Open small and cheap bar

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alex22
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Open small and cheap bar

Post by alex22 »

Hi guys, i m french. I just want to know if it s possible to get a small lounge bar about 5000 or 6000 euros ? something simple where i will make good cocktails and others good drinks. Even if i have to create it. Someone told me to rent house in phnom penh center 600 dollars per month and do deccorations inside and put everythink for the bar. I m not looking for save money but just to live good in cambodia. What do you think ? i think that i dream and that is not possible. I wait your answer. thanks.
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frank lee bent
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Re: Open small and cheap bar

Post by frank lee bent »

ask the hundreds that go broke doing this annually.
anywhere outside Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, Kampot, and Siem Reap you may stand a chance IF there are enough Francophone NGO's there.
these 4 places are COMPLETELY OVERSERVICED in this sector!
I would try Battambang, maybe Steung Treng.
Myanmar possibly has some good opportunities if you can build a bamboo shack - local real estate is expensive for rents- but renovation of a derelict place is possible on a budget.
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frank lee bent
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Re: Open small and cheap bar

Post by frank lee bent »

from FB
you will need to join to read it
https://www.facebook.com/groups/sihanou ... 561693868/

An open letter to potential restaurant owners,
We are experiencing the worst low season in 10 years. As I have been here for 15 years, I think I am qualified to make a few comments about Sihanoukville.
I own Snooky’s Garden Bar and Restaurant and have 14 rooms that I rent out. Snooky’s occupies a back street location downtown. I am amazed at the number of restaurants that have recently opened. Within 100 meters there are now 53 restaurants of which 27 have opened up within the last 6 months. Now being established for so long I have developed a good name and reputation and a loyal expat clientele. I am not complaining about the competition as I still have a good trade although smaller turnover (not enough people around) but I also have difficulty in attracting staff which is a constant problem as every restaurant whether busy or not will require staff. This means that I am suffering badly and will probably relinquish my lease next year.
I am amazed that people are still opening restaurants in this climate and can think of only a handful of restaurants that actually earn money (I have been here and in business long enough to see through the sh*t about good potential etc etc. Anyway I compiled a list as to the reasons why people open bars and restaurants. Please no crap about being wrong I have seen it all and am by nature a cynical person.
Reason 1. It gives my girlfriend something to do. I am amazed that men think that out of a population that is mostly illiterate and totally unaware of any kind of business acumen that they think their girlfriend in different. A very quick way to loose money.
Reason 2. I can eat and drink free. Wrong. You still have to pay rent, wages, electricity and stock. When you are sitting at the front of your bar or restaurant waiting for friends or customers to come in it can be a long and lonely existence. After a few months most go and eat and drink at another bar before giving up the bar entirely as their money runs out.
Reason 3. I want to make money. A very good reason to open a business. In fact the only legitimate one.
Ok, now you’re in the realms of paying for an upgrade to the restaurant. Nice tables and chairs, good decoration, nice glasses, a good selection of wines, spirits and beer. Add to that good staff (usually paid above the going rate) and hay presto you have a nice business but NO CUSTOMERS. Now if you do not have a large bank account in the old country you quickly run out of money and therefore service goes down, your staff problems multiply and the labour police want to make your life difficult.
Reason 4. I am a business man with a large bank account and want to open a large hotel and run it as though it would be run in the old country. GREAT. You can do but NOT YET !!!. Remember NO CUSTOMERS. A long wait is on the cards. Things will come right I am sure but not yet. Only last month I was talking to a hotelier who had 37 staff and 2 customers. Is she losing money? You bet she is big time but luckily she has enough money to ride out the next 3 years when more customers will come.
Reason 5. I like this one. I want to contemplate my navel while running a business. The odd bit of Ganga on the beach and an ability to do as little work as necessary just to keep going. Wrong. The days of the back packers are gone and will never return. Wait till the immigration come after your work permit and the labour police come knocking asking about staff contracts. Good bye. Hope you had a nice time while it was available.
Reason 6. I want to open a business so I can sell it on to a gullible person and make a huge profit. I do know several people who have done this and it has made them enough money to bank role them while living in Sihanoukville. Oh yes, I exaggerate, a small profit. Just think of the lies you have to tell when telling people the business is highly profitable and has a lot of potential.
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Re: Open small and cheap bar

Post by table42 »

A fine write up. Cynical no, realistic yes.
I try not to let my mouth say nothin my mind can't stand. Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong. Or

I know nothing, I see nothing, in fact I'm not here right now.
Romanian source debriefed in West Berlin
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Re: RE: Open small and cheap bar

Post by General Mackevili »

alex22 wrote:Hi guys, i m french. I just want to know if it s possible to get a small lounge bar about 5000 or 6000 euros ? something simple where i will make good cocktails and others good drinks. Even if i have to create it. Someone told me to rent house in phnom penh center 600 dollars per month and do deccorations inside and put everythink for the bar. I m not looking for save money but just to live good in cambodia. What do you think ? i think that i dream and that is not possible. I wait your answer. thanks.
Possible, "yes."

But be ready to lose it all.

Will you have more funds or are you going all in?

If you're planning to spend $6,000 on a bar in Cambodia I hope you'd have another $10,000 to $20,000 to survive on in the meantime.
"Life is too important to take seriously."

"Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh."

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phuketrichard
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Re: Open small and cheap bar

Post by phuketrichard »

with 6,000 euros ur better just living off of it till it is gone as if u buy a bar ur time in Cambodia will be very short

rule of business in se asia
if u spend your money and open a bar/restaurant/shop etc and all is paid for the day you open and you have enough $$ to last 6 months, assuming u make ZERO income from the business you have a chance ,
otherwise... forget it
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
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Bitte_Kein_Lexus
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Re: Open small and cheap bar

Post by Bitte_Kein_Lexus »

Having experience with renovations, I'm going to go ahead and say "no". Factor in the rent and deposit, fitout, stock and so on... It would be VERY basic, to the point that no one would want to go.
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bolueeleh
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Re: Open small and cheap bar

Post by bolueeleh »

Yes good write up, all these just make the landlord richer, cause these guys aint getting their deposits back, in the meantime another sucker would come rollin in with new deposits
Money is not the problem, the problem is no money
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Re: Open small and cheap bar

Post by Luigi »

''Hi guys, i m french.

Why does that always make me laugh? What other nationality starts a thread with like announcement? Why do I ask? :facepalm: lol a lil bit.
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Re: Open small and cheap bar

Post by one_dolla »

frank lee bent wrote:from FB
you will need to join to read it
https://www.facebook.com/groups/sihanou ... 561693868/

An open letter to potential restaurant owners,
We are experiencing the worst low season in 10 years. As I have been here for 15 years, I think I am qualified to make a few comments about Sihanoukville.
I own Snooky’s Garden Bar and Restaurant and have 14 rooms that I rent out. Snooky’s occupies a back street location downtown. I am amazed at the number of restaurants that have recently opened. Within 100 meters there are now 53 restaurants of which 27 have opened up within the last 6 months. Now being established for so long I have developed a good name and reputation and a loyal expat clientele. I am not complaining about the competition as I still have a good trade although smaller turnover (not enough people around) but I also have difficulty in attracting staff which is a constant problem as every restaurant whether busy or not will require staff. This means that I am suffering badly and will probably relinquish my lease next year.
I am amazed that people are still opening restaurants in this climate and can think of only a handful of restaurants that actually earn money (I have been here and in business long enough to see through the sh*t about good potential etc etc. Anyway I compiled a list as to the reasons why people open bars and restaurants. Please no crap about being wrong I have seen it all and am by nature a cynical person.
Reason 1. It gives my girlfriend something to do. I am amazed that men think that out of a population that is mostly illiterate and totally unaware of any kind of business acumen that they think their girlfriend in different. A very quick way to loose money.
Reason 2. I can eat and drink free. Wrong. You still have to pay rent, wages, electricity and stock. When you are sitting at the front of your bar or restaurant waiting for friends or customers to come in it can be a long and lonely existence. After a few months most go and eat and drink at another bar before giving up the bar entirely as their money runs out.
Reason 3. I want to make money. A very good reason to open a business. In fact the only legitimate one.
Ok, now you’re in the realms of paying for an upgrade to the restaurant. Nice tables and chairs, good decoration, nice glasses, a good selection of wines, spirits and beer. Add to that good staff (usually paid above the going rate) and hay presto you have a nice business but NO CUSTOMERS. Now if you do not have a large bank account in the old country you quickly run out of money and therefore service goes down, your staff problems multiply and the labour police want to make your life difficult.
Reason 4. I am a business man with a large bank account and want to open a large hotel and run it as though it would be run in the old country. GREAT. You can do but NOT YET !!!. Remember NO CUSTOMERS. A long wait is on the cards. Things will come right I am sure but not yet. Only last month I was talking to a hotelier who had 37 staff and 2 customers. Is she losing money? You bet she is big time but luckily she has enough money to ride out the next 3 years when more customers will come.
Reason 5. I like this one. I want to contemplate my navel while running a business. The odd bit of Ganga on the beach and an ability to do as little work as necessary just to keep going. Wrong. The days of the back packers are gone and will never return. Wait till the immigration come after your work permit and the labour police come knocking asking about staff contracts. Good bye. Hope you had a nice time while it was available.
Reason 6. I want to open a business so I can sell it on to a gullible person and make a huge profit. I do know several people who have done this and it has made them enough money to bank role them while living in Sihanoukville. Oh yes, I exaggerate, a small profit. Just think of the lies you have to tell when telling people the business is highly profitable and has a lot of potential.

Already out of date! another new Khmer restaurant is opening in same area today and another should be open in a month.

If you want to open a restaurant in SHV ride/drive around and see which ones are busy .... that is the market to go for.... Plenty are busy.... but with locals and boom each weekend with holidaying Khmers as well... so if you can get into that market you have a chance...
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