Whatsahookah? Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 I came across this forum because, like others here, I want to start a hookah lounge. Thanks for the information, I'm still in the beginning phases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted May 21, 2010 Author Share Posted May 21, 2010 good luck. you are going to need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chreees Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 Yep, getting harder and harder to start a lounge nowadays... And then there's the whole "I wonder when they'll shut me down" feeling you'll have... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venger Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 actually he has a pretty good shot in Chattanooga. Our smoking laws are settle for now. You can smoke inside if your 21.so he can sell beer and hookah. Plus Chattanooga is a growing city. Knoxville is looking at their Downtown as a template to revitalize our downtown. We have three hookah bars hear that all seem to be doing very well. But we also have UT. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chreees Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 Oh yeah Ray, I think TN is one of the [i]safer [/i]states to start a hookah lounge in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryno Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 [quote name='INCUBUSRATM' date='21 May 2010 - 10:17 PM' timestamp='1274494666' post='468948'] Oh yeah Ray, I think TN is one of the [i]safer [/i]states to start a hookah lounge in. [/quote] Maybe I'll just start mine down there then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chreees Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 [quote name='ryno' date='22 May 2010 - 11:05 AM' timestamp='1274544330' post='469015'] [quote name='INCUBUSRATM' date='21 May 2010 - 10:17 PM' timestamp='1274494666' post='468948'] Oh yeah Ray, I think TN is one of the [i]safer [/i]states to start a hookah lounge in. [/quote] Maybe I'll just start mine down there then [/quote] WOOOO!!! We can go into business together meh beh? Unless you don't like me enough to wanna be partners... If you were down I'd just have to try to convince the gf.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted September 29, 2010 Author Share Posted September 29, 2010 here we go again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azbrian Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 Goram women. I'm not going through with my plans because it requires me moving, and I'm engaged to a graduate student who can't move. So, the hookah lounge plan gets places on the back burner. Been working full time doing web development. BTW, offer is still up, I'll do websites for the hookah community cheap. Hit me up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venger Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 [quote name='azbrian' timestamp='1285821904' post='483610'] Goram women. I'm not going through with my plans because it requires me moving, and I'm engaged to a graduate student who can't move. So, the hookah lounge plan gets places on the back burner. Been working full time doing web development. BTW, offer is still up, I'll do websites for the hookah community cheap. Hit me up. [/quote] firefly,nice. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chreees Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 [quote name='mushrat' timestamp='1285785000' post='483561'] here we go again... [/quote] Mushy, I wish you tons of luck in the new venture. As for myself, as discouraging as it is, I keep wanting to open my own lounge... If I can't convince the girlfriend to let me do a lounge, then some other type of business. All I know is I want to run my own business and be my own boss. My major I'm in right now is crazy. In TV Production, there are no permanent studio jobs anymore. It's all basically out in the field type jobs, and every job is temporary. To be honest, it scares the living hell out of me. It goes against my entire personality. I like things to be on a schedule, and to be consistent and organized. I'm going to finish up my degree, but I know I won't use it. For my elective classes, I'm doing ones related to business management. Entrepreneurship. Intro to Management. Classes like those that will help be start out. Mush, this thread is of great help and I really appreciate it. It's going to be quite useful to refer back to when I get my own business up and running, whatever type of business that may be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agunn1231 Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 my girl is down for me starting a lounge, i know it has almost no chance of surviving with all the other lounges around, but i figure i can wait a bit and save up and really think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chreees Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Yeah, there's already three lounges here in Murfreesboro. Two in Nashville. One in Memphis. Not sure about East TN, but hear there's a few out there in Knoxville. I think I could successfully open a lounge in Murfreesboro (I wanna stay here perhaps, I like it here best out of anywhere in TN) and knock out the competition. Why? They suck. Well atleast one of them does. The other place is a restaurant as well, serving pizza and hummus. I haven't been there yet. But I know I could easily knock out the other one. Dude only serves Starbuzz out of "commercial Egyptian" hookahs, with 3K QLs. So full of fail, even how he calls his hookahs commercial Egyptians... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cp44 Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 I started my own business with my old coworker few years ago and went through similar steps Mush stated in his first post. It was a pain to do and a lot of tedious work but make sure you get a lawyer to do contracts, business plans and business setup. For the first few months it was slow but it eventually picked up and now its pretty good. Our goal was to sell the equipment and services at a lower price with better service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chreees Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Aaron, what's your business? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cp44 Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 [quote name='INCUBUSRATM' timestamp='1289954044' post='488507'] Aaron, what's your business? [/quote] I sell Video teleconferencing equipment and services, we also provide helpdesk support too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ih303 Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 I know this is easy for me to say considering I already own a hookah lounge, but I'd say we need less people opening new lounges and more people working to improve the lounges already open. I hate to say it but most of the lounges out there (at least the ones I've been to and heard of) are crap. They're opened by people who only care about hopping on the bandwagon to make a quick buck and know little to nothing about the stuff they're selling. They have no respect for the culture embracing the NHT stigma instead of fighting it just because they can use it to generate revenues. I could go on but I'm getting pissed off just thinking about it. Anyway, I know there are a ton of folks with great ideas out there that will probably never come to fruition because of how hard it can be to open a lounge. But there are other ways, people! The reality is, poorly run, fly-by-night hookah lounges are way more common than ones that are run well. That means there either are now or will eventually be opportunities to acquire these businesses. Of course this is a trade off because you sacrifice not being able to do EVERYTHING the way you want and also take on any reputation already established, but all things considered, it can be a really good opportunity. Another thing you guys can do is simply try to get a job at a lounge - affect change from within! Do you know how hard it is to find people who know about hookahs? Sure there are a lot of folks that will SAY they know about hookahs, but it doesn't take long to realize if they're legit or not. When I actually DO get someone in who knows their shit, I LOVE IT! It's a nice change to discuss stuff with a knowledgable person rather than having to constantly explain stuff to people who know nothing. Don't take me wrong - we all have to start somewhere and I love sharing what I know with others, but I also like having the opportunity to learn from someone more knowledgeable than myself - Like when twoapplesplease came in, or when me and my girl went to visit Santino in SLC. I loved it! Sorry for the rant, but let's be realistic here, what percentage of people who talk about opening a lounge actually do? I'm not trying to be pessimistic or cynical here, but really! The only way I own a lounge is because someone with a lot more money than brains had the idea to open a lounge, failed, and then sold to me to get out from under the thing. But hey, it's doing great now and that's all that matters. My point is, opening a business is hard, especially when it A) Is part of the vice industry, Has such a strong NHT stigma, C) Is generally unknown to, i.e. feared by, the public, D) Comes from THE AXIS OF EVIL, E) Is generally considered a public nuisance, etc, etc, etc.... I think our time, money, and ideas would be better spent trying to improve upon what we already have. </end rant> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 [quote name='INCUBUSRATM' timestamp='1289949359' post='488497'] [quote name='mushrat' timestamp='1285785000' post='483561'] here we go again... [/quote] Mushy, I wish you tons of luck in the new venture. As for myself, as discouraging as it is, I keep wanting to open my own lounge... If I can't convince the girlfriend to let me do a lounge, then some other type of business. All I know is I want to run my own business and be my own boss. My major I'm in right now is crazy. In TV Production, there are no permanent studio jobs anymore. It's all basically out in the field type jobs, and every job is temporary. To be honest, it scares the living hell out of me. It goes against my entire personality. I like things to be on a schedule, and to be consistent and organized. I'm going to finish up my degree, but I know I won't use it. For my elective classes, I'm doing ones related to business management. Entrepreneurship. Intro to Management. Classes like those that will help be start out. Mush, this thread is of great help and I really appreciate it. It's going to be quite useful to refer back to when I get my own business up and running, whatever type of business that may be. [/quote] Chris, give me a call when I retire. Were not that far apart, 1 1/2 hours? I'd be interested in Co-owning the best lounge the world has ever seen......[img]http://www.hookahforum.com/public/style_emoticons/default/drinks.gif[/img] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chreees Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 Yes Trav, sounds good to me! ih303, you make some really good points... I'd imagine people wanting to get out are willing to sell very cheaply. I will take your words into consideration for my future business prospects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted November 21, 2010 Author Share Posted November 21, 2010 [quote name='Travis' timestamp='1290253298' post='488904'] [quote name='INCUBUSRATM' timestamp='1289949359' post='488497'] [quote name='mushrat' timestamp='1285785000' post='483561'] here we go again... [/quote] Mushy, I wish you tons of luck in the new venture. As for myself, as discouraging as it is, I keep wanting to open my own lounge... If I can't convince the girlfriend to let me do a lounge, then some other type of business. All I know is I want to run my own business and be my own boss. My major I'm in right now is crazy. In TV Production, there are no permanent studio jobs anymore. It's all basically out in the field type jobs, and every job is temporary. To be honest, it scares the living hell out of me. It goes against my entire personality. I like things to be on a schedule, and to be consistent and organized. I'm going to finish up my degree, but I know I won't use it. For my elective classes, I'm doing ones related to business management. Entrepreneurship. Intro to Management. Classes like those that will help be start out. Mush, this thread is of great help and I really appreciate it. It's going to be quite useful to refer back to when I get my own business up and running, whatever type of business that may be. [/quote] Chris, give me a call when I retire. Were not that far apart, 1 1/2 hours? I'd be interested in Co-owning the best lounge the world has ever seen......[img]http://www.hookahforum.com/public/style_emoticons/default/drinks.gif[/img] [/quote] second best. pm me if you want my phone number..i can try to talk you out of doing it. If i can't I'd say go for it..wtf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chreees Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Really that bad, huh? Then why do you keep doing it, Mush? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted November 21, 2010 Author Share Posted November 21, 2010 I don't. At the moment i am not actually involved in any hookah Lounges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chreees Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Oh, I thought you were getting involved in another one. My bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted November 21, 2010 Author Share Posted November 21, 2010 Changed my mind..for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted December 11, 2010 Author Share Posted December 11, 2010 for those of you who want to know what the realities of starting a place are...read through this thread. http://www.hookahforum.com/topic/7092-hookah-bliss-part-1/page__st__200 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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