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Bringing Home the Box
Tips for Buying and Using Digital Jukeboxes
Have you ever thought about what it would be like to go to a bar
that didn’t have any music? It would almost be like going to a sporting
event where no one was cheering.
Music is one of the main things that sets the bar and nightclub
atmosphere. Certainly, nightclubs utilize DJs to get the patrons moving
around. But for the neighborhood bar and other venues, the jukebox
renaissance is in full swing.
What They Want
“Every bar owner should consider using a jukebox, old or new,” says
Dawn Scibilia, bartender at Banks St. Bar & Grill in New Orleans.
“A lot of places draw in their customers just because of the jukebox.”
Scibilia observes that it is important for a bar owner to know what
the customers want in order for the jukebox to be effective in the
business.
“At times, we have passed around a list to see what type of songs
the customers want,” says Scibilia. “We try and make sure to get the
music that the customers want, because that brings business to us.”
The Load-In
Combing vintage record shops or CD stores to give patrons what they
want would be time poorly spent in an age when even more obscure tracks
are at bar owners’ fingertips.
"One of the conveniences of having a jukebox is the ability to
download music,” says John Tennick, owner of Tanner’s Pub in Florida.
“Downloading music is one of the major advantages of having a digital
jukebox because the bar owner is able to add and delete whichever songs
they want.”
Space is also a factor that bar owners should consider when they
decide to purchase a jukebox. Jukeboxes come in all shapes and sizes
and do not take up as much space a DJ booth, which provides more space
in the bar for dancing or socializing. Also, having a jukebox in the
bar provides the bar owner with an alternative to paying a musician or
DJ every night.
“Usually, we keep the radio on until someone puts money into the
jukebox,” Scibilia says. “Afterwards, we turn down the radio and put
the jukebox on, and it is typically in use for the rest of the night,
unless we have a live band.”
What to Look For
It’s best simply to choose a juke with features that fit the bar.
“With restrictions placed on the jukebox, the bar owner is able to
censor certain songs that involve a lot of cursing,” Tennick says.
Checking with suppliers such as ECast and TouchTunes is a good first step in assessing who provides what. NCB
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