My Cigar Shop/Bar Idea.

[S00NERB0RN73]

So I want to start my own "Cigar" Bar somewhere along Western, not like Makers, where they sell WAY over priced cigars, but something thats more of a Cigar Retail shop that is a bar too.

Anyone wanna help me get started?

[Midtowner]

Sounds like a winning concept.

All you need is a few hundred thousand dollars

[S00NERB0RN73]

Sure, so I need a Business Plan to submit to the SBA and if it sounds good to them they'll loan me some of that money!

Any ideas on a good name?

[ultimatesooner]

name it something w/ a Cuban theme

[Midtowner]

"Fidel's"

[BailJumper]

I tried the SBA once. What a joke that was. I took a college class on writing a business plan and everything. Basically, unless I was a minority or had assets to cover the loan they were not interested. I was told things like restaurants, clubs, etc. with a high failure rate would almost impossible to get SBA loans for.

Is the cigar thing still all that popular? Seems the 'no smoking' crowd is still alive and well.

I've been to Makers a few times. Never saw many people there, but maybe it was my timing. I'm not a late night club/bar person.

[Easy180]

Bailjumper is right...Was a banker and they are hard to come by unless you have proven track record with this type of establishment and/or collateral

SBA even turns away most people trying to take over successful businesses if they have no prior experience running the show

Best bet would be parents or someone else to put up collateral or becoming part-owner

[GrandMaMa]

So I want to start my own "Cigar" Bar somewhere along Western, not like Makers, where they sell WAY over priced cigars, but something thats more of a Cigar Retail shop that is a bar too.

Anyone wanna help me get started?

I used to give tours in Dallas that went right by one of those places..they did wine/cheeses and cigars..it was on McKinney Street, downtown. Grapes of wrath or Grape something was it's name. Another one that I am familar with is one in Old Town in Wichita Kansas...you can buy and smoke there, along with order a drink...I dont' know if you can get anything else or not. I don't know if you have been to any of these or others, but if they are not still there, it would give you a good idea that maybe is isn't a good idea, or if they are, you could get some very good ideas from visiting. "Smokin Joe's" or something like that might be nice..yes MidTowner, your's was clever, but I don't know if anyone would be amused...well, I was though, who knows?

[Midtowner]

Elian Gonzalez's Place

-- even better.

[Martin]

'prices soooo low they'll snatch you right out of other cigar stores'

-M

[GrandMaMa]

Elian Gonzalez's Place

-- even better.

Naw, doesn't have the chutzpa

[S00NERB0RN73]

All good thoughts! Thanks for the feedback. I'm still working on the idea and all the input is great. I also had a thought of just another bar along there that would be in the "Frank Sinatra" time/era/theme, and call it Fedora's Lounge. It would allow Cigars and smoking, as its main revenue would be alcohol. That was my idea anyway...but yeah the SBA isn't sounding like the path to go down for $ I need an investor!!

Anyone got names/emails of those people?

[GrandMaMa]

All good thoughts! Thanks for the feedback. I'm still working on the idea and all the input is great. I also had a thought of just another bar along there that would be in the "Frank Sinatra" time/era/theme, and call it Fedora's Lounge. It would allow Cigars and smoking, as its main revenue would be alcohol. That was my idea anyway...but yeah the SBA isn't sounding like the path to go down for $ I need an investor!!

Anyone got names/emails of those people?

What people?

[ultimatesooner]

adopt have 17yr old cuban kid and have them apply for a sba loan in less than a year

[S00NERB0RN73]

Ok my serious business idea thread is now a joke thread, great!

What people?

Investors! People with money who want to start something like my idea!

[BailJumper]

If you are a good networker, you can definately find a person or two with deep pockets that want to be a partner in a bar. Partners have their liability but people with too much money love to hang out in a bar they own and seem important. Just keep them out of the business aspects.

[S00NERB0RN73]

Yeah, but I'm not so good at networking! My girlfriend is though, she's a PR director, I'll have her keep her ears open.

[cgrider3]

Ok my serious business idea thread is now a joke thread, great!



Investors! People with money who want to start something like my idea!

I know lots of people looking for good business plans. Mostly local guys wanting to invest in OKC. One such person is looking right now for a bar to invest in. What do you have put together as far as projections, etc?

[dismayed]

You'll probably need to save up a 30% down-payment or more for a bank to even consider giving you a business loan. Also, thanks to our very own Congressmen the SBA's loan guarantee budget has been slashed, making it almost impossible to secure one now days. Entrepreneur magazine actually had a page 1 rant on one of Oklahoma's finest several months back. I've never seen them do that before.

Anyway, I digress. Put a business plan together, put some PowerPoints together, save some cash, find a business partner with experience running a shop like this, and make your pitch. Good luck.

[S00NERB0RN73]

I know lots of people looking for good business plans. Mostly local guys wanting to invest in OKC. One such person is looking right now for a bar to invest in. What do you have put together as far as projections, etc?

When you say projections, do you mean my numbers and what not in the business plan?

Or just a broad overview projection of the idea?

[S00NERB0RN73]

So anyone interested in a CV project for a NW OKC bar?
Me and a friend want to start one up and have some ideas to discuss with a money man/woman!

[CuatrodeMayo]

Everybody has ideas...but nobody has the money...

[Karried]

https://www.osbdc.org/Default.aspx

Small Business Administration -

Oklahoma is an extremely friendly environment for small and startup businesses. For example, small firms that operate out of "small business incubator" facilities can obtain state tax exemption of their profits for up to 10 years, a strong incentive to "incubate" your business in Oklahoma. In addition, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce maintains an excellent Business Licensing System (BLS) website, which allows you to scan through a list of many types of business activity and answer a series of questions for an activity you select from the list, to determine whether that particular business or activity requires a state license or permit. The Oklahoma BLS, which is offered free to businesses, is quite possibly the best, most useful state guide to licensing and permit requirements offered by any of the 50 states.

Oklahoma Department of Commerce

Greater Oklahoma City Chamber - Official Home Page

Oklahoma Employment Security Commission


You might find some ideas at the above websites.

Have you thought about putting out feelers on Investment websites... Wanted Sections in the Classifieds.. ie Craigs or OKCNews?

Good luck!