Feb 2013 Bar Business Magazine

Number 02

Rescue Effort:

Jon Taffer talks Bar rescue and previews the 2013 NcB show.

The How-To Publication

BAR BUSINE$$ February 2013

M A G A Z I N E

www.barbizmag.com

Bar Business Magazine

Herbal Awakening

The earthy flavors of tea and herbs find a way into mixology

f ebr uary 20 13

Ch

k c e

t u O m .co38 g gi g.

t if n p sh ry o . ww to

w ee S S

ENGINEERED for COMFORT. DESIGNED for MEMORIES.

COLLECTION

Left Side

Extension

Open Chaise

Tail

Visit us at Booth #823

March 19-21, 2013 Las Vegas Convention Center

BAR BUSINE$$

On Tap FEBRUARY 2013

CONTENTS

gREAT 38 ThThE ChiCAgO hiRE Chi

25

HOW TO 20

25

28

POS POWER

MOdulAR ME

ATM AgAin

There are two types of bar owners: Those who have never used POS and those who do.

Which ever you may be, there are systems that will work for your bar.

A new look in 2013 may be just the thing to refresh your venue and excite clientele. What better way to start than with an update to your modular furniture.

Keeping cash in the hands of your customers means more buys at the bar and fewer credit card fees for you, so we look at ATMs on-premise.

www.barbizmag.com

February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

1

On Tap

BAR BUSINE$$ Features

32

32 herbal remedy Herbal cocktails and tea-based mixology concepts are trending upward in the nightlife industry, so naturally we took a close look at some pioneering pourers.

38 hire away!

Departments 4 bar room drawl

46 big six

6 booze News

We head down to South Beach to find a hot new scene at HaVen Gastro-Lounge, where things are a little wild—even for Miami.

Minus5 Ice Bar freezes up in the heart of midtown Manhattan; Metal bar work; Armin van Buuren at MSG; Apps for organizing business contacts; Have some Shots4Tots.

10 liquid assets Craft beer continues to push the category in new directions on-premise, so we get some tips for bringing this brew on board.

16 tuNiNg up Jukebox music is no longer a onedimensional component on-premise, it’s now a full-on experience.

46

52 iNveNtory 54 holiday happeNiNgs

The Great Chicago Hire is underway, and we follow a burgeoning bar empire in the Windy City as it staffs a new location from scratch.

42 rescue effort With the 2013 Nightclub & Bar Show on the horizon and season three of Bar Rescue in the works, Jon Taffer talks to us about his endless efforts to help bar owners be better.

56 supply spotlight The owner of AlcoholControls.com talks about the kind of bar supplies that are in-demand, and those that should be.

42

“Bar Business Magazine” (ISSN 1944-7531 [print], ISSN 2161-5071 [digital]) (USPS# 000-342) is published February, April, June, August, October, & December for $45.00 per year and January, March, May, July, September, & November will only be offered in a digital format at no charge by Simmons-Boardman, 55 Broad St 26th Fl., New York, NY 10004. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2013 Simmons-Boardman. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in any fashion without the expressed written consent of Simmons-Boardman. Qualified U.S. bar owners may request a free subscription. Non-qualified U.S. Subscriptions printed or digital version: 1 year US $45.00; Canada $90.00; foreign $189.00; foreign, air mail $289.00.

2 years US 75.00; Canada $120.00; foreign $300.00; foreign, air mail $500.00. BOTH Print and Digital Versions: 1 year US 68.00; Canada $135.00; foreign $284.00; foreign, air mail $384.00. 2 years US $113.00; Canada $180.00; foreign $450.00; foreign, air mail $650.00. Single Copies are $10.00 each. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only. For Subscriptions, address changes, and adjustments, write to: Bar Business Magazine, PO Box 10, Omaha, NE 68101-0010. Instructional information in this magazine should only be performed by skilled crafts people with the proper equipment. The publisher and authors of information provided herein advise all reader to exercise care when engaging in any o the how-to activities published in the magazine. Further, the publisher and authors assume no liability for damages or injuries resulting from projects contained herein. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Bar Business Magazine, PO Box 10, Omaha, NE 68101-0010.

2

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

www.barbizmag.com

M U S I C

Bar Room Drawl

By Chris Ytuarte editor-in-Chief

How Far We've Come Last month’s tragic nightclub fire in the small city of Santa Maria, Brazil had people in the United States reminiscing about a similar disaster that occurred here almost ten years ago, when 100 people died in a club set afire by pyrotechnics in Rhode Island.

It’s only appropriate to be reminded of such circumstances close to home when a nearly identical— but sadly even more deadly—incident takes place elsewhere.

A few days after the Brazil fire, which killed some 230 people in a matter of minutes, I was listening to Howard Stern on SiriusXM satellite radio (as I do every morning) when he made a very astute observation about the response of the Brazilian people follwing this tragedy.

As local police held several band members in custody (who claim their pyrotechnics were not the cause) as well as the club owners, victims’ loved ones and national pundits clamored for both parties to be held responsible for the horrific events at the Kiss club that night. But as Stern pointed out, the people of Brazil should, in reality, be more upset with their national and local governments and principalities that have seemingly failed to install or enact strict policy and law when it comes to the nightlife environment throughout the country.

There has been no mention in any news outlets covering this story as to whether the band on stage or the club owners had violated ANY laws in 4

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

creating that night what appeared to be a tragedy waiting to happen.

According to reports, the club had only one exit, and even as patrons rushed to that lone source of egress, they were prohibited from leaving by a security staff that—unaware of the fire—demanded they all pay their bills before departing. Is any part of that known to be illegal in Brazil? What was the capacity of the club, where 230 people died and another 120 were reported injured? That’s approximately 350 patrons inside the venue, and some reports state that close to 1,300 people were actually inside at the time. Is the term “legal capacity” applicable and/or enforced in Brazil? Some 20 eyewitnesses claim to have seen a member of the band on stage light a flare that then sent the club’s ceiling up in flames; what are the policies in place to regulate such pyrotechnic activity inside clubs and concert venues in Brazil?

The answers to these questions are not clear when it pertains to Brazil’s standing laws, but what is quite clear are the effective and stringent efforts of U.S. policy makers who have acted before and since the Rhode Island nightclub fire to ensure laws are in place and enforced when it comes to club capacity, number of exits, proper signage and lighting, pyrotechnics, and general fire code safety requirements for all nightlife venues.

So the next time you feel like griping about that little sign next to your door that states your legal limits for capacity, or about having to wire multiple exit doors with alarms and security, or about bright exit signs that don’t fit your décor, you should instead be thankful that we live in a country that had the sense to put these kinds of laws in place. They protect your patrons, and they protect you.

BAR BUSINE$$ MAGAZINE

February 2013, Vol. 6, No. 2 Bar Business Magazine (ISSN 1944-7531) is published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 55 Broad St 26th Fl., New York, NY 10004 executive offices

President and Publisher Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr. Associate Publisher Arthur J. Sutley 212-620-7200; fax: 212-633-1863 asutley@sbpub.com editorial

Editor-in-Chief Chris Ytuarte 212-620-7223; fax: 212-633-1863 cytuarte@sbpub.com art

Creative Director Wendy Williams wwilliams@sbpub.com Art Director Sarah Vogwill svogwill@sbpub.com production

Corporate Production Director Mary Conyers mconyers@sbpub.com

circulation

Circulation Director Maureen Cooney mcooney@sbpub.com

advertising sales

Art Sutley, West Coast 212-620-7247; fax: 212-633-1863 asutley@sbpub.com Vanessa Di Stefano, East Coast & E-media 212-620-7263; fax: 212-633-1863 vdistefano@sbpub.com circulation department

800-895-4389

www.barbizmag.com

The Bold New Look of

McCormick Vodka

Quadruple Distilled Premium Vodka, Now in a Shiny New Proprietary Package.

The same quadruple distilled vodka that you’ve known and loved for years has been upgraded for 2013.

Our bold new package has been designed to grab your attention and demand shelf presence. The ergonomic tear drop designed into our proprietary bottle is a comfortable gripping point for the ultimate pouring experience. We’ve even upgraded our Traveler package to be more convenient and portable than ever before.

Get ready to witness the bold new look of McCormick Vodka for yourself this winter! We’ll see you then... but with a package like this... you’ll probably see us first. ©2012 McCormick Distilling Co., Weston, MO. 40% ALC./VOL. (80 PROOF) Distilled from American Grain. Drink Responsibly. Drive Responsibly.

McCormickVodka.com

Booze News Booze

News

MINUS5 ICE BAR TO OPEN INSIDE HILTON NEW YORK Guests in New York City to soon have this icy wonderland experience in the heart of Midtown

M

inus5 Ice Bar, which opened America’s first ice bar at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas in 2008, and a sister property inside Monte Carlo Resort & Casino in 2010, is proud to announce the opening of its third permanent U.S. location inside Hilton New York, located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, in the heart of midtown Manhattan. The new Minus5 Ice Bar, scheduled for a March 2013 opening, includes all the frozen beauty of the originals where everything is made of 100% ice including the bar, tables, benches, walls and even the glasses guests drink from; which are shipped in from New Zealand. The 2,500 squarefoot space will be full of world-class ice sculptures and unique handcarved pieces.

“After more than four years in Las Vegas operating America’s first and only true ice bars, we are

6

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

thrilled to be coming to New York City,” said Minus5 Founder and Vice President of Development, Craig Ling. “Minus5 is more than a bar, it’s a true entertainment destination location, and the perfect place to go before a night on the town, for a group outing or a place for locals to take visitors.

Minus5 has been critically acclaimed since day one, and has been featured on dozens of national TV programs including Travel Channel’s Trip Flip, Extreme Vegas and Vegas’ Top Lounges.

“The Minus5 brand concept is more than just a bar, it’s an entertainment experience the likes of which New Yorkers have not seen previously in this city,” said Mark Lauer, general manager, Hilton New York. “Minus5 Ice Bar will not only attract hotel guests but local residents alike, making it an entertainment destination in midtown Manhattan.”

Minus5 Ice Bar Fun Facts

❆

Icy wonderland that celebrates the art of ice at a frosty temperature of -5° Celsius (23° Fahrenheit).

❆ ❆

Stylish faux fur hats, boots and jackets are part of the VIP experience.

❆

Imagine translucent ice walls, an ice bar, ice tables and ice seating covered with faux fur pelt.s

❆

Sculptures reflect the season, location or even custom corporate logos and products for private functions.

❆

Custom designed drinking glasses made of ice are created and shipped frozen from New Zealand.

❆

Signature drinks feature premium vodka, but the bar also offers and array of beer and other fine spirits.

❆

Printed photos await guests as they complete their tour and other Minus5 clothing gear.

Explore intricately handcrafted sculptures and architecture made from 100% pure Canadian ice.

www.barbizmag.com

Old World Elegance Inspires Luxurious Bars

W

hen Bastille Metal Works was selected to design an antique style bar with a traditional 1800s aesthetic, we immediately began handcrafting a cast zinc bar top to crown a decadent dark wood base with gold accents. Although the charm of an ornate antique bar is intact, this custom creation is loaded with today's most up-to-date amenities for the needs of a modern residence. Safety and environmental efficiency are our top priorities. All of our zinc and pewter products are non-toxic, 100% food-safe, and recycled at all stages of production and use. The exceptional craftsmanship and protective patina on zinc bar tops have established their desirability as a luxury product. As the weathered beauty increases with age, all aspects of the bars integrity remain solid.

According to Pat Lang, who owns the established kitchen and bath firm The Kitchen Place, he discovered our products while searching for innovative design solutions for his customers.

“Bastille was a great fit for the Odle project due to the high quality, customization , finish, and totally distinctive characteristics which the

Zinc provided to elevate the Odle bar from just a very high quality goodlooking bar to a really extraordinary working showpiece which clearly displays old world quality and the owner's pride, creativity, and class,” Lang said.

Many top designers in our industry can attest to the precision we take to ensure accurate old world details and a overall quality product. Top hospitality giant, Mark Zeff said “Bastille Metal

Take Some Shots4Tots Shots4Tots is a company that creates collectors glassware with a charitable heart. A generous portion of every glass sold goes to four keystone charities— CureDuchenne, Michael’s Cause, StopCAIDnow Inc., and The Hope for Gus Foundation. A display of 48 collector's shot glasses will be sold to restaurants, pubs and stores with the Shots4Tots logo on one side and

www.barbizmag.com

the retail outlet's logo on the other side, thus encouraging people to collect many and to continue giving to charity.

Monies sent to recipient charities will come from initial sale of the glassware into these outlets. The four charities together receive roughly 65% of the profits that are generated through the sale of the glasses. Find out more at www.shots4tots.com.

Works was a perfect fit as we wanted this authentic manufacturing moment and they are the only company that gets it right. The material itself is a perfect way to recreate an old looking bar and still feel current.” We helped Mark Zeff create the “surprise” element of the Hotel Monaco of Philadelphia's modern décor: The Red Owl Tavern, a rustic restaurant serving seasonal recipes looks as historic as the centuryold building the hotel is housed within.

Brewers Association Honors Congressmen

C

iting tireless work on behalf of America’s small and independent craft brewers, the Brewers Association presented two United States Congressmen with the organization’s Legislator of the Year Award.

Reps. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.) and Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.) were recognized for their stewardship of the Small Brewer Reinvestment and Expanding Workforce Act (Small BREW Act). The awards were presented at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., by Bob Pease, chief operating officer of the Brewers Association; Jim Koch, co-founder and chairman of Boston Beer Company; and Bill Covaleski, founder and brewmaster of Victory Brewing Company and president of the Brewers of Pennsylvania.

February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

7

Booze News Armin van Buuren’s ASOT 600 Hits MSG On March 30th, 2013, Armin van Buuren will have his A State Of Trance 600 (ASOT600) world tour touch down in New York’s Madison Square Garden. The arena will gather thousands of EDM lovers for a spectacular show with some of the world’s best DJs and talents as part of the world tour that celebrates the 600th episode of the Dutch DJ’s A State Of Trance radio show.

After weeks of anticipation, fans of the A State Of Trance (ASOT) radio show finally know where they’ll be celebrating: the world-renown Madison Square Garden.

Madison Square Garden (MSG) is home to the New York Knicks and New York Rangers, and it is also the place where legendary pop acts such as Queen, Michael Jackson and Madonna have performed. No fewer than 14,000 EDM lovers will gather for the

ASOT600 worldwide spectacle on March 30th. Broadcast live across the planet, the ASOT600 show at Madison Square Garden reaches out to millions of people. A State Of Trance 600 New York will surely go down in history.

The New York show is a part of the ‘A State Of Trance 600 – The Expedition’ world tour. In February, March and April, Armin celebrates the 600th episode of his A State Of Trance radio show with a world tour bigger than he’s ever done before. The radio show, broadcast through more than 62 radio stations in 52 countries, has an average of 20 million listeners each week. Since the announcement in October, the Dutch DJ has revealed 11 dates and cities in which ‘The Expedition’ tour will take place. Seven of the editions will be broadcast live.

Ringya Runs Your Digital Contacts Ringya is the first mobile app that allows users to effortlessly upload contact lists with dozens of names, numbers and email addresses, simply by snapping a photo of paper lists.

8

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

Users can also easily upload a digital document, or accept an invitation to a Ringya list (or “Ring”) created by someone else to instantly receive a smart, actionable contact list. These contact lists are transformed into smart, organized Rings so users can always call, text or email individuals or groups, when they need them.

Ringya is ideal for any contact list – class lists, sports teams, office directories, clubs, associations and more. Each contact list is organized in a unique “Ring” that, allows users to easily obtain the contact information of the people they need, when they need them most.

“Ringya gets all those phone numbers you have tacked onto your fridge door or bulletin board into your smartphone—literally in a snap—and saves you from scrambling to find a contact list within email archives because all those people you may ever need from work, a class or a team are right at your fingertips,” said Gal

Nachum, Ringya co-founder and CEO. “Ringya saves time and stress by providing users with instant access to people they need to contact but otherwise wouldn’t have added, one at a time, to their personal address book.”

Ringya solves everyday service industry scenarios such as working parents stuck in transit and unable to pick up their kids (Ringya helps them easily find a parent in their child’s class to pick them up); Busy employees who urgently need to reach coworkers have access to fully updated contact information (when the colleague updates the shared list, the information is automatically updated for the entire Ring).

“Collaboration is reshaping the way we work and interact,” said Nachum.

“Ringya has embraced and nurtured this new way of collaboration by allowing smartphone users to stay on top of ever-changing contact lists, share Rings effortlessly, and communicate efficiently.” www.barbizmag.com

Liquid Assets

She’S Craf t y We spoke with the queen of craft beer, Julia Herz, to get some helpful tips for bar owners who want to break into craft beer service or just improve their current program. By CHris ytuarte

J 10

ulia Herz is a Certified Cicerone®, a Beer Judge Certification Program judge, and the publisher of CraftBeer.com. When it comes to beer knowledge, and specifically craft beer, few people in the country

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

can educate more thoroughly than Herz. So of course, we turned to her this month for some insight into cultivating craft beer service on-premise in the new year. Here’s what she had to say:

www.barbizmag.com

CRAFT BEER IN 2013 “The beer world is expanding with interest and excitement and innovation because of what’s going on with the small brewers side of things. For 2013, you’ve got a continued sense of exploration on the beer-lovers side today. They don’t have to even be aficionados—I call them beer enthusiasts or even beer geeks. They expect to see selection and diversity at the retail level. And if they don’t—meaning if they don’t have different craft beers to choose from that are locally produced, regionally produced, nationally available—then they might go elsewhere. So an expanded selection is important, not only within that tier of super-small distributed or even broader distribution craft beers, but on top of that they want to see a variety of beer styles.”

GETTING CRAFTY ON-PREMISE “Knowledgeable servers are key. Wine doesn’t sell itself, nor does craft beer. You have to have a proper selection, proper service, and the proper knowledge base behind the brands that you carry. The staff tastings that would be emphasized on the wine side of things and now even with spirits—the same should go for beer.

“Have an expanded draught beer selection. Thirty percent of craft beer is sold through draught, compare to around ten percent of the global mass domestics. With that, many craft beer lovers want to drink their craft beer on draught. So if you have an expanded draught system—two towers, four faucets or more, etc.—you need to ensure that those lines are cleaned properly. Draught lines have to be cleaned every two weeks. The Brewers Association has published a bible for small brewers and importers and all the breweries on the supply side that got together and said,

‘Let’s just write this thing the way it should be, as a document of 60-plus pages, for free on the Internet, that really shares how we feel draught system maintenance and service should be handled.’ And that draught quality manual is available at DraughtQuality.org.

“The best way to get started serving craft beer is by paying attention to your customer base as well as your servers. Your servers are often are young millenials. They’re the ones who are already drinking craft beers and they can tell you about the brewery down the street that they’ve already toured. So asking your staff, ‘What beers do you want us to serve?’ and then asking your staff to ask your customers, ‘What beers would you like us to serve?’ can all help shore up business, as well as loyalty.”

MISTAKES BEING MADE “A common misstep is stocking craft beer but not having an understanding of what you have. Also, expecting to get all of the special one-offs, seasonals, and vintage releases right out of the gate. Frankly, there is more demand than supply, so craft brewers are cherry-picking their accounts to see who gets the special gems, those on-offs, because there is such limited availability and distribution. On-premise operators need to recognize that they need to establish longer-term relationships with the brewers’ suppliers and their distributors to earn the right to get those special oneoffs that will then attract even more advanced beer customers—who, by the way, have a higher check-ring than mass domestic customers.”

Julia Herz, Publisher of CraftBeer.com, is a Certified Cicerone® and a judge for the Beer Judge Certification Program.

www.barbizmag.com

February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

11

Liquid Assets

“Today, the U.S. has 2,300+ breweries.

We’re in the middle of a beer renaissance and a ‘localization of beer’ movement.”

jULIA HERZ’S TIPS FOR CARRYING CRAFT BEER Recognize that the U.S. today has 2,300+ breweries and we’re in the middle of a beer renaissance and a ‘localization of beer’ movement.

• Of the 2,300 breweries today 97% are considered small and independent craft brewers (www.craftbeer.com/beerology/ small-independent-traditional) who have loyal followings, but more often than not, limited distribution.

• Any craft beer should be viewed as a gem and should not to be taken for granted. There is more demand than supply.

— Often you will need to work with a small brewery directly (some states allow self distribution) or work with different distributors to get a variety of locally produced brands.

Thinking one distributor (or brewery) is a one-stop shop for all craft beers your customers want is not realistic.

— Think of purchasing beers from craft brewers like you might purchase locally grown food ingredients. It’s worth the extra effort, and what you carry becomes a draw for an expanded customer base. Plus, carrying craft from small and independent producers often increases your check averages.

• Remember that there are more beer lovers (95 million) than wine or spirits lovers. Plus, the majority of fermented beverage appreciators enjoy all three alcohol categories. So expanding your beer selection to include craft from small producers makes sense and is keeping with the beer times.

Expand your brands.

• Have large number of draught offerings.

• Have a great bottle list with flagships from breweries plus seasonal selections.

12

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

• You can create a “back library” for cellared beers that demand the highest price point and age well (8% abv or over).

• Promote your core beer list online so your location pops up in search results on the Internet, but make sure to keep it updated based on inventory.

Draught systems and bottles • Store both kegs and bottles COLD. — Compared to flash- and tunnel-pasteurized mass produced lagers, craft brewed beers from small producers are often a living, breathing product (with live yeast), which means bottle conditioned. Cold storage ensures maximum shelf life.

— A good cheat sheet on temperature tips for retailers can be found here: www.craftbeer.com/craft-beer-muses/frostedglassware-is-not-cool-temperature-tips-for-craft-beerretailers • No matter who cleans your lines, insist your lead beverage buyer is familiar with the Draught Quality Manual, the bible of draught system maintenance, so there are in-house checks and balances to avoid having issues with your lines: www.draughtquality.org/w/page/18182201/FrontPage • If a keg is stored warm and then tapped it will be foamy.

This is because CO2 (carbon dioxide) expands out of the beer as the temperature rises.

— It takes a keg close to 24 hours to go from room temperature to serving temperate of 38F. — A two-inch collar of foam on most beer styles is encouraged.

— Foam is 25% beer, so an unbalanced draught system can create a lot of loss—both in beer and financially.

www.barbizmag.com

Create incentive programs for your staff so they are ‘staffed to sell’ and not just ‘staffed to serve’.

• Our CraftBeer.com website is an amazing general resource.

— Also available on CraftBeer.com is our Beer 101 course for beer beginners. It takes one hour, costs $15, and you earn a certificate if you get +70% on the proficiency exam. (www. craftbeer.com/pages/beerology/beer-studies/beer101-course) • Beer Judge Certification Program (www.bjcp.org).

• Cicerone Program, offering three different levels of certification. www.craftbeer.com/pages/stories/craft-beermuses/show?title=beer-experts-and-cicerone Make sure your chefs become knowledgeable in beer too.

• Consider adding some menu items that have beer as an ingredient and list this on the menu.

— Less bitter the beer, the better it is when it comes to be boiled into a recipe.

Be open to expanding glassware. (www.craftbeer.com/pages/beerology/the-right-glass) • For draught, consider offering both small and larger portions (8 ounce and 12-16 ounce) for main beer styles.

— This can increase profit plus encourage more people to try a specific craft beer without having to make a commitment

to purchasing and drinking 16 full ounces.

— Also consider selling less ounces per glass for draught beers over 8% ABV. — The standard shaker pint is not the end-all in terms of being the best glass for beer flavor, aromatics, aesthetics and sales. (www.craftbeer.com/glassware/american-shaker-pint) • Don’t freeze your glasses.

— Potential off-flavor added to beer.

— Colder temperatures can cause foaming when pouring into frozen glass, leading to beer waste.

— You won’t get the full flavor of craft beer, as many ales are meant to be served at temperatures above 40 degrees F. Add suggested beer pairings to menu items and have your staff understand why craft beer pairings work in ways beyond what wine can do.

• On pairing, here are some tips we have for beer beginners: www.craftbeer.com/craft-beer-muses/eight-tips-to-help-youpair-like-a-pro www.craftbeer.com/beer-and-food/pairing-tips/principles-ofmatching www.craftbeer.com/beer-and-food/pairing-tips/craft-beerand-food-pairing-specifics www.craftbeer.com/beer-and-food/pairing-tips/pairing-chart

Brewers Association Launches Keg return program The Brewers Association (BA)—the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American craft brewers—has launched KegReturn.com, a site that provides tools to help consumers, homebrewers, retailers, wholesalers, brewers and scrap yards redirect kegs back to the breweries that own the kegs.

Kegs are always the property of the brewery that purchased them and filled them with beer. Many kegs disappear as a result of accidental mishandling, while others go missing due to intentional misappropriation. KegReturn.com offers a convenient way for kegs to get returned to their proper owner.

“Craft beer sales have grown tremendously over the past decade, which means the number of kegs owned by brewers has increased as well,” said Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. “Keg disappearances and the resulting profit loss are hindering opportunities for craft brewers. We must ensure kegs are returned to their owners, it’s the right thing to do.”

www.barbizmag.com

According to the Brewers Association, keg loss costs craft brewers between $0.46 and $1.37 per-barrel of annual keg production. Assuming 2011 craft beer sales of 11.5 million barrels, that is a total direct capital charge to craft brewers of $5.3 million and $15.8 million annually. Lost kegs act as an enormous additional and unintended tax on beer, ultimately having a direct impact on job growth and profit reduction for brewers, wholesalers and retailers.

“Understanding the issue at hand is a vital part of finding a solution,” said Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company and BA Technical Committee chair. “The online resource at KegReturn.com allows people to contact the brewery or their local distributor to return kegs back to the brewery to be filled again with beer. We call on beer lovers and people in the trade to help reunite kegs with their owners.”

For more information on keg etiquette, the keg return program, or for registration, visit www.kegreturn.com.

February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

13

C o n g r at u l at i o n s t o t h e New York International Spirit Competition

winners G

O L D

W

C

I R N E

N Y I S

N

2

NYISC 2 0 1 2 DOUBLE

GOLD

0

1

2

NYISC 2 0 1 2

GOLD

W I N N E RS

W I N N E R

Gin Caledonia Spirits Barr Hill Gin $44.99 Liqueurs Amarula $19.00 Rum Bacardi Oakheart $13.99

Brandy Oude Meester 12 Reserve $50.00 Liqueurs Bepi Tosolini Amaro Tosolini $34.99 Pisco Pisco Viejo Tonel $37.50 Rhum Agricole J.M. Clement White Rum $32.95 J.M. Clement VSOP $59.95

"

W h ERE

t h e T RADE

D E C I D ES "

Vodka Unflavored New Amsterdam Vodka $12.00 Wannborga Vodka Organic $37.00 Vodka Flavored New Amsterdam Peach Vodka $13.99 Whiskey Kavalan Solist Ex Bourbon Single Cask Strength $100.00

Adve rti se m e n t

S

V E R I L

W

N E R

N Y I S

N

C

I

Liqueurs (cont.)

Mozart Gold Chocolate Cream $28.00 Dolce Cilento Limoncello $30.00 Godiva Chocolate Liqueur $30.00 Alltech Bluegrass Sundown $32.99 Jaan Paan Liqueur $35.00 Coureur des Bois Maple Whiskey $35.00 Tatratea Peach Tea Liqueur $38.00 Nahmias Et Fils Mahia $45

2

0

1

2

NYISC 2 0 1 2

SILVER

W I N N E R S

Brandy E&J Brandy VSOP $12.00 Oude Meester Demant $20.00

PisCo Pisco Don Alvaro Acholado de Mostos Verdes $45.00

CaChaCa Soul Premium Cachaca $26.99

rhum agriCoLe J.M. Gold $34.95

CognaC Landy Cognac VS $15.99 Cognac Park VS $28.99 Cognac Park XO Extra $200.00

rum Stolen Rum Dark rum $16.00 Ron Fortuna 8 Year Old Anejo Rum $21.99 Sailor Jerry Rum $21.99 Bacardi 1873 Solera $22.99 Privateer True American Amber Rum $30.00 Rum Dictador 20yr $59.99

gin Gibson Gin $20.00 Roundhouse Spirits Gin $28.00 Sipsmith London Dry Gin $33.00 Dark Corner White Tiger Gin $38.00 Wannborga Organic Gin $39.00 New England Distilling INgenium Gim $39.99 Corsair Barrel Aged Gin $45.00

TequiLa Tequila Ekeco Silver $27.00 Centinela Reposado $39.99 Mi Casa Tequila Blanco $39.99 Dulce Vida Organic Tequila Reposado $40.00 Milagro Select Barrel Reserve Reposado $56.99

Liqueurs Coco Mambu Rum & Coconut Water Orange Mango Ogden Distillery Underground Herbal Spirit $19.99 Bailey’s Original Irish Whiskey $21.00 Long Island Spirits Rasberry Sorbetta $22.00 Long Island Spirits Lemon Sorbetta $22.00 Koval Ginger Liqueur $24.00 Tekirdag Rakisi $27.57

Vodka fLaVored Oola Distillery Chili Pepper Vodka $22.95 Grand Ten Fire Puncher Vodka $24.99 Badcock Cucumber Vodka $29.95 Whiskey Judd’s Wackin Ball Corn Whiskey $14.99 George Dickell 8 Year $17.99 Big House Bourbon Tupelo $20.00 Big House Straight Bourbon $20.00 Canadian Club 12yr Club Classic $21.99 Wild Turkey American Honey $22.99 Larceny Bourbon $24.99 Bulliet Bourbon $27.99 Knob Creek Bourbon $30.99 Tullamore D.E.W 10 Yr Single Malt Irish Whiskey $35.00 Ancnoc 12 Year $39.99 Johnnie Walker Double Black $40.00 Talisker 10 Year $40.00 Knob Creek Single Barrel Bourbon Reserve $40.99 Corsair Hopmonster $45.00 Three Ships 10 Year Single Malt $50.00 Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt $69.99 Buchanan Special Reserve $82.99 Masterson’s Rye Whiskey $80 Kavalan King Car Conductor Single Malt Whiskey $85 Lagavulin 16 Year Single Malt $90 Aberfeldy 21 Year $145 Dewars Signature $199

Vodka unfLaVored Treaty Oak Distilling Company Starlite Vodka $17.99 Buckeye Vodka $19.00 Santa Fe Spirit Expedition Vodka $24.99 Colorado Gold Premium Vodka $25.00 Persian Empire Canada No. 1 Vodka $28.00 Free Spirits Brands Willa $29.99

Upcoming competitions

N Y ISC N E W

Y O R K

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

S P I R I T S C O M P E T I T I O N

www.nyibeercompetition.com

www.nyiwinecompetition.com

www.nyispiritscompetition.com

FEBRUARY 2013

MAY 2013

OCTOBER 2013

Tuning Up

Are You experienced?

TouchTunes is making waves in the on-premise A/V category by creating an interactive experience for customers where there was once only music—at the jukebox. With its Karaoke and Photobooth services rolling out en mass this year, bar patrons are now participants in their own entertainment.

By Chris Ytuarte

J

imi Hendrix may have asked the title question, but it’s TouchTunes that is creating the opportunity for bar patrons to answer by becoming a little more involved in their own on-premise entertainment experience.

In the second half of 2012, TouchTunes enacted a controlled rollout of its two latest digital services—Karaoke and Photobooth—available on its Virtuo digital jukebox hardware, as the company focused on educating its operator network in the new programs and slowly introducing it to select venues. But it’s

16

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

a new year, and the name of the game in 2013 is getting bar patrons to sing songs and snap photos using TouchTunes jukeboxes nationwide.

“It’s pedal-to-the-metal for our rollout this year,” says Pat Shores, Chief Marketing Officer at TouchTunes Interactive Networks. “It’s important that, as we get the Virtuo as the platform into the bars, the Karaoke and Photobooth are services that enhance the value. This will help patrons realize that the jukebox now offers so much more.“ www.barbizmag.com

TouchTunes started putting the pedal down, as Shores described, at the end of last year, resulting in approximately 500 locations currently running the Karaoke service in the U.S., and some 5,000 locations using Photobooth. The two new services, respectively, allow bar owners to host fully licensed karaoke events—planned or spontaneous—at the click of a button, or have patrons take pictures of themselves and deploy them digitally via social media, all with the jukebox as the sole centerpiece for both activities.

“These products are designed to be really easy and consumer friendly, from the bar’s perspective,” says Marc Felsen, Vice President of Corporate Marketing at TouchTunes.

“Being able to switch in and out of Karaoke mode is very easy via the remote control, and the Photobooth functions while the

“It’s a pretty simple install, and there’s very few components to the system,” says Reigle. “Plus, training a location in how to use it isn’t that difficult. It’s very simple to learn. It’s basically one remote control that runs everything. What we’ve been doing, which seems to be successful, is we go out and install it,

“what we’re trying to do is create amazing experiences that consumers want to share with each other that feel premium and special.” jukebox music is still playing. All the things that are important to a bar, we try to build in and make sure they can easily manage those activities.”

Brian Reigle, a technician with Staff Amusements in Hanover, Pennsylvania, is a TouchTunes operator who installs and services the company’s hardware and upgrades existing jukeboxes with new services like Karaoke and Photobooth. He currently has 11 customer locations running Karaoke in his region, and says they are all seeing increased business thanks to this new source of interactive entertainment.

we train whoever is there from the staff that day (hopefully the owner, so they can see how it works), and then we offer to go back and help them out on the first night they use the system for Karaoke. I usually go out and do that myself, and we kind of co-host the event.”

Once installation is complete (again, both Karaoke and Photobooth require the TouchTunes Virtuo jukebox), Reigle strongly emphasizes promotion and marketing of the Karaoke program as being vital to successful events on-premise. “People love Karaoke,” he says. “It always seems to draw a crowd, especially if you promote it.”

TouchTunes executives agree—the dawn of the karaoke culture has arrived, thanks to a more widespread acceptance of this once cultish activity. And while people may have always enjoyed the concept of karaoke, many now are proud to be participants and even seek out the opportunity to sing.

“There’s no doubt that karaoke has now gone mainstream,” Felsen points out. “The reality music shows like American Idol,

“KaraoKe has gone mainstream. reality shows liKe american idol have created a new generation of patrons who want to sing.” www.barbizmag.com

February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

17

Tuning Up

X-Factor, and The Voice have created a new generation of patrons who want to sing. Suddenly everybody wants to be a star and everyone wants to sing. I think that’s when karaoke began to transform from this fringe experience you had when you were drunk to something that’s a little bit more mainstream that you don’t have to be embarrassed about. Ten years ago, before American Idol started, people didn’t really brag about singing karaoke. Now when you talk to them they say, ‘Of course I do, I love karaoke!’ It’s a cultural trend, and that was one of the reasons why we wanted to launch the Karaoke service. We felt like there was much more mainstream acceptance, where you could go into not just a karaoke bar, but any bar, and hold a karaoke night and people will get up there and sing.”

For years, researchers at TouchTunes had cited karaoke as the number-one request from users in terms of jukebox options, and now that the company has been able to deliver such functionality, the challenge has been to bring the product to the public in a way that doesn’t overwhelm bar owners getting started with these new capabilities. Last year’s deliberate rollout was part of that approach. But now, says Shores, with the number of user accounts growing, the next test is to open up the multitude of features the Karaoke service has to offer.

“We have so many features that people aren’t familiar with yet, like the Karaoke shuffle game, the mobile app, some of the tuning functions, etc.,” Shores explains. “The product has so many features it might take a little while for people to get to know them all.

“That said, we’re constantly committed to developing and supporting all of our products, and there are always going to be enhancements. We are in a continual cycle of innovation and 18

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

product development, and we’re The photobooth (left) and focused on helping the bars Karaoke services from and the patrons and the TouchTunes can help to operators get up to speed using draw a youthful crowd. the current services and getting them set up for success.”

For TouchTunes, as a provider, it always comes back to creating the best possible experience for the patron on-premise, and thereby improving business for the bar owner in the long run.

With both the Karaoke and Photobooth services being pay-to-play, owners will see a secondary revenue stream improve their bottom line; likewise, there will be a boost to their base income at the bar, as patrons stay longer to sing more and those drink tabs start to soar.

“we’re focused on helping bar owners get up to speed using these services and getting them set up for success.”

“One of the interesting things about TouchTunes, is that we design all of our services to make money for the bar and the operator in the community,” says Shores. “What we’re trying to do is create amazing experiences that consumers want to share with each other. We want to offer an experience with some interactivity that feels premium and that people feel is special. So while there’s often a little bit of a learning curve to introducing these kinds of new products and services, it’s very much worth it for the bar owner.”

Are you experienced? www.barbizmag.com

Bar Business Books Open Up a World of Possibilities

Everything you need to read to successfully run your bar.

OPErATiOns. MAnAgEMEnT. BEVErAgEs. MArKETing. And MOrE...

The How-To Publication

BAR BUSINE$$ www.barbizmag.com/bookstore

How To:

rade g x p x U x r x o x x g X n i x xs rtxU ax StX XxYo xxuxrXPxOxSxxxx

Get the Point?

There are two kinds of bar owners: Those who use POS systems, and those who don’t. Whatever category you happen to inhabit, we have some suggestions on ways to either get started or get better when it comes to improving business with point-of-sale technology. By Chris Ytuarte

20

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

Scenario B: You’re comfortable, we get it. Your current POS system has been working just fine for a decade, or you just upgraded your POS a few years ago and you don’t see the need to do so again. Either way, the idea that there are POS systems out there than can better serve your business sends waves of pessimistic doubt through your body—not to mention the upfront cost of investing in such newfangled technology. www.barbizmag.com

Photo courtesy of Groupon

Scenario A: You’re old school, we get it. Your cash register is a 1920s relic that adds to your throwback aesthetic, or it’s a boxy 1980s gem that you just never bothered to replace.

Either way, the thought of some fancy point-of-sale system with a (gasp!) touchscreen sends shudders down your spine—not to mention the upfront cost of investing in such newfangled technology.

We get it. But we’re here to say—you’re wrong.

Whether you’re currently living out Scenario A or B, the simple fact of the matter is this: A quality POS system can improve your business and your bottom line without breaking the bank on initial cost. If you’re a first-timer, or you’re a savvy veteran of POS technology, there’s a way to break-into or better your situation at the point-of-sale.

“I would say the Harbortouch POS system is perfect for both of those types of businesses, whether you’re starting from scratch or you’ve had a POS forever” says Arie Paller, National Sales rep at Harbortouch (arie@iharbortouch.com).

“We have a team of menu specialists who will work with the first-time owner to design the bar menu so that, at the time of install, it has every single thing they want to have in the POS system. And for the long-time owner that has used a POS forever, who spent so much time accumulating information and adding and changing menus, it’s nice to finally be able to work with a company that will take that initial effort off their shoulders and simply say, ‘You tell us what you want to have on the system, we’ll design it for you, we’ll input and program it for you, you just have to tell us when you want it installed and we’ll be there.’”

Harbortouch (www. harbortouch.com) is a truly unique enterprise in the world of service industry POS in that it offers the hardware at no upfront cost to a bar owner, alleviating one of the major roadblocks to POS installs and upgrades for cash-strapped operators.

“POS hardware can be upwards of $5,000, so working with Harbortouch and getting the hardware for nothing was a huge selling point for us,” says Jim Mastin, owner of KJ’s Sports Bar in Newmarket, New Hampshire. “The equipment is free, and there’s a monthly lease of $59 a month. Plus, they also now handle my credit card processing.”

Mastin is a bar owner who fit in scenario A, having never

utilized a POS system before signing up with Harbortouch for the free hardware and service. He now wonders how he ever survived without it. “I just had a regular standard register before this, but now the speed of the bartenders using POS and keeping up with tabs and keeping the night going is like ‘BAM BAM BAM!’” says Mastin. “With standard registers, writing down tabs and keeping track of it all when a bar is busy and trying to keep track of everyone is really difficult. And with POS there are fewer mistakes. The accuracy is improved with everything being rung in to the system. There are no price differences between bartenders, so everything is accurate. There has definitely been an increase in sales because nothing gets missed. After writing down tabs for years and losing track of orders, it just doesn’t happen anymore.”

The sweet sounds of a POS convert is music to the ears of a company like Harbortouch, which is focused on making the technology not only affordable for firsttimers, but also intuitive for those who may be somewhat hesitant to learn a new process.

“If they’re not used to having a POS, transitioning into one is sometimes a little frightening,” says Paul Goldstein at Harbortouch ((paul@ oneharbortouch.com oneharbortouch.com). “With us, there is ease of use in the system, and we do onsite training, remote training, and ongoing training if they need it. All of our customer service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, without any additional charges. And that’s important.

You need reliability, especially in this business. When it’s 1 a.m. and you have a problem and your bar is packed, you want to make sure you can get through to somebody who is going to be able to correct the problem.”

The Harbortouch free POS system has garnered widespread acclaim this year, earning some prestigious business accolades. These awards include a coveted Bronze

"POS hardware can be expensive, so working with Harbortouch and getting the hardware for nothing was a huge selling point for us."

www.barbizmag.com

February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

21

How To: Stevie Award in the 2012 American Business Awards recognizing the Best New B2B Product or Service, as well as a Silver Award in the Small or Medium Business Product of the Year category by Best in Biz Awards, the only independent business award program of its kind judged by members of the press and industry analysts. The company was also recognized as a Gold Winner in the Golden Bridge Business Awards, alongside other major players in the technology industry including Apple, Samsung, and Google.

“Our free POS program is really an investment we make in their business, because we’re not selling the equipment, we’re leasing the equipment, so in essence we have skin in the

pig, and somehow we got there and I didn’t get divorced, so I guess you could say it all worked out.”

Utilizing iPads as the base of the system also allows Breadcrumb to keep upfront costs lower than most standard POS systems, since the sleek Apple tablets are considerably cheaper than most POS stations. And in that sleekness lies another advantage of Breadcrumb: streamlined aesthetics and functionality.

“We all know bars can be very tight in terms of space,” says Harris. “It used to be tough enough just to figure out how to arrange all the bottles and shelves and still wish you had more space, and then you have to find room for this big POS system.

"In the world of nightclubs, design and appearance are a big deal, even when it comes to your POS."

22

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

Having a sleeker, smaller tablet, you now have more room for five or ten extra bottles behind the bar.

“Advantage number two is that it’s scalable. Let’s say you built your bar, you put in two terminals, and then you realize you have room for a third. Then you’re so busy one Friday or Saturday night that you really wish you could power-up that third register. With Breadcrumb you can do that, because all you need is enough room for an iPad. And you can seamlessly put it on and off your network. If you only want that third station for Fridays and Saturdays, just take out an iPad and it literally takes about 30 seconds to get started.

“Thirdly, when it comes to design and appearance, especially when we’re talking about the world of nightclubs, that's a big deal. When I was building nightclubs, one of the sticking points our designers would always have was how to hide this ugly POS system. No one wants to see it. But you don’t really need to hide an iPad. You can make it look extremely sleek. In fact, it’s something that some of our customers highlight, because it’s so nice to look at.”

You know what’s really nice to look at? Higher sales receipts from your POS system. Get the point?

www.barbizmag.com

Photo courtesy of Groupon

game,” says Goldstein. “We’re partnering with them and making an investment in their business.”

Tackling the initial investment costs of a new POS system is step one. Considering the array of technology available and deciding what best suits your environment is step two, and is vital to your success with point-of-sale. Breadcrumb (www. breadcrumbpos.com) is one POS company embracing a streamlined approach to their systems by featuring slim iPads as the platform’s foundation, while still remaining focused on the split world of POS haves and have nots.

“Breadcrumb is an extremely powerful product,” says Seth Harris, Founder and CEO of Breadcrumb. “If you’re an experienced point-of-sale user you’ll appreciate all of the features and all the things it can do. But on the other hand, because it’s built to run on an iPad—and we all know how wonderful that user interface is—it’s a very easy system to master. If you’re a first-time point-of-sale user, you’ll pick it up very quickly. When I was building Breadcrumb my vision was that my wife, who’s never worked in a bar or nightclub before, should be able to pick it up, start ringing-in an order, save it as tab or close it out to cash or credit, all without ever asking me how to use it. She was the guinea

Want more?

News • Events • Photos • Video

BarBizMag.com

How To:

Invigorate Your Design in 2013

The New (Year) Style To create a new look for a new year, maybe it’s time for an upgrade in your furnishings. We spoke with a furniture manufacturer and a fellow bar owner to find out what works when building a new design on-premise, and what

BY TYler Yager your customers are looking for in 2013.

W

e all know how quickly trends can change; they come in one year and practically vanish the next. Although many people try to predict what may be the “next big thing,” it’s not as easy as it seems.

Furniture is an essential component of any bar or nightclub,

www.barbizmag.com

from setting the mood to allowing foot traffic to flow.

Whether it’s lounge chairs, barstools, cocktail tables, or couches, embracing opportunity for change and progressing along with the current trends could produce long term rewards for years to come.

February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

25

How To:

Modular furniture can be shaped to fit your needs.

Furnishing an establishment, whether it’s a large nightclub or a hometown sports bar, is a critical component in setting the tone and creating conviviality. Where and how furniture is placed allows both patrons, as well as employees, to move freely throughout the establishment without obstacles or disrupting other guests. The kind and type of furniture may also directly influence how long patrons linger within the establishment. Couches bring a relaxed atmosphere where many may feel at home and may stay for a sports game while barstools tend to be for socializing and present a collective feel. Ringing in a new year could also be the perfect time for a change or an update of existing layouts or furniture, which can spruce up any space in any type of business.

“The décor and furnishings are what makes a venue stand out and win-over patrons,” says Vlad Spivak, CEO of Modern Line Furniture. “However, this is where the owners sometimes make mistakes, thinking of décor and set-up at the last minute and not making it as important as other aspects. Furnishing and décor need to be made a priority. Furniture design of the establishment is what makes the place unique and brings people in to spend more money. Modern Line Furniture is a full-service company, and we know how to create the ‘Wow!’ factor for our clients in need. We offer AutoCad, 3-D renderings, samples, custom colors, custom fabrics and so much more. We can do just about anything for the client in about six to eight weeks.”

Specializing in an array of services, Modern Line Furniture (www.modernlinefurniture.com) can help an establishment make the most out of the spaces they have to work with, whether it be business planning or going over architectural drawings. Modern Line caters to all types of businesses as well, from large special events venues and

Modern Line Furniture offers many sexy styles.

26

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

nightclubs to cruise ships and restaurants—they’ve got all the bases covered. The possibilities are limitless with Modern Line; from modular sectionals to outdoor patio and bar sets, the choice is yours. For 2013, Modern Line has introduced modular coffee tables and a new modular Bar Model 9090/9099. Along with the modular bar for this year, the options of customization have grown as well. Whether it’s the color of the leather or type of fabric, Modern Line specializes in turning almost any idea or concept into a reality.

“Our new product line is becoming even more innovative and modular,” says Spivak. “Our modular products have been a huge success and we want to continue catering to that market. In addition to what we offer product-wise, we are also offering more customization—different leather colors, different types of fabrics, etc. Whatever the customer wants, we can usually make a reality.”

But remember, your design ideas need to work for your patrons as well.

“Business owners need to keep in mind functionality,” says Spivak. “This means that there is the perfect amount of seating, customers can walk around, customers have somewhere to place their drink, etc. The beauty of modular is that if the client sees that something isn’t working, they can reconfigure the seating, order additional components, etc.”

Modern Line offers furniture that can bring an entire space together, helpful for both the business and the guests that accompany it. For example: An existing nightclub with wooden barstools or worn leather couches could be updated towards a more modern feel with metal barstools and sectional sofas that can be rearranged depending on the space. A patio or rooftop deck once fitted with metal or plastic chairs could replace them with weatherproof, outdoor wicker furniture with a bright color, giving the old patio a splash of new life. These changes will be noticed by patrons and will ultimately increase their chances of returning. That being said, it’s important to keep in mind the demographics of the guests that attend the establishment. A young, hip crowd playing dance or lounge music will most likely seek a newer, clean look with modern overtones, splashes of color, and an out-of-theordinary style furniture that is functional as well as space coherent, allowing room for dancing and mingling. A sports crowd will enjoy

www.barbizmag.com

comfortable barstools, cocktail tables surrounding a dartboard or pool table, and numerous spacious couches to watch a game or deliberate. Putting these decisions into action is a great way to begin the New Year, offering repeat patrons a new look and receiving a great first impression from all of the newcomers.

“Business owners learn from us, and we learn and listen to them and try to make it work,” explains Spivak. “Trends continue to change, so we try to quickly figure them out and let our clients know where the benefits are. Since our products are modular, it makes it easier for our customers to change their furniture configurations and update their establishments easily.”

Many times, a bar or nightclub may not need a drastic change or renovation, but small changes such as a coat of paint or adding a much needed piece of furniture could make a big difference. Rob and Courtney Hix, co-founders of Bar

Furniture style makes an immediate impression on patrons as to what type of of venue this is.

www.barbizmag.com

Proper layout design of your furniture can create more social interaction amongst your customers.

89 in New York City, believe adding the right touches to any bar could be a perfect finishing touch to any space or establishment.

“Cocktail tables with high stools that are able to seat up to six people are ideal, especially in a sports bar, as it allows guests to feel as if they are sitting at the bar while providing them with a more comfortable and private socializing space,” Courtney says. “It allows them to be closer to the TV and naturally brings them to the edge of their seat, increasing excitement and making for a more enjoyable experience during a sports match.”

Nightclub and bar owners alike have instinctual sights about first impressions in any establishment. From aspects such as presentation, lighting, music level, drink selection, and so much more, it’s important to keep these things in mind when furnishing a bar or nightclub. The furniture needs to be stylish as well as functional and able to cater to guests’ different needs. This allows room to change and set up different situations for things such as private parties, large sporting events, and much more.

Updating an establishment, whether it’s a bar or nightclub, can be a big deal, but it doesn’t always have to be costly. Minor touches can make a big difference in guest’s impressions of any place, such as barstools or couches.

Modern Line Furniture has several options to choose from and can help with any type of beginning designs, renovation advice, or even small sprucing up. It’s a new year, and let 2013 be the year that you set the style.

February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

27

How To:

xexy oxn x M x e x r X o x M x e x k x MXa Xxx WxitxhXAxTxM xx s xx

Access To Money Having an ATM on-premise is just that—access to money—for both the patrons who spend it and the owners who collect it.

Here are some things to consider when it comes time to shake your moneymaker and install an ATM.

28

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

By Chris Ytuarte

www.barbizmag.com

R

emember the days when you had to walk into a bank, fill out a slip and have the teller hand over your cash in order to walk around with a few bills in your pocket? No? Me neither.

The ATM is one of those inventions—like the Internet, cell phones, and reality TV—that, while relatively new, makes you wonder, ‘How did we ever exist without it?’ Only the advent of the debit card a few decades later made the ease and convenience of ATMs somewhat less necessary for citizens; but for retailers and service industry owners, the fees still associated with debit transactions made them just as undesirable as the credit card—both cost bar owners money in transaction fees, leaving the ATM as the lone savior for cash businesses.

“I have some bars that completely stopped taking credit cards and point customers to their on-premise ATM instead,” says Tanner Morton, co-owner of Prinéta Payment Solution in Overland Park, Kansas. “They set the ATM withdrawal fee as low as a dollar so that customers will take out cash and they don’t have to pay credit card transaction fees.”

Prinéta (www.prineta.com) specializes in ATM services for nightclubs and bars, offering full service solutions, including financing the cash and loading it if you’re located in the Kansas City area. Out of state, Prinéta can sell you an ATM at wholesale prices and put you in contact with a local installer.

“You want more cash transactions, for sure, but ATMs are also another revenue source for the bar,” says Morton. “A good nightclub can see 1,000 transactions a month, and at $3.00 a pop, that’s an extra $3,000 in your pocket. That’s not too bad.”

Bar owners need to consider several factors to successfully utilize an ATM on-premise, including the type of hardware to install, the aforementioned service fee rate, and the location of the unit in your venue. The type of bar you’re running will help determine all of these factors.

“If you own a sports bar, a lot of people want cash to play pool or other coin-op games you might have in your venue,” Morton points out. “If there’s no ATM, they either leave to get cash and maybe don’t come back, or they get cash from the bar via a credit card transaction, which costs you money in fees. Or, they simply don’t play that game of pool and you lose out on that revenue.”

Today the most commonly installed ATM hardware for bars and nightclubs would appear to be the Nautilus Hyosung line, in particular the 1800 line. Engineered to provide outstanding reliability at an affordable price, this unit arrangement includes a voice guidance system (likely not ideal for loud clubs), and transaction guidance indicators for comfortable accessibility to all customers.

Furthermore, the highly visible topper makes it easy for customers to spot the ATM. Joe Gilmore is National Sales Manager for National ATM Wholesale (www.atmmachines. com), a family-run business out of Atlanta that has been delivering ATM solutions for 16

years. He has worked extensively with the Hyosung 1800, and is excited about one of its new functions in particular.

“The newest versions of the Hyosung 1800 have Lotto capabilities,” says Gilmore. “This was just released last month and they’re testing it in one state right now and they will branch off over several more states in the next 12 months as it gets approved. So someone swipes their card, they choose Quick Pick Lotto, then the number of tickets they want, it charges their debit card an extra dollar fee, and gives them their tickets. The machines have the capability of doing it now and they’re being produced with the software. And when each state approves them, we’ll be able to go back and download the software for it, and people will be able to sell Quick Pick tickets from their ATM, which is going to produce more revenue for the owner and the location.”

The allure of the Lotto ticket is sure to send a surge in ser charges across the ATM landscape. But even the chance to get lucky will fall flat if your ATM placement isn’t ideal.

“As with real estate, success with an ATM starts with location, location, location,” says Chad Woolson, vice president of Merchant Sales at ATM Network (www.atmnetwork.net), a division of Cardtronics, Inc. “Keep it highly visible, accessible, and located in a place that inspires safety and security in a potential ATM user. And then there are other considerations, such as communications and whether Internet access will be wired or wireless and where those service points are in a venue.

Finally, aesthetics come into play. While it’s acceptable to install an ATM as is, sometimes a custom paint or graphics outfitting can help attract ATM users.”

The real estate comparison rings true with most ATM providers. At National ATM Wholeale, they try to educate bar owners on that very notion whenever they do an install. “Location within a location is just as important, and we try to school everybody on that,”

"As with real estate, the success of an ATM starts with location. Keep it highly visible in a place that inspires safety."

www.barbizmag.com

February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

29

How To: says Gilmore. “You get some people who want to put their ATM down the hallway by the bathrooms, but nobody is going to see it and no one is going to use it there. And next to your front door is not always the best place because you have too much possibility for theft and smash-and-grabs nowadays.”

[Ed. Note: For a vivid example of such crime, click here: http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_c4#/video/us/2013/01/11/dntatm-thieves-fail-surveillance.wsvn] “We recommend putting the ATM in a visible place, so when people walk in they see it,” continues Gilmore. “Not next to the front door or window, but someplace where when they walk in they know where the machine is, they can get to it, and it’s not blocking a pathway for wait staff or bartenders.

We try to discourage placing them all the way in the back, because it doesn’t do anyone any good if they can’t be seen. It might as well not even be there.”

With good hardware and proper placement, you’re well on your way to a new revenue stream and increased cash transactions with an ATM install. But each provider offers different levels of service, maintenance, and protection. Given the reality that bars and nightclubs keep non-traditional business hours, ATM Network offers 24-hour support, cash loading, and cash management services, plus real-time online reporting to help owners manage ATM activity and keep it adequately stocked with cash.

“If someone buys an ATM for their club from us, we contract a person to install it for them,” says Morton at Prinéta.“They would come out and bolt it to the ground and program it to their liking, including a password if they’re the ones putting the money in. For big clubs, they might want a separate party to come in and load the money, because at that volume they might not want to deal with that kind of cash.”

If you think you’re in a high-risk location, don’t keep as much money in the ATM at one time and simply load it more frequently. A standard cassette will hold $18,000, which should last for quite a while in most locations.

“Apart from physical security, sensitive transaction data must be safeguarded,” points out Woolson. “Be certain your ATM equipment and service provider are PCI, Triple DES and Interac compliant. Also, periodically examine your ATM for so-called ‘skimming’ devices, which criminals use to read and steal payment card information when a customer places their card in your ATM. Once again, location comes into play as ATMs placed in well trafficked and lit areas discourage criminals from attempting to affix a skimming device.”

At the end of the day, ATM providers understand very well the nature of the nightlife industry, and that hard currency will always be king in this upredictable world.

“As severe weather events such as Hurricane Sandy remind us from time to time, electronic payment methods like debit and credit cards can be rendered unusable at times,” says Woolson. “Not so with cold, hard cash.”

30

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

www.barbizmag.com

FREE CLUB PASS! ($50 Value)

REGISTER BY FEBRUARY 15th

What are you doing to prepare your business for the future?

Find out what’s trending in the industry, meet with top suppliers, learn from industry heavyweights, and party at top shelf Vegas clubs.

So come and mix it up, soak it up and live it up!

convention & trade show

March 19-21, 2O13 Las Vegas Convention Center • Las Vegas

register online at ncbshow.com or call 888.966.2727 or 508.743.8586

@NightclubBar

NightclubandBar

True Be-Leaf-ers The mellow, earthy flavors of teas and herbs are finding their way into cocktails, further blurring the line between the bar and the kitchen.

By Elyse Glickman

32

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

www.barbizmag.com

T

here is no doubt Americans are seeking greener pastures in terms of what they eat and drink, from the expansion of organic sections at local grocery stores to the “farm-to-table” genre of cuisine at better restaurants. Not surprisingly, organic and “craft” spirits have also made a splash on-premise for several years. However, mixologists cultivating ways to present cocktails in a more natural light often find teas and herbs a great way to harvest adventurous customers.

“Teas and tisanes are global drinks to begin with, and the earliest uses for consumer-focused alcoholic drinks were probably in punches in the 17th Century, disregarding herbal medicinal uses,” observes H. Joseph Ehrmann, proprietor of San Francisco’s Elixir and Brand Ambassador for Square One Organic Spirits. “With a global interest in all things culinary that does not seem to be satiable, teas and herbs represent an arena of flavor that can let that interest and creativity expand considerably.”

“It is interesting when you throw together five different spirits and liqueurs, a splash of Coke and lemon and get something that resembles tea,” muses Abou-Ganim. “As a lot of people still order it, it underscores the great thing about mixology--that there is something for everybody. However, if you look historically at the use of tea in drinks, you can trace it to Indian paantsch (a Hindi word that translates to “Five”) that made their way to England in colonial times.

These recipes included five principle ingredients: alcohol, sugar, lemon, spices and either water or tea.

That said, tea should not just be limited to punch bowl cocktails but also any balanced cocktail that can be developed in a mixologist’s signature style.”

Ehrmann differs from the others, feeling the Long Island Iced Tea has a place on bar menus, provided it can

To Tea, or NoT To Tea While the Long Island “Iced Tea” is one of the most enduring cocktails on the American barscape, the “tea” part of the moniker has for years been a misnomer as no actual tea, black or otherwise, made its way into the recipe. However, some enterprising mixologists have found clever ways to put the “tea” into the recipe while others are tempting customers with entirely new creations made with the genuine article, sometimes using vintage recipes as a creative starting point.

So, why are so many mixologists steeped in inspiration when it comes to tea cocktails, as well as herbal accents? According to Roger Bailey of Filini at the Raddisson Blu Chicago, it is because consumers today are more sophisticated than ever and would rather experience a cocktail rather than consume it.

“Our palates are being challenged and stretched,” declares Bailey. “As there is a very aggressive market just for tea, it makes sense to find ways to implement them in a cocktail. I just recently scratched the surface on how serious and expansive the tea industry is.

(Use of tea) sets the bar high, but it presents a great opportunity to invent new techniques and flavor profiles.

Herbs, meanwhile, are such a great way to expand on the simple template of ‘sweet and sour’ balance.”

“We’re light years from the heyday of the Long Island Iced Tea,” states Alex Weil, head sommelier for Bouchon, with locations in Beverly Hills and New York City. “Drinks like that are merely ways to put in the most alcohol possible while still masking the flavor. Today’s cocktails are, in their own right, singular creations meant to be enjoyed as one would a dish of food, as opposed to something meant to get you drunk. That’s what straight tequila and whiskey are for.”

Las Vegas-based master mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim says that although there is a time, place and audience for the old Long Island, tea has played equally important roles in cocktailing’s past as much as its future, and provides an interesting back story to tell customers. www.barbizmag.com

“With a global interest in all things culinary that does not seem to be satiable, teas and herbs represent an arena of flavor that can let that interest and creativity expand considerably.”

South x SouthweSt Josh Pearson, Sepia, Chicago 1½ oz Luna Azul Reposado 1 oz St. Germain 1 oz lemon juice Dash Fees Old Fashioned Bitters Sprig rosemary Moscato d’asti topper Muddle rosemary and shake all ingredients, except Moscato.

February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

33

sweeter flavor profiles to those that be reimagined with balance, finesse are dryer and more complex. He and the right combination of also credits the rise of herbaceous quality spirits. However, he believes cocktail flavor profiles to our the way mixologists use tea today gastronomical culture as a whole, is as much about innovation as it is as well as consumers becoming about balance. savvier about wines and craft “The fact that we are beers in the years leading up to increasingly using teas today this little revolution. shows that the mind of the “People are much more aware of mixologist as an artist is food ingredients as well as expanding to understand flavor different dishes they are a part of,” and texture and all of the places we Carducci continues. “It makes can find it,” he affirms. “The tea sense that the consumer is more world offers a vast array of flavors accepting of these ingredients in to work with, making the their cocktails. Some of the more possibilities exponentially vast. herbaceous cocktails including tea are more food That concept would have been laughed at when I was in (pairing) friendly. Tannins found in many teas, and the college drinking horrible Long Island’s in 1990.” astringent qualities of other teas and tisanes, act as wine Tad Carducci, of Chicago’s Tippling Bros. beverage would on the palate.” consulting team, adds that the tea expands the palette Chelsea Dunkel of Bounce in New York City, concurs bartenders work with, while deepening a bartender’s that customers’ palates have become vastly more refined relationship with the chef at some venues. over the years.

“Some teas are bright and “Victims of sensory refreshing while others are Cookie Cutter adaptation, we are no longer woody and earthy, and you can Paul Tanguay and amused with alcohol poured extract different elements out of Tad Carducci, straight from the bottle, mixed them in,” says Carducci. “When Mercadito, Chicago with soda or juice emerging from creating cocktails that pair with 1½ oz Gingerbread a gun,” Dunkel states. “Society food, I try to think about it from rooibos-infused doesn’t eat because they are a wine perspective, where the Tequila Reposado* starving, or drink with the intent balance of fruit, acid, body, ½ oz Ferrand curacao or GMa mix of intoxication. People crave tannins and alcohol plays a role. ½ oz orange juice experience, and are in constant Tea allows you to pull out and ¼ oz lemon juice search of unfamiliar play up those aspects.”

3 oz Negra Modelo provocateurs of the senses.

Bourbon smoked sugar Everyone, every once in a while, Herbal esseNces has a little bit of a sweet tooth.

While Abou-Ganim cautions Shake first three ingredients. Rim However, these cravings should mixologists to be more precise pilsner with bourbon sugar. Fill with quickly be met with a bite or a with amounts when working with Negra Modelo. Garnish with orange slice sip of something unexpected.” fresh herbs, they add lovely *1 tsp. rooibos blend (not barrel-aged) per As New York-based beverage notes to the overall drink. He 4 ozreposado tequila. Infuse for one hour. consultant Niccole Trzaska’s stresses that, like salt and family hails from Hudson Valley, pepper in food, herbs should be she finds herself constantly an element of the drink, but not inspired by the farms, flowers, the entire drink itself. “You don’t colors and scents. She notes that want sage overpowering tequila the most common herbs a or have rosemary running all mixologist can cultivate at home over the gin,” he says. “It should or even at work are basil, mint, be a cocktail with a specific sage, rosemary and lemongrass. spirit foundation accented with “These few herbs are smart to use an herb of choice.” in your venue’s cocktail’s simply Carducci, meanwhile, points because they are commonly used out that while cocktail pioneers in many farm-to-table dishes and five or six years ago were will pair beautifully with both experimenting with herbs and spirits and teas,” she says. “The teas, these natural wonders best part of mixing fresh herbs played a role in reshaping the and teas is simply the high value American palate in terms of of flavor and aroma.” taking cocktails away from

“The fact that we are increasingly using teas today shows that the mind of the mixologist as an artist is expanding to understand flavor and texture and all of the places we can find it.”

34

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

www.barbizmag.com

winter VaCation

tee tiMe CoCktail

GinGer Monk(ey)

Adam Flamenbaum, Bar Bouchon

Bouchon Beverly Hills

Jeff Tovar, Bar Bouchon

1½ oz Earl Grey tea-infused The Macallan 10 year Scotch ½ oz Punt e Mes ¾ oz orange-thyme syrup ½ oz lemon juice Rosemary

1½ oz Makers Mark Whiskey ½ oz Canton Ginger Liqueur ¼ oz Green Chartreuse ¼ oz Pineau de Charentes ¼ oz lemon juice Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur mint and tarragon Float of ginger beer Garnish: mint sprig

1½ oz Goslings Black Seal Rum ¼ oz Amaro Nonino ¼ oz lemon juice ¾ oz cinnamon/clove/juniper syrup egg white ginger GARNISH: cinnamon dusting MUDDLE ginger and lemon; add remaining ingredients and dry shake. Then shake and strain into a snifter glass.

GARNISH: lemon wheel and rosemary sprig COMBINE ingredients and shake with ice. Strain into an ice filled rocks glass.

Josh Pearson of Chicago’s Sepia restaurant notes that while the mixologists turn to tea for the wide variety of flavor they can get to create a “unique depth and interest,” they balance things out with seasonally appropriate herbs in drinks to mirror the seasonality of their kitchen. While cilantro is popular in the summer and sage in winter, he credits the rise in popularity of cocktails and classic cocktails for fueling the popularity of small-batch artisanal spirits.

“The popularity of cocktail programs in the farm-totable and chef-driven restaurants gave bartenders and mixologists access to new and exciting ingredients that we had not had access to previously,” says Pearson. “(We are working with) suppliers that did not have contact with bars traditionally.”

Andre Boshoff, mixologist and bar manager of Maggie’s in Santa Barbara, California, says he works closely with the restaurant’s chef to intertwine some of his cocktails with the meals being prepared in the kitchen. Boshoff cites a gin cocktail with fresh basil and lavender he created to pair with the restaurant’s lamb dish seasoned with coriander, juniper and sage.

Here’s To Your HealTH? Though the mix of the sensible (teas, herbs) with the sensory (spirits) has stirred up a debate about whether cocktails can be really be considered healthy, the movement has nourished interest in at least drinking www.barbizmag.com

COAT highball glass with Luxardo Maraschino and discard. Shake and double strain all ingredients. Add 3 large ice cubes and float ginger beer.

smarter. Some mixologists add that there is also something about tea-based and herbal cocktails that make imbibers feel better about what they indulge in.

“I have created a Wild Berry Herbal Spritzer loaded with sage and thyme, which are full of antioxidants, for digestion and kidney function,” says Boshoff, whose highend restaurant replaced a sports bar that relied on ready-made mixers with high-fructose corn syrup. “I think that our customers want to be educated about what they are drinking and eating on a number of levels, and the farm-to-table movement has certainly advanced this demand. People are increasingly aware of what is out there in the organic and sustainable world, and how these fresh ingredients are being used to maximum effect in the kitchen and at the bar.”

Trzaska has noticed the generation that came of age with the Long Island Iced Tea has now moved on to the more health conscious cocktails. “Having teas and herbs infused into mix have proven to give you bright flavor and a natural buzz,” she says. “Health benefits depend on the type of tea you choose to use in your cocktail. If you choose wisely, you can have a really tasty treat that is also (better) for you. Most teas contain antioxidants that help flush out the toxins found in alcohol.”

“The move towards fresh juices and natural sweeteners and away from pre-bottled mixes has many influences, and healthier eating is one of them,” agrees Weil, who like Boshoff and Trzaska, believes the farm-to-table movement February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

35

Jelly Jar Jessica Keyser, Harvard & Highland, Pittsburgh, PA 1 bottle of Kronan Swedish Punsch 1 bottle of bourbon 4 bottles pumpkin ale 4 bottles cane sugar rootbeer 1 liter house brewed sweet tea Mix well to remove all carbonation. Portion into 8 oz jelly jars and garnish with a lemon wheel before sealing. upped the demand for tea and herb cocktails. “Our guests are happier that we’re using high quality products and fresh ingredients. (Our) drink-making skills are as important as the fact that we’re cutting out sweet in favor of earthy.”

While Bailey does not want to promote the notion that adding tea or herbs makes drinking healthier, he does acknowledge that substituting herbs, vegetables, and mixers such as tea or straight POM may add some minor health benefits and are more appealing to the conscientious eater.

“I would attribute the surge in savory cocktails to how we are tasting food now,” says Bailey. “The ‘all natural movement’ and being a small, local or regional business is a great selling point. You can often find a more interesting inventory of products from smaller distilleries made with high quality ingredients that compliment natural flavors of herbs and teas.”

making a comeback, as are batched drinks stored and displayed in large bottles on the bar top.

“One of the biggest complaints we get at craft cocktail bars is that the artisanal cocktails take too long to create and serve,” notes Abou-Ganim. “Punches offer the benefits of batched and artisanal cocktails. An artisanal group punch bowl is so much more civilized than somebody putting out a bottle of vodka, a jug of juice and some cans of Red Bull. If customers are paying $500 for that VIP service, wouldn’t it provide more value if they had the beautiful presentation instead of individuals having to make the drink themselves?”

Dunkel, meanwhile, points out that in a very high volume setting such as Bounce Sporting Club, time is of the essence. Although her customers favor a well-crafted cocktail, taking five to ten minutes to create one is less than desirable on big game days when a customer’s attention is competing with 30 flat screens.

Her solution is to create mixers with “innately interesting, but still comfortably acquainted flavor profiles.” This permits her to create essentially a twoingredient drink that packs the punch of a well-crafted artisinal cocktail. As part of a savory and herbaceous mixer, “tea is a great alternative to typical and characteristically sweet bar juices, and requires no more patience than waiting for a beer or a shot.”

PGh Dirty Martini Jessica Keyser, Harvard & Highland, Pittsburgh, PA 2½ oz of Wigle Ginever OR Boyd & Blair Vodka (both PGH distilled) ¾ oz miso-kumquat brine ½ oz kombucha Shake and double-strain into a coupe. Garnished with a miso-pickled kumquat.

old spice, New Tricks Although pre-bottled mixers were essential tools for highvolume nightclubs and lounges, tea- and herbal-infused spirits and simple syrup not only can do the same job, but do it with more style and finesse.

Abou-Ganim observes punches and punch bowls are 36

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

www.barbizmag.com

Jessica Keyser of Pittsburgh’s Harvard & Highland (the bar adjunct to Union Pickin’ Chicken) says that the southern barbeque culinary theme and its Pittsburgh location lend themselves to batched cocktails and the use of teas and herbs.

“When we first opened, we had a liquor license but no actual bar to mix drinks, yet I wanted to have a wellcrafted cocktail on the menu.” Keyser says. “We would make a large batch of cocktails and then dispense them into eight-ounce jelly jars that servers could grab out of our cooler when somebody ordered one. We also make our sweet tea fresh daily, which ties into our BBQ theme.

Herbs and botanicals, meanwhile, allow us the yearround opportunity to play with fresh seasonal flavors. In Pittsburgh, there are no ‘market-fresh’ fruits and vegetables during colder months. We source rosemary, savory, thyme and other things that roll into more savory, less sweet cocktails.”

Bailey, meanwhile, notes that Felini’s specific Italian theme challenges him to take spirits, herbs and teas to some very unexpected places, even in the process of creating very food-friendly cocktails.

“We feature ‘The Witch,’ which contains both a green tea and Strega, an herbal liqueur,” Bailey explains. “The drink contains several ingredients, but it’s really just making a tea with lemon and honey, then adding a straight vodka and Strega, which is the highlight of the cocktail. Strega is a sort of citrus and herbal spirit, which alone is quite nice but may be a little too viscous for a casual curiosity. When we blend it, it becomes very light and refreshing. Its earthy notes really work well for the cold. Our best-seller, ‘La Basilica,’ has strawberries in it but also a great deal of basil. It’s our introductory drink for people wanting to venture from their comfort zone.”

someTHiNg FresH is brewiNg: TaTraTea Although tea has been a universal beverage for thousands of years, Rado Dvorsky, a former professional Slovakian volleyball player-turned beverage company president (Avant Garde Imports), brought a fresh spin to the brewing tea cocktail movement with the introduction of Tatratea, a colorful spectrum of tea-based liqueurs.

According to Dvorsky, the wind backing Tatratea’s sails (and sales, for that matter) is the growing popularity of artisanal spirits that capture the collective imagination of bartenders, beverage buyers and the general public. For this reason, among many others, Dvorsky says he entered the U.S. market last summer with confidence because he and his team observed consumers at all levels were “actively seeking things that are new, exciting and even a little healthier.”

“In my home country, people created unique, handcrafted drinks during the winter,” Dvorsky says. “People would harvest herbs during the year, dry them and store them for up to a full year. They would then blend the herbs into teas and serve them warm, believing that the mixes had restorative and healthy properties.”

Are you a true be-leaf-er? www.barbizmag.com

Gin with enVy Bouchon Beverly Hills 1 1/2 oz green tea-infused Tanqueray Gin 3/4 oz vanilla-lime syrup 1/2 oz Dolin Blanc 1/4 oz lime juice Garnish: lime twist Combine ingredients and shake with ice. Strain into an ice-filled highball glass.

GolDen Gate Shawn Lickliter, Bouchon Bistro 1½ oz Junipero Gin ¾ oz orange thyme syrup ½ oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth ¼ oz lemon juice Garnish: orange peel Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.

the honey BuSh Breeze Chelsea Dunkel, Bounce Sporting Club, New York City 1½ oz honeybush tea, Mandarin orange and herbal tea-infused Stolichnaya 1 oz honey simple syrup ½ oz fresh lemon juice 8-10 mint leaves Shake and strain onto rocks.

Garnish with a mint leaf.

auG 21, 1959 Jessica Keyser, Harvard & Highland, Pittsburgh, PA 2 oz Amrut Old Port rum 1 oz hazelnut orgeat 3/4 oz pureed hot-smoked pineapple 1 oz chai tea 1/2 oz fresh lime Shake all well and double-strain over ice into a Collins glass.

February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

37

A case study in modern-day staffing for the service industry, the John Barleycorn bar group recently opened its fourth location in Chicago utilizing Shiftgig.com to find a start-up collection of servers and bartenders nearly 100 deep. Here’s a look at how it all got done.

By Chris Ytuarte

e r i H Must 38

Bar Business Magazine February January 2013 2013

All Images Š Leigh Loftus ThinkLeigh Photography 2013

John Barleycorn

www.barbizmag.com

F

or starters, allow me to apologize for the some- are good matches for them from our database,” says Jeff what obscure musical reference in the title Pieta, president of Shitfgig. “We currently have 160,000 of this article. Unless you’re a diehard fan of candidates on the site. So not only can candidates apply, early 1970s rock n’ roll, you may not be familiar owners can also reach out to candidates who are a good with the classic Traffic album John Barleycorn fit for them. For example, if a fine dining restaurant or an Must Die. Then again, if you are a fan of such upscale bar posts a job, the candidates with experience in early 1970s sounds, it’s likely you still hire staff by flip- upscale environments will be at the top of the list, whereas ping through piles of paper resumés, which, in some pro- sports bars candidates will be lower on the list.”

One part of Callanta’s early application process explains fessions, is almost as antiquated as the vinyl record upon in part the reach and breadth of which Steve Winwood imprinted the Shiftgig universe, specifically his powerful vocals. (Winwood was within the service industry; his the lead singer of Traffic. Keep up mentioning of seeing the initial ad with me, people.) on Craigslist is no accident. “When John Barleycorn, however, is an owner posts a job, we automatiactually referred to herein as a bar, cally syndicate that job to sites in fact a collection of bars, residlike SimplyHired.com, Indeed.com ing in the great city of Chicago. and 20 other sites, to maximize With locations in Lincoln Park. the reach of the job post,” Pieta Wrigleyville, and Schaumburg, explains. “That’s why our job posts the Barleycorn ownership group get more responses and get betrecently opened its fourth edition ter candidates. We have a very in the River North neighborhood, broad reach. Indeed.com gets 40 needing to start from square one to million visitors a month, and all build a staff from scratch. With prethe Indeed candidates are seeing vious success hiring for the other the Shiftgig post, and then they go locations using a particular online to Shiftgig and they create profiles staffing company, they immediateto apply for the jobs.” ly returned to the site to seek out Needless to say, Callanta was the next Barleycorn manager. hired at John Barleycorn as a “There was an ad on Craigslist manager thanks to his lightenthat said you had to apply through ing-quick interaction on Shiftgig Shiftgig.com, and I’d never heard (“They called around 11am, I was of it before,” explains TJ Callanta, in there by 3 pm, and I was offered manager at John Barleycorn River the job pretty much on the spot,” North. “So I went on, built a profile, he says). Almost immediately upon and filled a few things out, but taking the reigns, he turned to the I submitted it too quickly; they site that had brought him there, had nothing but my name and and began hiring staff for the new contact information when I hit the Barleycorn using Shiftgig. send button too soon. But while “This was the first time I I was filling out the rest of the had ever heard of Shiftgig, the profile page, I received a call from first time I’d ever used it,” says one of the general managers at Callanta, who had worked in the Barleycorn who scheduled me to industry for some six years prior. come in for an interview. This was, “Normally I would just go through at most, five minutes after I’d sent Craigslist or ChicagoReader.com my Shiftgig application in.” or word-of-mouth—which being For bar and restaurant owners, in the industry for a while is Shiftgig.com is an easy way to hire actually one of the most reliable staff. The site has the largest numchannels. But this was my first ber of service industry job canditime using Shiftgig and, to be dates in a given area, all in one honest, it was the most effective. place, and applicants create and Thanks in large part to shiftgig, You can really present yourself post thorough personal profiles of the new john Barleycorn location pretty well on there.” themselves for employers to see. went from an empty bar room to Callanta cites the personal “What makes Shiftgig different is a well staffed watering hole. profiles built by job-seeking canwhen an owner posts a job, they didates as not only a great way will instantly see candidates who

www.barbizmag.com

February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

39

40

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

someone builds a profile, how they speak about themselves in the ‘About Me’ section—all of that can really help explain who they are, where they come from, what they’re about. In my case, I was able to explain what my management style is and how I became the manager I am today and what my beliefs are in the industry.

You can’t do that with a regular resumé, because it gets too wordy and it doesn’t fit that rigid, bulleted format. As an employer, if you have a novel handed to you for a resumé, you end up putting it down somewhere and forgetting about it. When it’s on Shiftgig, it’s always there, it’s on your computer, you know exactly where to find it.”

Instead of combing through hundreds of resumés, Craigslist postings, word-of-mouth suggestions and walkins, and then spending your valuable time vetting, interviewing and hiring for only one job opening at a time, Shiftgig streamlines your process. “You might call in so many people and conduct all these interviews, meanwhile you can be spending your time on more administrative things or marketing or just getting the bar in order,” says Callanta. “Instead, you’re wasting time interviewing people that you often know, right off the bat, are not going Photo by Leigh Loftus

to get to know people’s personalities beyond just their experience (always important in the service industry), but also a way to streamline the hiring process in lieu of slogging through longwinded paper resumés.

“When I was a kid learning how to make my first resumé, the rule was that everything goes on one page,” recalls Callanta. “You might have a ton of accomplishments or a ton of experience, but it’s usually frowned upon if you spread it all across two pages, or even front-and-back. And if you have too much crammed into one page, you wonder if employers really want to read through this kind of information. It can be overwhelming. But with social media and how things are moving with technology, it’s nice to look at a page, see a picture, and see everything right in front of you on a computer screen and get all the information at once. It’s so beneficial and it’s so much easier than having it all crammed into a Word document and printed on to one page.

“The Shiftgig profiles work more like Facebook or Twitter. They give you a gauge on someone, almost like they’re there in-person. There’s only so much you can read on a black-and-white piece of paper. But on Shiftgig, how

www.barbizmag.com

to work out for your business.

So Shiftgig is a nice filter to be able to find out who is going to fit the personality requirements of your venue, as well the experience level.”

The Shiftgig hiring platform, currently posting service job information for the Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. markets, is headquartered in Chicago, and still enjoys a strong and growing presence in its hometown. “Barleycorn is actually next door to where I live, and I went there one night wearing a Shiftgig t-shirt and the bartender said, ‘Hey, I found my job here on Shiftgig!’” says Pieta. “I told her I’d love to talk to the manager to see how the experience was, and he comes out and he says, ‘I was hired from Shiftgig too!’”

At John Barleycorn River North, Callanta has assembled a 25-member security team, 28 servers, 30 bartenders, and a handful of hostesses, and that’s just the front-ofhouse staff. Of the nearly 100 employees he has hired since coming on board, he estimates that half have been sourced from Shiftgig, the same site from which he was plucked.

To boot, the bar has seen almost no turnover of its initial hires since opening the doors several months ago, a testament to the quality of the candidates found on Shiftgig, one top of the sheer quantity.

“I don’t know how we would’ve done this without Shiftgig, when you’re talking about looking for more than 100 new employees,” says Callanta. “To staff a place as large as ours with any semblance of organization is pretty difficult. Shiftgig helped a lot because we can go through the site on a Monday, have people in for interviews on Tuesday, and go through second interviews on Wednesday. It really worked out well, rather than having all these paper resumés flying around everywhere while we try to get the bar open.

“To be honest, I feel like it’s such a new, trending thing, I’m starting to here more and more about it now. The Shiftgig name is really getting out there, and I can tell that more people are trying to get acquainted with it. Let’s face it—Chicago is an old-school city. It’s hard for us to let go of old things. We love the Bears and the Cubs for a reason.

We hold onto that old-school notion. But I feel like Shiftgig kind of breaks that mold a little bit. It allows the newer, younger bar managers that are evolving and changing with the industry to keep those old-school grassroots, where you still want to do that second or third round interview, but it helps you be more organized getting there. So the buzz is out there.”

“I don’t know how we would’ve done this without Shiftgig, when you’re talking about looking for more than 100 new employees.”

www.barbizmag.com

February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

41

Taffer

To The rescue We sat down with Jon Taffer to talk about the upcoming third season of his hit Spike TV show Bar reScue, plus what he sees as the common denominator of bar failure and how the 2013 Nightclub & Bar Show can help smart owners avoid it.

By chriS yTuarTe

J

on Taffer is President of the Nightclub & Bar Media Group as well as the host and Co-Executive Producer of Spike TV’s Bar Rescue. Weekly, we can see Taffer take on the task of turning a bar around from bordering on failure to swimming in success, all in a matter of days. How does he do it?

And for bar owners who aren’t lucky enough to partake in the show and his aggressive grilling, how can they benefit from watching every week?

Taffer talked with us about all of that, and tacked on a few sharp suggestions for those owners attending next month’s 2013 Nightclub & Bar Show in Las Vegas.

BB: Tell us about the experience of filming the first two seasons of Bar Rescue and what you’ve learned going into Season Three.

42

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

Taffer: We finished season two as number-one in our time slot, which is really an incredible accomplishment.

And we’re number-one on the network. Roughly 22 percent of all American males between the ages of 19 and 49 watch Bar Rescue. And roughly 11 percent of all American women in the same age group watch Bar Rescue. It’s approaching 90 million viewers now. reality blurred, which is a really good reality TV web site, just rated us the number-one transformation show on TV, and the twelfth best reality show on TV. And obviously I’m really proud of that.

[Ed NoTE: realityblurred.com’s abovementioned bestowment upon Bar Rescue by staff writer Andy dehnart went like this: “This is the best of the business makeover shows, because it balances improvement with drama, and its second season this year fixed

the problems from the first season.

Thanks to an introduction to the show from my friend Bob, I quickly discovered how addictive it can be.

Early next year, I’ll be reviewing and ranking all of these shows, because I can’t stop watching them, but Spike’s entry stands out. Unlike the hosts of similar shows, Jon Taffer is laserfocused on actually improving the business rather than creating drama, and the result is educational and ridiculously entertaining.”]

The most important part of Bar Rescue for me is that I didn’t want it to be a bullshit kind of bar show. I wanted it to be smart, focussed on the science behind the business with a lot of depth. And what I’m proudest of with Bar Rescue is that not one word of the show is scripted, on my mother’s grave. Everything on that show is absolutely real and shot in www.barbizmag.com

real time. We’re there for five days, and you see the first time I ever walk into that building on camera and you see the last time I leave on camera. obviously we edit hundreds of hours down to 42 minutes, so you don’t see every single thing that happens—but everything you see, happened. There are no actors. Everyone you see in those venues is an employee.

BB: Have you kept up with the bars from seasons one and two and gotten updates on their success?

Taffer: About 60 to 65 percent of the bars we’ve worked with are doing well. In some cases, just the fact that they’re still open is an accomplishment. Some of these people are in debt to the tune of as much as $900,000, almost a year in default and living in their parents’ basement. Even if I turned the place around, who knows if the bank is going to come in and take it away 60 days later. So sometimes the debt level is too high. And other times, let’s face it—I only have five days.

You can’t change human behavior in five days very often. But sometimes you can, and that’s why I’m in their face so much. If I can’t change the way they think while I’m there, I’m dead. They have no chance of turning the thing around. So if I have to change the way you think and I only have a couple of days to do it, I’m going to be aggressive, and you’re not going to like it. You’re going to fight back, you’re going to disagree with me, you’re going to dig your heels in. And that’s what you see on the show because I’m pushing so hard.

And there are some really great success stories. For example, The Public House, which we worked with last season in Cincinnati, just paid off their seventh bank loan, which is a great accomplishment. And just about every bar we worked with last season is still open and plugging along. About 60 percent of the bars from season one are still plugging along as well. And so far—keeping my fingers crossed—the bars from this season are all doing well too. We just finished the ninth bar of the www.barbizmag.com

season in Phoenix, and we’re heading off to do the 10th episode out of 20 this season. And that’s a big deal because normally a network never orders 20 episodes of a reality show.

It shows how much they believe in us and how successful we’ve been.

BB: With the success of the show going into season three, has it been easier to find interesting bars and locations to work with?

Taffer: Absolutely. Now people come to us. In the first year it was rough. We had to go out and find everybody. But now they know us.

And what’s interesting is that even though they know I’m going to be aggressive when I get there, and you know there’s moments of personal embarrassment for these people when they screw up, over 1,000 bars signed up to participate on this season through Spike.com.

What we have to do is first make sure their story is real and they’re not hustling us for a remodel by pretending they’re losing money when they’re not. The next thing we do is make sure they’re not felons or tax evaders and that there’s nothing terrible in their background. And the third thing we do is send a producer around with a camera to each bar to spend about an hour and just walk through the room to shoot it quickly.

And then he spends about a minute with each employee on camera. If the owner is really wimpy and doesn’t talk loud and doesn’t come off well on camera, or we think the audience won’t like him, then we don’t pick them. If we find that the characters are compelling and the audience will like this guy and be rooting for this guy and want this guy to win, and he’s the kind of person you care about, that’s the kind of person we grab. Because at the end of the day, Bar Rescue is really storytelling. It’s really a human story in the end. So the people that we pick need to have some compelling stories.

BB: For bar owners who might be watching each week, what can they take away from the show to help their own business?

Taffer: The first lesson everybody should learn from Bar Rescue is this: When I had five days to turn around a bar and it normally takes me 30 to 60 days, I thought to myself, ‘Wow, this is almost impossible.’ But I did it, and I do it all the time. So the first lesson in our business is: Anything you think you can accomplish, you can accomplish much faster if you want to. Whatever it is you want to do, you can do it much faster if you want to.

“in making Bar Rescue, i’ve found the common denominator of failure is excuses.”

Secondly, the thing I’ve learned most from Bar Rescue is a common denominator. I have a pretty good career as a consultant and owner and I’ve learned over the course of my life what it takes to be successful in the bar business. Bar Rescue has taught me more about failure than anything I’ve ever seen. I have learned the words of failure, the walk of failure, the talk of failure. Because some of these people are so deep in failure, it’s unbelievable. And they won’t change what they do. So the common denominator of failure, I find, is excuses. These people wake up every morning and blame February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

43

somebody else—‘The competition is killing me, it’s the President, it’s Congress’—now they even say it’s Greece! The economy in Greece is killing my bar on Hudson Street!

Come on. But even in the height of the recession there were bars that were kicking butt. So at the end of the day the bar operators have only one person to blame—themselves. If they wake up in the morning and blame the economy, they go through their day just fine. If they wake up in the morning, look in the mirror, and blame themselves, hopefully they get pissed. And then they do something about it. I’m really big on forcing them to blame themselves. I think the second most important lesson of Bar Rescue, other than that you can do things quickly, is that it’s nobody’s fault but your own. own your success, accept your failures as your own, and wake up in the morning pissed off and angry at yourself because you failed. Use that anger, that fear, as a source of inspiration to do better.

And the third element is that it’s easy to fix a bar. It’s easy to develop a beverage program that’s profitable on paper; it’s easy to train people to work correctly and follow recipes; it’s easy to develop a profitable food program if you choose to do it and cost everything out and train your people to do it properly. It’s easy to keep a bar clean. All of these things are easy. The biggest challenges in

Jon Taffer talks shop with rap star 50 cent at last year’s Nightclub & Bar Show.

our business are revenue programs and people. How do you keep the place full and how do I keep people doing what I need them to do? And I include owners in that statement too.

I believe I can fix any bar, but I can’t fix any owner. That’s the reality of it.

BB: What’s in store for viewers in season three of Bar Rescue?

Taffer: My passion is the human behavior sciences—moving the eye, moving the body, getting you to dance more, drink more, spend more.

This year we’ve taken those sciences to a new level, and it’s really exciting, some of the stuff we’re doing in human behavioral sciences, merchandising sciences, marketing sciences. Also we’ve really raised the

“i believe i can fix any bar, but i can’t fix any owner. That’s the reality of it.”

44

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

bar this year on transformations.

Now that we’re a hit show we have a little more money, we’re doing great transformations. our main sponsor is diageo and diageo brands, which provide an unbelievable amount of support to the show and there is a fantastic relationship between Bar Rescue/Taffer and diageo. With the resources of diageo and the new sciences, we’re doing 20 episodes this season in ten different cities, including premieres in New orleans on Bourbon Street, which was great.

Then we go to Austin, which is one strange town, where we worked on a hipster steampunk bar. This season you see my first physical altercation with an owner, believe it or not. You’ll see the first time I have to throw people out of a building to tent it and fumigate it because there is a Class A infestation. We really took it to a new level. Since we had 1,000 bars sign up, we could really pick good ones. It’s going to be an unbelievable season.

BB: Looking towards the 2013 Nightclub & Bar Show next month, will you be casting owners again for Bar Rescue?

Taffer: Yes. There will be a big Spike booth and we’ll be doing some casting. We’ll have a bunch of experts there and we’ll have the Bar Rescue happy hour party at Lavo on Monday night, which is a great event.

All the network people will be there and the cast members and experts from the show. www.barbizmag.com

Last year, our most heavily attended classes and the classes we got the highest evaluations for was what we called the Bar Rescue track.

We took Bar Rescue experts and the real pick of the litter of all our speakers and presenters and we made the Bar Rescue track. And this year we made that a little bigger and more exciting, and it’s a great educational program. So Bar Rescue has really touched our parties, touched the tradeshow floor and touched our educational program.

BB: How can bar owners and industry folk attending the tradeshow make the best of their time there this year?

Taffer: The exhibit floor is open for two full days, and a lot of people are so excited about getting on the exhibit floor, which I know is fun and incredibly exciting and high-energy.

But there are over 70 classes at Nightclub & Bar, and one of the problems with our industry is that we are a fragmented industry. We don’t have an NRA-type association that really takes a leadership role on lobbying and doing things for us.

We’re a bunch of independent operators spread around the country, and if it wasn’t for Bar Business Magazine connecting with our business every month and Nightclub & Bar connecting with our business every month and our tradeshow happening annually, we would never communicate with each other in this business. Each of us would be islands. So the most important opportunity bar owners have when they come to NCB, I believe, is looking at the 70 educational programs and realizing these are the best in the industry. These are good people really sharing the depths of their experience, which you’re not going to get in dubuque, Iowa. Build your schedule around the educational programs. Pick those five or six classes that are going to most change your business, schedule those first, and then go to the tradeshow floor. don’t schedule yourself around the tradeshow floor and miss the best of the classes.

This year, Jim Cook from Boston www.barbizmag.com

Beer will be there. He’s one of the most inspiring entrepeneurs I’ve ever met, and he’s giving a great keynote; people really shouldn’t miss it. Nick Sheppard is doing a keynote as well. Nick is the CEo of T.G.I. Friday’s and a dear friend of mine.

Friday’s really started modern mixology. The Iced Tea was invented

by Friday’s. Contemporary mixology was invented by Friday’s, as was flair bartending. The bar heritage at

Friday’s is remarkable. It’s a great history, and Friday’s is reclaiming that heritage. Their commercials are shifting back to the bar, they’re doing more alcohol bar programs and bar promotions. So hearing the Friday’s story and what they’re doing as a company will be really neat too, and people won’t want to miss that.

And this year’s tradeshow floor is going to be our biggest in many years, so we’re vey excited about it.

shiftgig Upgrade Your Hospitality Hiring When you post jobs for FREE on Shiftgig, you get access to thousands of profiles with work histories, education, photos, and fit scores.

shiftgig.com/barbiz barbiz-halfpage.indd 1

12/14/12 45 1:48 PM February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

Big

6

MIAMI BOSTON CHICAGO LAS VEGAS LOS ANGELES

NEW YOrk

A LittLe Piece of HAVen in MiAMi HaVen Gastro-Lounge, located in always-scorching South Beach, brings a little bit of flare and flavor to the seaside spirits scene in Miami.

46

By TYLEr YAGEr

R

ecently boasting big New Year’s Eve parties, it seems like Miami is once again a go-to destination in 2013. With its tropical climate rarely dipping below 60 degrees in the winter, it’s a top pick for anyone trying to escape winter’s cold grasp and immerse themselves in a lively metropolis of the southeastern part of the U.S. In the muddy mix between a gastro-pub and a lounge comes what most would consider a “gastro-lounge.” Partaking in the best of both worlds, HaVen GastroLounge in Miami creates an atmosphere unparallel to the all-too-familiar nightlife that South Beach has to offer, along with cocktails and a menu that is out of this world. Offering nearly twenty specialty cocktails with clever names such as raVage, riVal, diVa, (one favorite, feVer, is made of HaVen designer and founder Mike Grey Goose La Poire pear flavored vodka, jalapeno, lychee, and pear Prosecco), these Boles wanted to create a place for drinks speak for themselves and are quite refined nightlife enthusiasts. out of the ordinary. The drink list extends to high-end cocktails featuring names such as diVine, which offers a guest a mixed masterpiece of Stoli Elit vodka, caviar-stuffed olives, and Filthy brine—for patrons with adventurous tastes. The spirits menu serves up everything from classic sangria, sake, and of course Cristal for that New Year’s celebration. As you await your space-aged drink oozing with liquid nitrogen, the food menu constructed by Executive Chef Todd Erickson may just be enough to send you into orbit. How did this all come to be?

“HaVen began to conceptualize in 2009 as designer/founder Mike Boles relocated form

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

www.barbizmag.com

Guests at HaVen may feel as if they’ve entered a space-age environment once inside.

Duci is et int. Usda volupis cullupta doloreperro Atlanta to Miami Beach and wanted to provide a place for food and nightlife enthusiasts of a refined nature,” says Ben Arndt, Operations Manager at HaVen Hospitality Concepts. “The concept took shape from summer 2010 to spring 2011 as a full, custom build-out, on which I assisted Mike along with our technology director, ricardo Agudelo and chef Todd Erickson. We poured months of love into each element of the venue, ensuring the end result was stunning and well thought-out. Wreckless Food and Beverage Menu creation, with wild tastings and plenty of imagination, crafted an exciting culinary program while calculated launch planning and staffing assured we wouldn’t miss the mark on service and delivery. The attraction was that this small place was truly unique and progressive in every possible facet of the business, from food and beverage to design, which utilizes 110 inches of immersive HD video walls and full intelligent LED lighting. The business has been fantastic since startup, with growth in all areas from dinner to lounge and from special events to corporate launch parties.”

In 2013, the folks at HaVen will be working with many partners in South Florida to participate in some of Miami Beach’s most exciting events, from the South Beach Wine & Food Festival in February, where Chef Todd will cook in the signature “Best of the Best” event, to Winter Music Conference in March, which draws the premier electronic music labels and DJs for ten days of incredible parties. Art Basel Miami Beach is another special week in December when HaVen’s video walls will host galleries, artists, and art publications in a digital playground of top talent. “We will be right there in the ranks enhancing the week for those who come through our doors,” says Arndt. “Even sporting

www.barbizmag.com

The A/V experience at HaVen includes “visuals,” as noted.

events like the NBA Playoffs create a special memory for those fortunate enough to catch a game on our panoramic walls with booming surround sound. Michael Jordan caught Game Two of the NBA finals at HaVen, and he was quoted as predicting the Heat would win the championship.

When they did, the place went absolutely nuts.”

With intimate tapas-style plates serving a wide variety of food, the choices at HaVen are limitless. The Crackle-Pop roll excites the taste buds with spicy tuna rolled and seared and crisped rice, daikon, and yuzushichimi aioli, while the specialty

February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

47

Big

6

MIAMI Boston CHICAGo LAs VeGAs Los AnGeLes

tater tots entice palates with Maytag bleu cheese, chives, and balsamic ketchup. Other items include skewers of diver scallops, filet mignon, and chicken as well as sliders deliciously nicknamed Lamburgers. With such an assortment of creative dishes, the desserts follow suit with sub-zero ice cream and a renowned favorite, Ascension, offering devil’s food cake, flan, Ganache, fluff and berries.

“The menu is inspired by fresh, unique flavors and pairings from the minds of Chef Todd Erickson and Mixologist Isaac Grillo,” says Arndt. “These guys are young but accomplished. I’ve never seen two guys play off each other so well and still let others get involved in tastings, where ideas fly around and we have the guts to try to make it work. Our inspiration, since this is a futuristic South Beach lounge, is that we have to excite the senses of our

new York

guests to match the feeling they get when they step inside a multi-sensory masterpiece. Flavors explode, melt, and pop in familiar, yet twisted ways.”

With decadent food and intriguing drinks, HaVen GastroLounge is still most known for its extraordinary atmosphere and dazzling décor, always changing within a moment’s notice. “HaVen is a gastro-lounge, and its ergonomics are not for those set on having a formal dinner with staunch service and tablecloths,” explains Arndt. “We use recycled black leather in our custom stools, banquettes, and ottomans. The tables sit at lounge height, ten inches below normal dining tables. This forces you to lean in and join a fun conversation over the playful small plates. Later on the tables transform like Swiss Army knives; one end unfolds to reveal a lit platform awaiting a custom stainless bottle service rack complete with bottles, straws, napkins, fruit trays, and an ice compartment which illuminates with the colors of the glowing onyx table surface. People don’t get so comfortable that they lose the urge to flirt, dance, or lean over each other reaching for that last piece of a signature sushi roll.”

Highlighted for its futuristic design, the wrap-around LCD walls transport this gastro-lounge into a fun and visually stunning experience, keeping the crowd immersed until the morning hours. Images change from mountain ranges to crescent beaches, from patterns to colorful tiles, tying in the illuminated bar that also changes colors accordingly. “HaVen is known for its fully immersive video walls,” says Arndt. “This is the thing that everyone says, ‘Hey you have to come check this place out. You’ve never

The culinary experience at HaVen is meant to appeal to those of a refined nature and a sense of adventure all at once, as does the cocktail menu that accompanies it.

48

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

www.barbizmag.com

Get Your

FILL.

In print, in person and online, the premier “How-to” resource.

fb.com/BarBizMag

BarBizMag.com

@BarBizMag

BAR BUSINE$$ M A G A Z I N E

www.barbizmag.com

Big

6

MIAMI Boston CHICAGo LAs VeGAs Los AnGeLes

seen anything like it!’ You can literally be standing in Times Square one moment and then the next be in the Himalayas. All with full-color spectrum changing LED lighting to change the entire mood. It’s like nothing else I’ve ever heard of.”

The cozy bar and open-faced kitchen help to keep the gastro-lounge feel even after plunking patrons down inside a venue that resembles a spaceship thousands of years from now. On a Sunday, it’s typical to find a televised football game stretched along the walls of HaVen, with beer and food specials accompanying the fans who sit at the bar or at nearby tables. The recently advertised Taco Tuesdays special brings a Spanish flair to the menu with fish tacos, and towards the end of the work week comes the party, as the beach bodies descend on the scene. Dancing and DJ’s light up the Miami nightlife at HaVen until 5:00 a.m., whether out on the open-air deck or the main floor.

“HaVen caters to the discerning locals of South Beach who are typically food and mixology enthusiasts,” says Arndt. “If

Maintaining the space-age experience, even the desserts at HaVen Gastro-Lounge evoke smoking planets and otherwordly delights largely unseen on the planet Earth.

50

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

new York

they are new to the craft cocktail culture and foodie fanfare, we quickly draw them in with our excitement and passion for our signature flare. Nightly entertainment draws in a mixed crowd of service industry patrons, socialites, and visitors.

The weekends bring crowds that push our capacity and typically are marbled with Palm Beach and Ft. Lauderdale first timers anxious to see if what they’ve heard about our place is true. We don’t disappoint, and many come back frequently on the weekends for dinner, after dinner, or just for a final nightcap.”

The word “haven,” often defined as a place sought for rest or protection, is defined in Miami’s HaVen as “an intimate HI-FI lounge serving global small plates and craft cocktails nightly in an immerse environment.” With 2013 newly upon us, maybe it’s time for a different kind of change, so head to HaVen Gastro-Lounge for some fun in the sun.

“HaVen is a special place that has attracted hundreds of local supporters who have become family,” says Arndt. “I’m very happy to be able to connect with so many people through genuine southern hospitality and service. It’s been an honor, and it will be a welcomed challenge to expand the brand across the nation into any city in which we’re fortunate enough to get an address.”

More HaVen to come?

www.barbizmag.com

Still Thirsty For Knowledge?

Please sign-up to continue your FREE subscription to Bar Business Magazine. Don’t let this Free subscription opportunity run out.

For continuation of the industry’s only “How-To” publication, simply complete this form and fax to 402-346-3670. For fastest service, subscribe on the web @ www.barbizmag.com Please start/continue my FREE subscription to Bar Business Magazine. q Yes q No Version: (select one only) q Print q Digital/Electronic* q Print and/or Digital/Electronic* - NO PREFERENCE Signature Date Name Tel.

Title Fax

Company

Email*

(Required to receive the Digital/Electronic version)

Address City

State

Zip

State

Zip

Alternate Address (for home delivery) City q

YES!! I wish to receive BarBiz-e FREE e-newsletter for the latest trends and developments in the bar & nightlife industry. (I may opt out at any time.)

1. I would describe my establishment as: (select one) q A. Bar q E. Restaurant/Bar q B. Lounge q F. Wholesaler q C. Nightclub q G. Others allied to the field (specify below) q D. Hotel/Bar ___________________________________

4. q q q q

The total number of employees are: (select one) A. 1 -5 B. 6 - 10 C. 11 - 20 D. 21 +

2. q q q q q

My Primary Job title is: (select one) A. Corporate Management B. Owner C. Manager D. Buyer (beverages, supplies, etc.)

E. Others allied to the field (specify below) ____________________________________________________

5. q q q q

Entertainment sources are: (check A. Jukebox B. DJ C. Bands/Live Music D. Computer/MP3 Player

3. q q q q

My annual sales totals are: (select one) A. Less than $500,00 q E. $5 million - $10 million B. $500,000 - $1 million q F. Over $10 Million C. $1 million - $3 million D. $3 million - $5 million

6. q q q q

The majority of my sales is in: (select one) A. Liquor B. Beer C. Wine D. Other (specify below) ___________________________________________________

Subscribe online @ www.barbizmag.com, Fax completed form to: (402) 346-3670 **Publisher reserves the right to limit the number of free subscriptions. *** Canadian and International subscribers – Free subscriptions will be offered only in the digital/electronic format.

all applicable) q E. Coin-Op q F. Karaoke q G. Electronic Trivia q H. Other (specify below) _____________________

Bar Business Magazine Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp.

PO Box 10, Omaha NE 68102-0010 USA Tel +1 (800) 895-4389 or +1(402) 346-4740 Fax: +1(402)346-3670

Inventory New Clubscore App Tells Users What’s Hot

Knappogue Castle Whiskey Introduces 14 Year Old Twin Wood

Clubscore, the Fort Lauderdale-based technology and entertainment company, is fast becoming the final authority on what’s hot and what’s not in the nightlife scene. The brainchild of entrepreneur Gideon Kimbrell, Clubscore is an app that allows users to find clubs and events in their area, as well as plan parties with friends. The app includes a slidingscale rating system, so that users can rate clubs as “hot,” “not” or somewhere in between. Clubscore is supported by many established entertainment brands, including Kimberlee Etheridge of Haute in the City. In the next version of the app, designed and developed in partnership with Fueled, a new VIP service (membership by request only) will provide approved members with guaranteed access to the country’s top clubs at peak hours. This is an exclusive membership: Clubscore’s curator will handpick members determined by existing social profiles and relationships. Check out www.clubscore.com.

Knappogue Castle®, producer of a super-premium line of single malt Irish whiskies, announces the firsttime release of 14 Year Old Twin Wood Irish whiskey.

Following in the great tradition of sherry cask-aged Knappogue Castle 1951, the oldest and rarest known Irish whiskey, this special single malt derives its Twin Wood name from the fact that it combines whiskey aged in two types of wood: Oloroso Sherry casks and bourbon barrels. The best single malt Irish whiskey spends a minimum of 14 years in bourbon barrels to give it the Knappogue Castle signature smooth taste; it’s then combined with more Irish single malt aged in casks specially infused for Knappogue Castle with Oloroso Sherry. The Andrews family began bottling single malt Irish whiskey when most other producers were still making blends.

Knappogue Castle is named after the 15th century castle in western Irelandbought by Mark Edwin Andrews II, who restored the castle in the 1960s. Visit www.knappoguewhiskey.com

A Lavish RTD

Scott Harvey Wines Announces White and Red Wine Blends

Nammarico Corp., a California based importer, has obtained the exclusive rights for the United States distribution of the Lavish branded product line of ready to drink cocktails.

Lavish products are made in Austria. They are currently available throughout Europe and Asia and the company says it has received approval for several other countries. The USA product line includes a Vodka Cocktail, Whisky & Cola Cocktail, Gin & Tonic Cocktail, “Extreme” 21% Vodka Cocktail, Herbal Cocktail and a line of RTD Fruit Flavored Absinthe. The first shipments arrived in the USA in late November and Nammarico is currently building distribution.

More information is available at www.drinkLavishUSA.com.

Inquiries should be directed to info@nammarico.com or by calling (562) 804-9443. Visit the Lavish booth #819 at the Nightclub & Bar (NCB) show in Las Vegas, March 19-21.

52

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

With the white blend labeled Primero Beso and the Red Blend entitled Ultimo Beso, the Scott Harvey wines have a romantic note conveyed by the romantic Spanish language. Primero Beso ($18) is the new release 2011 California White Wine Blend. Red blends are a fast growing trend and in Ultimo Beso ($20), Scott Harvey adds just a touch of sweetness. Ultimo Beso is a 2009 California Red Wine Blend of Zinfandel and Barbera, accentuating California’s best varietals. Made in a full-bodied style with mouth-watering balance, the wine is full of spicy cloves and blackberry fruit, designed to go well with any meat or pasta dish. More information is available at www. scottharveywines. com.

www.barbizmag.com

Have Some Pizza Mind When Serving Hot Pies

SmarteRita Broaden’s RTD Margarita Market

You can decorate your venue 1,000 ways but there’s no way to add warmth like the personal touch. There’s a new utensil your servers can offer your customers that help avoid those painful burns on the roof of the mouth caused by eating pizza and other handheld foods. It’s a great way for servers to break the ice and get on a personal level with the clientele by expressing a concern about these injuries particularly to the children. It forms a simple shelf the shape of the pizza or other handheld food) and cools faster by principally allowing circulating air to reach its underside. Its metal bar also helps to absorb heat faster. The device is designed to save space by stacking inside each other and can be slid under the users plate or even back under the serving tray to save table space. Find out more at www.newdevice1.com.

A new ready to drink Margarita brand is launching this winter under the name SmarteRita.

SmarteRita is the brainchild of Kelly Shuman, an entrepreneur in Dallas, TX who recognized that there was an opportunity for a premixed Margarita that not only delivered on the low calorie front, but more importantly, tastes great. In blind comparison tastings the 25 proof product (12.5% ABV) SmarteRita consistently outperforms competitive products, “and we’re often told by consumers that it tastes like a freshly made Margarita you might get at a cocktail bar,” Shuman says. “We think the combination of premium and all natural ingredients, as well as the relatively higher proof level, make the product appealing to a broad audience of men and women.” SmarteRita is available in 750ml and 1.75ml bottles in TX, CO, IL and MN. For more information visit www.SmarteRita.com.

Secure Your Security Staff

New Glassware Gives a Kick

Klein Electronics, Inc. has introduced their Valor® Professional Speaker/ Microphone for 2-way Radios. This speaker microphone is rubber overmolded, features both side and front PTT (Push-To-Talk), 2 audio ports (top and bottom) with locking cams (patent pending), contoured edges for grip and feel. Comes in black or safety orange. Designed, Engineered and Assembled in USA. 2-year warranty.

Only available through Klein Electronics, Inc. 800-959-2899 or visit www.HeadsetUSA.com.

After successfully launching SideKick® Shot Glass, product inventor Todd Miller and Sterling Restaurant Supply proudly introduce the SideKick Rocks Glass, adding creativity beyond shooters to the bar for cocktails and other flavor-infused drink offerings. SideKick glasses have removable bottoms where flavorenhancing condiments—or even dry ice for a spooky effect—can be added to the drink without becoming a choking hazard. Separated by a built-in strainer, the flavoring price stays put while the drink is enjoyed. The new 12oz rocks glass is not only great for original cocktails bit also flavored waters and teas. To order or for more information, please visit www.sterlingrestaurantsupply.com.

www.barbizmag.com

February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

53

Holiday Happenings

March 2013

1

5

March 1: National Pig Day. Of course there’s only one way to properly celebrate this holiday: Bakon Vodka.

March 5: Multiple Personality Day. Honor this day by having your bartenders be nice to some customers and be nasty to others. That never happens in the bar business, right?

14 March 14: National Pi Day. All drinks today should be specially priced at $3.141592653589793238 462643383279502884197 1693993751058209 7494459230781640628 620899862803482534211 706798214808651 3282306647093844 6095 505822317253594081284 81117450284102 701938521105559 64462 294895493038196442881 097566593344612847564 823378678316527120190

54

16 March 16: St. Uhro Day. The legend of St. Urho says he chased all the grasshoppers out of ancient Finland. The obvious toast to Uhro on this day: 1 part crème de menthe 1 part crème de cacao 1 part fresh cream Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake briskly and then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

6

8

13

March 6: Oreo Cookie Day. Every winter, my wife finds White Fudge Covered Oreos in a supermarket in some strange land. We buy one (or two) boxes and make them last for six months by rationing consumption to special occasions only. They’re that unbelievably good.

In no way is this relevant to the bar industry.

March 8: International Working Women’s Day. Honor your female bartenders and staff on this day by giving them the night off. That way they can celebrate being working women by not working.

March 13: Ken Day. This is a national celebration of the Ken doll, a guy who always had his head on straight, unless it popped off entirely.

Celebrate his lifelong dedication to one woman by giving discounts to customers who pay with plastic.

17 20 March 17: Saint Patrick’s Day. People may come into your bar on this day, dressed in green, and request some intoxicating spirits, likely Guinness or whiskey. Sell it to them.

That’s our tip for today.

March 20: Proposal Day. If anyone proposes to their girlfriend in your bar on this day, celebrate by giving the happy couple a free-drink card that is valid until the divorce.

27 March 27: Viagra Day. On this day and this day only, you should honor the request of any staff member that really, really wants a raise.

www.barbizmag.com

index of advertisers

Company

web site address

page #

Alcohol Professor The

www.alcoholprofessor.com

14-15

Barzz.net

www.barzz.net

24

HARBORTOUCH

www.iharbortouch.com

9

McCormick Distilling Co Inc

www.McCormickVodka.com

5

McCormick Distilling Co Inc

www.TequilaRose.com

C4

Modern Line Furniture

www.modernlinefurniture.com

C2

NIght Club Bar & Media Group

www.nightclub.com

31

Shiftgig.com

www.shiftgig.com

45

Touch Tunes

www.touchtunes.com

3

Vacation Adventures

www.vacationadventures.biz

30

inventory Companies Clubscore

www.clubscore.com

Klein electronics

www.headsetusa.com

Knappogue Castle whiskey

www.knappoguewhiskey.com

Lavish

www.drinklavishusa.com

pizza Holder

www.newdevice1.com

scott Harvey wines

www.scottharveywines.com

sidekick shot glass

www.sterlingrestaurantsupply.com

smarterita

www.smarterita.com

To advertise in Bar Business Magazine contact, Art Sutley, Ph: 212-620-7247, e-mail: asutley@sbpub.com

www.barbizmag.com

February 2013 Bar Business Magazine

55

Supply Side Spotlight

Controlling Your Loss Prevention We sat down with Mark Flaschner, owner of AlcoholContols.com and StockTheBar.com, two service industry sites that supply vital tools and loss prevention products for bar and club owners. Flaschner explains how he got started, what he sees in-demand today, and what the next year holds for owners who want to use his products to boost business. Here’s a hint: It’s in your hands (literally and figuratively). By Chris Ytuarte BB: Tell us why you started Alcohol Controls and how it has grown over the years.

Flaschner: I actually started on the other side of the aisle.

I ran food and beverage operations in hotels. In doing that you’re always trying to maximize revenues and minimize expenses. So I saw products out there that would help you do that, whether it’s a portion pour spout or electronic dispensing systems and things like that coming into the market when I was in the F&B business. So I started this business. Where most companies would sell one particular product, like ball-bearing spouts or dispensers, I thought there really needs to be a business out there that offers everything, soup-to-nuts. If a guy wants a couple of portion pour spouts and maybe some inventory software, we can provide that. We’re sort of like an insurance broker.

We started carrying all different products, and this was even back before Web sites existed. This was 20 years ago. To promote the products we put ads in magazines and did mail solicitations. We started the Web site in 2000, and we’ve grown to be the largest supplier of loss-prevention products designed for the bar industry.

BB: Does offering a multitude of products on your site work well?

Flaschner: People type into Google the problem they’re having so they can find a solution. People are looking to curb bartender theft and overpouring and other issues they’re having where their costs are getting out of line. And when they do that, they’re finding us.

We’re getting over 50,000 Web page hits a month right now.

Years ago, people used to make money in the bar business even if they didn’t know anything about the bar business. In spite of themselves and what they did or didn’t do the markup was good enough that they made money. But over the years, costs have increased. Labor, liquor, insurance all cost more. But a bar owner really can’t charge that much more for a drink, so their margins are getting squeezed. And when that happens they have to make sure they’re controlling 56

Bar Business Magazine February 2013

their costs. And loss there comes from three things: bartenders overpour, there is cash-skimming, and there’s free drinks. That’s just the nature of the business. Everyone speeds down the highway until they see a cop with a radar gun. And that’s what we sell for the bar industry.

BB: Does the business behavior of bar owners help shape the catalogue of products you carry?

Flaschner: Yes and no. We try to provide products that are going to be helpful to the bar owners and be a solution to problems they have. But there is criteria. The product has to be affordable. There are some out there that we choose not to carry because they’re unreasonably priced. It also has to be a reliable product, a quality product that’s going to work and do as advertised.

And we choose products that we get from manufacturers and vendors that we can work well with so that if we have problems with a product—and that will happen from time to time—they’re going to work with us and be supportive so we can take really good care of our customers. Customer service has been the one thing we’ve really excelled at. We’ve built a big clientele that keeps coming back and purchasing more, and we get a lot of referral business because of they way we treat our customers and the products we provide. And we put a pack of M&Ms in every package we send out.

BB: Is that true?

Flaschner: It is! That’s sort of our signature. We might send out some pour sports or some keg meters or whatever, but that package is going to have some M&Ms in it. What I learned from the hotel business was not to reach people’s expectations but to exceed them. So we try to give people more than what they’ve come to expect, and whether that’s a pack of M&Ms or a follow-up call about something they ordered to see how it’s working, these are the kinds of things that have added to our success.

Visit www.alcoholcontrols.com, www.stockthebar.com or call 800-285-2337 for more information. www.barbizmag.com

Get in the mix.

The recipe: One part print.

One part digital.

Blend well and enjoy the perfect online cocktail at

In print, in person and online.

The premier how-to resource.

Order by End of March to get an