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Charity
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#1 Old 7th May 2013 at 3:43 PM
Default Bar Business
I have a sim who just opened a bar as a business, but selling drinks doesn't seem to work to fulfil 'sell things' wants or to work towards a sales talent badge.

Is a bar feasible as a sole business (i.e. no shop or restaurant attached), or do you need to sell physical items to have a proper business?
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M.M.A.A.
Mad Poster
#2 Old 7th May 2013 at 3:52 PM
Well, what about that lot ticket thingy? Where sims, I believe have to pay for the amount of time they stay at the lot, doesn't that contribute towards the want/full fill it?
Peni Griffin
Mad Poster
#3 Old 7th May 2013 at 4:04 PM
Selling tickets from the bandatron is how you make your money and get your sales badges in a venue business. You don't get the option to actively sell drinks or to set their prices, so you need to load the place with items that will make them happy to stay awhile. And having only the bar available for hungry sims doesn't necessarily force them to buy drinks to fill their hunger motive, either. That might work with a huge bar and multiple people to tend it, but it'd take forever to pay for itself and most people will just leave when they hungry anyway.
Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
M.M.A.A.
Mad Poster
#4 Old 7th May 2013 at 4:07 PM
What Peni said, and from what I know, bars have pool tables, target board, even sometimes arcade games. These should keep them longer at your business/bar.
GEGNER
Lab Assistant
#5 Old 7th May 2013 at 4:27 PM
My bar is a big den like place with three poker tables-- I think it's level 9 and rakes in $30k a day.

Put the ticket machine on cheap, let people have fun, and it will pay for itself.
That was not helpful, funny, or love!
iCad
Undead Molten Llama
#6 Old 7th May 2013 at 4:40 PM
A vending machine (if you have the expansion that added them...AL, I think?) is a good way to let customers satisfy their hunger need while generating a little money. Not much, but if it means the customers stay longer and are therefore charged more in general, it balances out.
I'm mostly found on (and mostly upload to) Tumblr these days because, alas, there are only 24 hours in a day.
Muh Simblr! | An index of my downloads on Tumblr.
lorinsv60
Forum Resident
#7 Old 7th May 2013 at 4:43 PM
I made a simple bar that also has a pool table and a jukebox, and set the Bandatron to "cheap." It's a nice little hang-out for my BaCC Sims.
M.M.A.A.
Mad Poster
#8 Old 7th May 2013 at 4:45 PM
@GEGNER: Oh yes, the poker table, indeed, forgot about it.
sushigal007
Mad Poster
#9 Old 7th May 2013 at 5:54 PM
Don't forget a wall-mounted TV for sports events. That's a must in any of my bars.
Peni Griffin
Mad Poster
#10 Old 7th May 2013 at 6:08 PM
I don't think there's any single "must" in any bar, but since the ticket price is charged again once an hour, and stars are generated and lost through customer satisfaction during the stay, keeping the butts in the seats is the important factor. Whatever works, keep, and whatever doesn't, throw out. My first night club has been slow to take off, till the day the proprietor added a grill and made fried chicken. Her high cooking points generated more stars in an hour than she'd ever done in a night before!
Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
M.M.A.A.
Mad Poster
#11 Old 7th May 2013 at 6:12 PM
Vending machines would do the trick too (not sure if the money goes towards the business or not).
ZenGarden
Alchemist
#12 Old 7th May 2013 at 6:49 PM
This gives me an idea! All you can eat + big tv with a ticket machine!
iCad
Undead Molten Llama
#13 Old 7th May 2013 at 7:36 PM
Quote: Originally posted by M.M.A.A.
Vending machines would do the trick too (not sure if the money goes towards the business or not).


It does. I think the default price is 8 Simoleons per purchase. Can't remember how much it costs to restock, so I can't tell you the profit made.
I'm mostly found on (and mostly upload to) Tumblr these days because, alas, there are only 24 hours in a day.
Muh Simblr! | An index of my downloads on Tumblr.
gummilutt
Mad Poster
#14 Old 7th May 2013 at 7:41 PM
Well, if the business is bandatron business the profit shouldn't matter. As long as it does not eat up your other profit, then it should only increase your gains (both money and loyalty), no?

Also, nice thread. Had not thought to run a bar in my hood, will have to try that at some point =)
SusannaG
Top Secret Researcher
#15 Old 7th May 2013 at 10:36 PM
So far the only business I've ever gotten to rank 10 is a bar; I find them pretty easy to run.

I start with a bandatron, a bar, a toilet, and a poker table, and add items as I make more money. Buttering up the patrons (I like "joke") after selling them bandatron tickets, helps to earn stars.
bnefriends
Forum Resident
#16 Old 8th May 2013 at 2:49 AM
Quote: Originally posted by SusannaG
So far the only business I've ever gotten to rank 10 is a bar; I find them pretty easy to run.

I start with a bandatron, a bar, a toilet, and a poker table, and add items as I make more money. Buttering up the patrons (I like "joke") after selling them bandatron tickets, helps to earn stars.


Bandatron businesses are indeed very easy to run; I built a factory with several crafting stations, an employee break room, an orientation room (using the vocational training objects from Sim Wardrobe), and a manager's office, and I put a bandatron thing in there as kind of a tour the factory thing. Customer's find the employee break area (which has a wall mounted flat screen, a stereo, some tables, and a kitchen) entertaining enough to their spend money on it. The factory is intended to supply my mega businessman whom owns a shop in every subhood of my mega hood. I'm thinking about uploading it to MTS.
Charity
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#17 Old 8th May 2013 at 2:55 AM
Okay, looks like I need a bandatron instead of standing by the bar looking lost while everyone plays pool instead of ordering drinks. XD

I have a jukebox, pool table, dart board, barbecue (although surprisingly noone wanted my sim's burnt hotdogs lol), drink and food vending machines and toilet facilities. Should that be enough to make people interested in paying?

Oh, and I mysteriously earned $5 after a sim used the vending machine, so it must count.

Thanks for the help.
Peni Griffin
Mad Poster
#18 Old 8th May 2013 at 3:28 AM
Yes, all that should do nicely. The first big hurdle is getting people to buy tickets, as "basic sell" isn't very effective, and at first you don't get many people at a time, but do it enough and you'll get the badge and your business will start expanding. I try to add an attraction every time I get a business perk, and I also dump date and career rewards into the Hot Spot. If you've earned a love tub, and you play with love tubs, why not have a free hot tub in your venue? Why not?
Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
gummilutt
Mad Poster
#19 Old 8th May 2013 at 11:02 AM
Quote: Originally posted by bnefriends
I'm thinking about uploading it to MTS.


I hope you will =) I'd love to see more business-oriented community lots here on MTS. Specially bandatron businesses as I suck at those.
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