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Running a successful bar can be a challenging process, as bar owners have to take into account a variety of factors like stock availability, staff quality, and customer experience. All it takes is one aspect of a bar to fail for the whole project to go wrong, so making sure that you have a strong plan of action is important.
Many bars have gone the route of capitalizing on entertainment niches to give customers unique experiences that they canโt get anywhere else. There are regular bars in every city that usually offer a very similar vibe to one another, so giving customers something different can attract them to drink at your bar.
There is a space in the market for all types of entertainment niches, so itโs just about finding the one that best suits your style and location. With that being said, letโs take a look at some of the entertainment niches that bars are taking advantage of that are generating higher customer rates and more profits.
Karaoke
Karaoke bars were first introduced in the 1970s in Kobe, Japan, and have been a worldwide sensation ever since. Combining drinks and singing is a simple yet effective concept that creates a fun and exciting experience for customers. It gives them the opportunity to be a little bit silly for a night and try their best to sing classics, whether those be slow ballads or party anthems. Alcohol consumption also gives people the confidence to get up on stage, even if itโs something they would never do sober.
Having karaoke in bars has been proven to increase bar attendance and customer satisfaction, which can entice them to keep returning to your bar to get up on stage once again. Even if customers donโt want to sing, they can still enjoy themselves listening to others give it a go.
Beer Pong
Incorporating beer pong tables into your bar is a great way to create an atmosphere and generate business. While people can create their own beer pong setups at home, they wonโt be able to get the same feeling as they would in a bar that focuses on beer pong. Many bar chains have utilized the beer-pong niche to generate more customers and profits, such as Roxy Ball Room.
One of the best things about beer pong is that theoretically, we should play better the more we drink, as our muscles are more relaxed and we donโt overthink our shots as much. This makes it the perfect entertainment niche to have inside a bar.
Gaming
The popularity of gaming has made the bar industry use elements of it to entice more customers to come to their locations. There are so many different types of gaming that can be used inside a bar, from retro game consoles to arcade games to board games. No matter what kind of game your bar focuses on, it will be a niche that many customers will enjoy.
The most popular gaming bar in the UK is NQ64, which can be found in a variety of cities across the country. These bars usually have over one hundred arcade-style games covering multiple different genres, such as racing, shooting, and sports. You can also play on retro game consoles and enjoy video game-themed cocktails.
Axe Throwing
One of the latest niche trends in the bar industry is axe throwing, which has grown massively in popularity over the past few years. Axe-throwing bars are believed to have originated in Toronto, Canada, back in 2011. Itโs a great team bonding activity that can fill a night full of entertainment and is perfect for a work social event or a random night out. Itโs unknown whether this trend will continue to be utilized by bars, but at the moment it shows no signs of losing popularity.
The Boom Battle Bar, found in the shopping centre in Leeds, combines axe throwing with a variety of other activities to create a unique experience for customers. Itโs just one of the places that have successfully used this entertainment niche, as it is found in a whole range of different bars.
On-Stage Shows
On-stage shows have been a thing forever, but bars have been able to capitalize on niche entertainment genres to create a bigger buzz about their establishment. Drag Queen, comedy, and improv shows are some of the entertainment niches that are seen throughout the bar industry to influence more customers to show up and buy drinks.
Creating a good atmosphere can make customers want to keep returning to your bar time and time again. This can also help with word-of-mouth advertising, if you have niche entertainment on stage that customers enjoy, they are more likely to tell their friends and family about how good it was. This can be pivotal for the success of a bar.
Creating a good atmosphere can make customers want to keep returning to your bar time and time again. This can also help with word-of-mouth advertising, if you have niche entertainment on stage that customers enjoy, they are more likely to tell their friends and family about how good it was. This can be pivotal for the success of a bar.
