So! You Want to Own a Bar: An Insider's Guide to Bar Ownership

Bar Ownership! A dream job where you get to party all day, and give your friends free drinks, right? Um, not exactly. There are so many myths about being a bar owner, so many details that many people who dream of owning a bar don't factor in before making the decision to start a new business venture in the exciting hospitality industry.

This guide walks curious readers through the steps, from getting started in the industry to creating cashflow, marketing, book keeping, managing employees, and finding the right software for your establishment.

With a partner, I bought the bar I had loved bartending at for years in Honolulu's Chinatown neighborhood when the opportunity came up. We had our grand re-opening in February of 2020. One month later, in March of 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic turned the entire world upside down. Many beloved hospitality establishments closed down. But my bar, Proof Social Club, did not.

Despite losing my first business partner, over half of my staff, and whole lot of money (on top of operating in a state with some of the strictest Covid laws in the U.S.), I did whatever I could think of to be able to re-open when we were able. We pivoted until we wanted to puke. We adapted, we improvised, and eventually we overcame. This book is what I learned along the way, combined with my fifteen-plus years of hands-on industry experience.