Open a Bar the Right Way
A complete, practical system for opening a bar. Business plan, startup cost spreadsheet, critical path checklist, and the staffing systems built on 20+ years of hands-on operations.
Operator-grade content. Not generic advice with a bar example bolted on.
Written by an actual operator
Real startup costs, real liquor license realities, real lender-ready plan structure.
Tested against actual venues
Every piece of content has been validated through multiple live bar openings.
Bar Business Plan
Three primary audiences
Aspiring owners
Industry veterans
Transitioning from operator to owner
Investors
Evaluating a bar opportunity
Existing operators
Adding a second location
Five content pillars. One complete system.
The complete framework for going from concept to opening day. Covers the decisions, the sequence, and the pitfalls. Start here if you are early in the process.
The sequence of dependencies that determines whether the opening happens on time. Most opening delays come from missed dependencies, not missed tasks. This pillar maps the path.
The educational side of the commercial flagship. Covers what goes into a defensible bar business plan, why structure matters for funding approval, and how to build financial projections that hold up to scrutiny.
New bars live or die on staffing quality. This pillar covers hiring, onboarding, and the training systems that turn a new bartender into a productive team member. For the complete training manual, visit bartendertrainingmanual.com – also authored by Ryan.
The numbers. What does it actually cost to open a bar? What are real bar profit margins? Can this concept break even? This pillar has the spreadsheet.
The Founder Bundle
For founders who want the complete opening system in one purchase, the Open a Bar Founder Bundle combines:
- Bar Business Plan (the commercial flagship)
- Bar Startup Cost Spreadsheet
- Critical Path Checklist
- The Ultimate Responsible Alcohol Service Manual (via bartendertrainingmanual.com)
The bundle saves money versus purchasing the components separately and is structured to walk a founder through the full opening process. View the Founder Bundle.
Ryan Dahlstrom
Ryan Dahlstrom is a hospitality veteran with 20+ years of hands-on bar and restaurant operations. He is the author of multiple operator-grade hospitality publications and an active dram shop expert witness. Learn more about Ryan.