Do you feel that designing a bar is frustrating?
We understand.
In this video, I'm going to discuss
the 7 biggest problems we hear from people
attempting to design commercial bars.
Hey Rick Uzubell again from Bar Designers,
where I share my ideas and tips on bar design,
draft beer system design and product reviews.
Later in this video I'll give you 'Today's Takeaway'.
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and check-out the show notes and links in the 'YouTube Description' below.
Now let's jump into the show.
Let's face it, planning a commercial bar is
frustrating and time-consuming.
To make things easier, let's talk about
the most fundamental planning issues of bar design.
#1: Planning for Area and Capacity.
What's the best shape for a bar and how many patrons are you
intending to serve?
Here are a few examples:
1). 2-station shotgun bar.
This bar design is becoming less popular.
The bar shown in this example
seats eight is nearly twenty four foot long and requires 260 square foot of floor space.
2). 2-station L-shaped bar: this bar is more compact and therefore more
flexible to buildings with limited space this bar seat six is about 18 feet long
and requires 180 square feet of floor space;
3). 3 - 4 station island bar:
this is the most popular bar design, as it enables patrons to interact with
people on all sides. This bar is approximately 485 sq.ft.
and will accommodate 28 seats.
In terms of seating efficiency, the shotgun bar
and L-shaped bar require the largest area of at least 30 square feet per
patron, while the island bar is the most
efficient at only 17 square feet per patron.
Space allocation numbers for facilities planning
here's a chart that summarizes all the above.
#2: How to Fit a Bar to a Given Space:
It can be challenging to fit a bar within the
physical space with all proper clearances.
Remember that empty space
often appears larger than it really is and careful planning is required.
#3 How to Plan for Seating and Tables:
This is a further refinement of the previous point,
which addresses all seating, including tables.
Architectural standards need to be applied that take into account human
dimension and interior spaces,
including server aisles, ADA, customer activity zones, circulation zones and
clear access zones between tables.
Using these standards were generally put you
in good shape with the occupant loads as stipulated by IBC for Assembly Group A-2.
#4 How to Design Bar Equipment for Ergonomic Efficiency:
Bars are factories which make drinks, so what are the necessary provisions for maximizing
ergonomic efficiency and owner profits, while reducing work comp claims?
#5 How to Design Bar Finishes:
Once the bar layout has been determined, there are a
myriad of options for creating the finish.
The following is a top 7 list of
commercial bar finishing options:
1). Soffits,
2). Ceiling treatments,
3). Wall coverings,
4). Architectural lighting
5). Bar Tops,
6). Bar cladding
and 7). Foot rests.
Here's an expanded version of that list,
with all the finishing options.
Now here's a bar design with a combination
of finishes, shapes, colors and textures.
Bar owners need to invest in design
in order to retain their customers.
# 6 How to Design a Draft Beer System:
Nearly every commercial bar client we have
wants to get in on selling craft beer,
but the choices for equipment are numerous
and this requires careful planning.
#7 How Much Do Bars Cost?
Every bar needs a myriad of equipment,
such as dump sinks,
hand sinks,
3-bin sinks,
glass washers,
drainboards,
soda gun holders,
ice bins,
combination ice bins,
speedrails,
blender stations,
POS stations,
coolers,
waste baskets,
ice machines....the list goes on and on.
Some companies, such 'Easy Ice' and
'Ecolab', help you alleviate the cost of
capital outlay, by offering subscriptions.
Here's a copy of our '2018 Bar Equipment Price List'
for your reference.
Budget $500 per lineal foot for bar equipment only
and $2,000 per lineal foot to construct
an entire bar, including equipment and all finishes.
See you next time!