Nostalgia for the 90's
NerveAna is Robert Watman’s Youngest Decade-Décor’d Diva

A Five Star Salute
Industry Congratulates Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Novack

Don't Be a Telemarketer
Text Messaging is Like Everything –– Good in Moderation

One of the unique aspects of working in this industry is that each owner and operator is also a consumer. While some may not indulge in alcoholic beverages, it is probably safe to say that each person who owns, operates or works in a nightclub, lounge, bar or restaurant at some point goes out to the competition to either eat or enjoy entertainment. In this month’s report, we found that operators should consider whether they would want the marketing messages they are sending. 

Punk's Not Dead
Old School DJ Revives Punk Scene in Philly

The era when sex, drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll was fresh and not clichéd commercialism has returned, at least at Philadelphia’s Bar Noir — thanks to DJ Bobby Startup, a living legend who had his hand (literally) in spinning out the punk sounds that would dominate Philly in the late ‘70s.

Chicken and Change
5 Tips For Increasing Chicken Sales

Chicken is probably the single most important thing you can have on a menu,” says Bob Sikora, CEO of Bobby McGee’s, based in Phoenix. And with sharing of small plates growing in popularity across the country, getting the chicken items right has become more important than ever.

Giving Away Your Own Experience
David Rabin Dishes on Creating A Vacation Giveaway Around His Club Lotus

    David Rabin, an owner of Lotus and Double Seven in New York City, keeps his clubs sexy in design, attendance and old-fashioned word-of-mouth. The press can be viewed as an ally or an enemy for every type of club, and cultivating good relationships is something Rabin excels at in one of the nation’s largest cities, on one of the nation’s grandest scales.

New Versions of the Cosmopolitan Are Alive and Shaking In Bars Everywhere

The (Summer) Games People Play

Throughout summer months, the 6-year-old concept Rue 13 in St. Louis, Mo., relies heavily on its air-conditioning system and a few other machines inside to keep patrons happy and profits cool.

Creating the Conversation
Nuno Lopes Talks About the Vital Interaction of Today's Electronic Marketing

Nuno Lopes is based in Portugal, where he operates Independente Record Label (Universal Music), a nightclub/live music venue, an Irish bar, a production company and a marketing agency, IGMarketing. Lopes and company have produced tours, events and conceptual projects for Bacardi, Heineken, Super Bock, Mini, Nissan, GMC, BMW and Carlsberg, to name a few. Further, they work with online communities, helping companies interact with and engage their consumers.

 

CD Music Services Can Provide More Than an Honest Tune 

    Music preference is an esoteric thing. While some find joy in John Denver, someone else, somewhere else, is enthralled by Anthrax. Get both these people in your bar at the same time, and you could easily lose one of them trying to make the other happy.

Opportunity Knocks
On-Premise Alcohol Consumption Trends 

    I've  been in the industry for 15 years, and this was the most interesting year yet for me, because I learned so much. One of the things we do at Next Level Marketing is custom on-premise consumer research. We’ve done consumer studies for top spirit brands and top on-premise chains. It’s given me a total consumer perspective across beer, wine and spirits and also across gender and age lines.

Reaching the On-Demand Generation

The History Behind Gin’s Comeback

 

Is Your Beer Selection on Par With Your Spirits and Wine?

The most successful nightclub and bar owners are not only smart, but they are always open to new ideas, products and trends. They also know their customer demographics and cater to them.

Summer Beverages to Bring Customers in from the Sun

The summertime is prime time for bars and clubs. As sure as the swallows return to Capistrano, customers come back to their favorite hangouts for a DeKuyper-enhanced Vodka Collins, a Cruzan-inspired Frozen Daiquiri or a Gran Gala premium Margarita when the mercury begins to climb in May.

The New Spirituality Of Bar Design

The cutting edge in club design, it turns out, ironically may have no edges to it at all. In fact, the most progressive lounges and bars may exist at least partially only in the minds of their patrons, if designers do their part right. Confused? Continue reading.

The Pour House in Charleston, SC, Is Plugged In and Live Nightly

Four Women to Watch
Behind the Bar and in the Boardroom, These Ladies are the Industry's Extraordinary

In an industry that was once dominated by men, women are shaking up a great deal more than cracked ice and cranberry juice these days. From mixology to marketing, bartending to big business, the industry owes a debt of gratitude to female fortitude. Nightclub & Bar salutes four of America’s most successful women in the industry –– Julie Reiner, Lucy Brennan, Bridget Albert andAnn Rogers. 

Fresh Flavor Meets Convenience as Daily’s Evolves

As much talk — all of it dead-on correct — as there is about the importance of freshness to today’s cocktail consumer, that concept and the use of quality mixes are not necessarily mutually exclusive. And since convenience continues to be a desire of the patron and bartender alike, mixes have their place.