The New Bar thread

[divertwo]

(mardhi @ Nov. 25 2006,20:53) She could have filled the place with 50 LB's judging by how many people are applying but she is carefull who she is choosing, as only a LB can really understand another LB.

..."only after you have walked a mile in my moccasins will you be able to begin to understand me"...........native american proverb

[mcqueen]

Hello Mardhi!
I really like the idea of having different theme nights in the new Guess bar and the school girl theme is surely a good one to start with, even though this theme has already been done by other bars before.
It would be very nice to have different theme nights in the future, maybe once or twice a month or maybe even more.
There could be one called "Office Day", where all the LB staff would have to dress up in a secretary/ bank clerk kind of look. This should not be so hard to do and is also a bit similar to the school girl theme, but a bit more mature. As I wrote some weeks ago, I saw a very nice LB in the new airport, just before I had to fly home and she was obviously working there and she looked fantastic, dressed in a long skirt and a rollneck top and jacket and some kind of access pass dangling from around her neck.
Now here is another idea, that I would love to see happening sometime in the future:
I am sure that a lot of guys like to go out dancing with some nice LB, but have a hard time finding a nice place in Bangkok. Slim club in RCA is a ladyboy favourite, but I only went there once and didn't like the music and thought it was far too loud and banging. The same goes for Narcissus. Q-bar often don't even allow ladyboys inside and it has far too many farangs in there anyway. Bed supper club is an option, but the atmosphere is a bit stiff sometimes and it's also a bit expensive. So that usually leaves me with my favourite choice (and the only real one anyway in Bangkok) Tapaz room club in Silom Soi 4 on either Friday or Saturday nights. But to only have one good choice in such a big city like Bangkok is a bit poor, in my opinion.

So here is my idea: Why not have a special disco night in the new Guess bar? I think to have this like once a month on a Saturday would be very nice. You could also combine this with a special theme for the bar, like '70s night and the ladyboys would dress up in some 1970s style clothes and style their hair that way too (think Charlie's Angels- Farrah Fawcett: yummy!) On that night there would be a DJ playing a good mixture of 70s disco, soul and funk, not at ear drum busting volume, but loud enough to have a disco atmosphere and still be able to talk to the person next to you at the same time, without having to shout at each other. As I already said, the music would have a mellow, soulful kind of theme to it, think: Earth, Wind & Fire; Kool & The Gang, Barry White, but also Abba, Boney M and alls sorts of party classics from that era. It would surely be nice to see some ladyboys in tight 70s style tops and flare trousers or some nice dresses. A bit of space could be made for a dancefloor, maybe move something else aside. I really like the idea of dancing in a club and everywhere I look, I would see nice ladyboys and like minded guys. That could create a very nice and enjoyable atmosphere, with no arseholes in the club.
Now please don't misunderstand me, I am not trying to change the great concept of the bar, what I am talking about should be a special night, maybe happening only once a month on a Saturday. I think the biggest problem here could be, finding a reliable DJ, who knows this kind of music and doesn't have too much ego. I am not sure, if some Thai guy could do this, probably not. Maybe there is one of the forum members , who is living in Bangkok and has a good CD collection, to do this.
If this evening would be successful, I would not be surprised, if some other ladyboys with their customers would like to go there in the future, to have a good night out.
Also, there is a real lack of possibilities for dancing, if you don't like shitty trance/ techno or thai pop.
Please pass my idea on to Jay, Mardhi and let me know, what she thought of it and what you think of it.

O.K., that was my idea, I am wandering what other forum members think about this, or am looking forward to read other ideas for theme nights in the new bar.

[mirimark]

Theme bars are bad Ideas.

Simutaneous Theme bars are Freggi'n GREAT !

Big differance between the two.

[Looker]

Well..I've never run a LB bar..and guess never will.
However, I've run, with a few partners, a "private club" aiming at fetishists and BDSM enthusists being the clientele 90% asian. So, I feel like sharing my experience about a somehow similar situation.
It's not a secret that western concept of quality it's very very different from the asian one, and so we should expect different results from what our logic teaches us.
Furthermore, everybody feels free to give suggestions and big clappings and reuqests, but my experience tought me that words are hardly matched by facts. Those who were the most enthusiastic about our club were finally the ones who stayed away from it!
Furthermore, considering that the ladies' welfare counts on being barfined, it almost totally rest with them the force behing the bar itself. If they see that finally cannot come up with the same, or close, incomes to what they can get in the other bars they will slowly leave and putting an end to the whole thing.
I don't want to sound funereal in saying that but just realistic.

[mirimark]

(Looker @ Nov. 27 2006,12:07) but my experience tought me that words are hardly matched by facts.

Wise statement my friend. Very True.

Time and Time again, your words have rang true in my Line of Business.

[stogie bear]

Is it alright with Jay, if a customer just goes to the bar, with another ladyboy, that he barfined from another bar, just to buy some drinks and to hang out?

This is exactly how I intend to use this bar. I'll be going there to chill and relax with my chosen beau, or meet people from the site, etc. I don't think I'll actually be going to meet a ladyboy to shag, although I won't rule it out of course.

I have read with interest the armchair economists applying what they have learned in school to offer ideas on how to run a ladyboy bar in Bangkok... I'm of the opinion that most of the suggestions are off the mark and impractical. You cannot apply the same rules and and theories that sell cars to sell flesh.

For example - the ladydrink is a real drink and set at 100 Baht. I'm happy to buy several of them as most people might be. But I'll recoil at being asked to hand over 130 Baht for a joke drink. But then - I'm not a tourist!

Charging more for exclusivity just doesn't make sense either! People know about KC3 and Nana plaza... Marketing a bar as exclusive and more expensive but away from the madding crowd simply doesn't interest punters.

A staple of regular clients is what will keep the bar floating and the visitors will be the icing on the cake.

This bar will survive on marketing alone, not price structures and competition factors.

On a personal level - I hate 'theme nights' because I don't go out to enjoy other peoples' parties. Fine - have them, but don't involve the customers.

The uniforms have been commented on and my wise chum Tomcat thinks they are unneeded. I disagree with this as not every lb who is there is a staff member so how do we tell! Also - for Jay to maintain a level of control and discipline the girls MUST have some kind of uniform. (This is Thailand!) Plus - the girls will get very lazy in their manner of dress if they do not have a uniform. (Plus - I just plain like 'em!)

[LuckyA]

Hey,

How about a night when they just walk around with a woody.

Nothing hotter than an LB with a decent package having it stick out like a flag pole.

Ang

[Guest]

i'll be stopping by tonight in case anyone is around. drop me a PM. figure around 10-10:30?

[Tomcat]

When i mentioned uniforms on another thread what i was thinking about was when you walk into Cascades and all the girls are wearing Black Bikinis or some get up all the same color. I love Ladyboys in bikinis but not all girls in the same colour.......its drives me crazy......

For some reason my brain was equating uniforms with bikinis which is not the same as far as a lounge bar is concerned and obviously as Stogie pointed out different considerations have to be taken into account, although on a very personal and selfish level i still prefer anything goes....but business is business, i do agree...

[peterpan]

I am no expert on bar marketing and only time will tell if this bar will fly I feel.

Perhaps for Jay and who else is in charge is to look for other bars that has been in business in good and bad times would be useful.

E.g. Renoir Bar in Soi 33 recently celebrated 20 years with all that entails in terms of connections needed etc.

This particular bar has a long term client base and the girls in there, or some of them seem to have been there as long as the bar has been open .... .... so it cannot be the only attraction point there and maybe Guess could be that kind of bar too. I am aware that LB's over 35 may not be able to keep up the pace...

Haven't visited yet, will do this Thursday evening and I think this place will suit me much more than KC's and Nana and are looking forward to check the place out.

For those who have read the book "Tipping Point" do not forget this momentum "issue" always applies

Best Regards,

PP

[Stewart]

have read with interest the armchair economists applying what they have learned in school to offer ideas on how to run a ladyboy bar in Bangkok... I'm of the opinion that most of the suggestions are off the mark and impractical. You cannot apply the same rules and and theories that sell cars to sell flesh.

Where is a little rolling up sleeves smiley when you want one!

Since I guess that was aimed at me, here we go.......

I did learn some of this "armchair economics" at school, but I learned far more by building 5 small businesses from scratch over the last 10 years. The basics are the same....understand your customers, create a valuable product or service, market it well, make sure your revenues are higher than costs

I have already admitted that I have no clue about the cost and revenue structure of running a bar in Thailand. No idea whether bars make more money out of drinks or offs, no idea on the rent and key money required in Soi 1 versus Nana, etc, etc....apart from that I am perfectly qualified to comment!

If all Jay's profits will come from offs, then real branded drinks at reasonable prices is a great idea to get people in the door and sell more offs. If all the profit is planned to come from the drinks, then higher drink costs and lower revenue does not make sense.

Most people's comments here are from the customers perspective......fancy uniforms, real drinks, decent prices, no hassle form the ladies, healthchecks, etc. All great, but the place still has to make money from the owners perspective, that was my only point.

[Stewart]

PS - I was there last Friday, and apart from the initial shock of Ozzie's ass being the first thing I saw when I went in, I liked the place and will go back

[Guest]

I'm coming to Bangkok in early Jan and will definately visit the Guess bar. I was wondering about barfining and taking a girl back to Nana short time as opposed to the short time hotel. Is this OK?

[gizmo]

I am coming to LOS for my first time in april
This sound's like just the place I wanna visit!
I'm kinda new to the LB scene and this
sounds like the perfect place to begin my journey to
the dark side  
And you can take as many pics of me as you want  

[Guest]

I think its a great idea to have a small dance floor to dance with the LB's.

Not a theme bar - but the opportunity to have a slow dance with the girl