigger. I definitely like the partitioning idea but will also just consider hardcore social media'ing it up. My family isn't too friendly about letting anyone really take over as my dad's a control freak.

 

[Vantagepoint34]

We have a small restaurant style kitchen. If we turn it into a restaurant, it will probably need to be made bigger. I definitely like the partitioning idea but will also just consider hardcore social media'ing it up. My family isn't too friendly about letting anyone really take over as my dad's a control freak.

Sounds like a true mom and pop business. Those personally the best places to go to. Like when you ask in your hometown who makes the best pizza usually you always go to the mom and pop business.

 

[Warrior74]

This is something I told one of my clients the other day.

Q : When do you stop going to the well?
A : When the well is dry.

Q : When do you look for a new well?
A : When the first well still has water in it.

It's good that you're looking for new wells, but have you maximized the wells you have already? I'm sure you guys have some sort of brochure or flyer. Have you tried JVing (joint venturing) with the best wedding planners in the city? Tux shops, catering shops? Wedding DJs?

We do some wedding videos and one of the things we do is a swap with these people. They carry our brochures and recommend us and we do the same. Some we pay referrals, some are pretty friendly so we don't have to.

Speaking of referrals, ask for them. Go to your past clients and promoters and ask if they know anyone who would be interested in renting your space (and of course when they are coming back). I'm sure most of this stuff is 101 to you guys but until you start digging a new well, get all you can out of the one you got.