Spirits: Bar Food: Marketing:

Drinking Upscale Go Global Eye Appeal

Returns Pg. 25 Pg. 28 Pg. 32

The Best in Bar Management

$5.00
®

www.nightclub.com Nov/Dec 2010

Jason Strauss &

Noah Tepperberg
Think Big –
Really Big

Serve Responsibly
 contents Nov/Dec 2010, Volume 25, Issue 9

{features}
16 Trends 2011
Are you ready for high-tech
tables, retro design, house music
and more? By Nightclub & Bar staff

20 Best in Bar Management:

Social Blitz
How to make social media work
for your bar or club.

28
By Alissa Ponchione Other-worldly Tastes
Deeper explorations of world
foods add verve to bar menus

25 Living Luxe and dollars to bottom lines.

Despite the economy, guests By Monica Kass Rogers
open their wallets for ultra-
premium spirits. By Jack Robertiello

32 The Eyes Have It

From glassware to garnishes,
smart drink merchandising
heightens guest appeal.
By Jenny Adams

{departments}
4 First Round 40 NCB News
7 Industry News 41 The Shelf
8 Marketing & Promotion 42 The Wire
9 Recipe File 44 The Vine

10
Marketing Midnight
With the opening of the
massive Marquee Las
Vegas, Jason Strauss and
Noah Tepperberg put
nightlife on a grand scale.
By Sean Evans
Cover story photos of Jason Strauss and
Noah Tepperberg by Chance Yeh.
36 Spirited Discussion 46 Marketplace
38 Beer Training 48 Nightcap
Nightclub & Bar (ISSN 0893-4177) is published monthly except for combined issues in January/February, April/May & November/December (9 times per year) by Questex Media
Group, LLC., 306 W. Michigan Street, Ste 200, Duluth, MN 55802. Subscription rates: U.S. $30/yr, Canada $45/yr, Foreign $85/yr. Periodical Postage paid at Duluth, MN 55806 and
additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Nightclub & Bar, P.O. Box 1269, Skokie IL, 60076. Canadian G.S.T. number 840 033 278 RT0001. Publication Mail Agreement Number
40017597. Printed in the U.S.A.
©2010 by Questex Media Group LLC. Written permission is necessary to reproduce any contents by any means. For reprint requests, contact Laura Alford at (216) 706-3769.

2 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m

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 First | Round

Forward Thinking Advisory Board

L
ongevity is a point of
pride in this industry. A
nightclub or bar hitting its
one-year anniversary is cause
for celebration; marking three,
four or five years in this busi-
ness is certainly a reason for
an all-out bash.
Our cover boys
know a thing or two
about keeping the
doors open year af-
Donna Hood Crecca ter year. Jason Strauss
Publisher & and Noah Tepperberg
Editorial Director (see page 10) began op-
erating nightclubs more
than a decade ago — the flagship Marquee
in Manhattan is now in its seventh year and
their other properties, including 5-year-old
Tao Las Vegas, generate huge revenues
each year.
How is that possible? They evolve. They
innovate. They stay one step ahead of the
trends and tweak their clubs’ concepts,
offerings, service and décor to continu-
ously appeal to a fickle and fast-changing
customer base.
As we hit the all-important holiday
season and gear up for 2011, what are you
doing to evolve? Are you still touting your
Saturday night DJ or band with a flier in a
sticky plastic table tent? Or are you hitting
the web and broadcasting invites, complete
with a secret code for a comp beverage for
Publisher & Editorial Director
Donna Hood Crecca • dcrecca@questex.com Senior Audience Development Manager
(631) 265-3839
Managing Editor
Emily Hanna Mayock • ehanna@questex.com
(216) 706-3762
Associate Editor
Darlene Balzano •
Alissa Ponchione • aponchione@questex.com
darlene.balzano@questex.com Richard R. Schneider Ballys Atlantic City
(216) 706-3757
(440) 263-2595
Creative Director
Rob Ghosh • rghosh@questex.com
Contributing Editors jvreed@questex.com Sam Stanovich National Restaurant Association Solutions
Jenny Adams, Robert Plotkin, Jack Robertiello (662) 513-8656
your most loyal followers and fans? Are you
still menuing lollipop-sweet cocktails, or are
you tracking the drink-local trend, pouring
spirits and ingredients from your area?
Check out our annual Trends story (page
16) and what’s hot in social media (page
20) for more evolutionary ideas. And just
like you, we’re working to keep things fresh.
Online, we continue to enhance nightclub.
com, and we recently revamped the NCB
Forum (nightclub.com/forums). Our goal?
Delivering you plenty of ideas and informa-
tion as well as an opportunity to chat with
fellow operators for new ways to keep your
doors open, your barstools occupied and
your dance floors hopping for years and
years to come.
May your holidays be happy and your
New Year prosperous!
See you at the bar,
Donna Hood Crecca and Noah Tepperberg at Lavo NY.
Senior Production Manager Lists:
Janelle Heller • jheller@questex.com Ilene Schwartz, Kroll Direct
(218) 279-8834 (216) 371-1667 • Fax (216) 371-1669
Ilene@krolldirect.com
Antoinette Sanchez-Perkins • Reprints:
asanchez-perkins@questex.com The YGS Group
(216) 706-3750 800-290-5460 ext. 100 • Fax (717) 399-8900
nightclubandbar@theygsgroup.com
Advertising Sales Jack Robertiello DrinksInk
Eastern Region Account Manager Nightclub & Bar Media Group President
Jon Taffer
Vice President
Liza Wylie
Western Region Account Manager
Vice President, Sales
Jo Von Reed •
Leo Squatrito
Anthony Abbinante
Tony Abou-Ganim
Diageo
The Modern Mixologist
Ralph Aguera Brown-Forman Beverages Worldwide
Charles Andrews Republic National Distributing Co.
Carlo Barone OneBar USA
Brian Barrett GuestMetrics, Inc.
Jeff Bartfield
Mike Blumberg
William Grant & Sons
Crown Imports
John B. Bodnovich American Beverage Licensees
George Borrello Top Shelf Mktg - Progressive Specialty Glass
Ron Breitstein Tenzing Wine & Spirits
David Brown Houlihan’s Restaurant Inc.
Fredrick G. Brown TGIC Importers, Inc.
Scott Burch
Raymond Burton
Burch Management Co. Inc.
InterContinental Hotels Group
Cindy Busi Hard Rock International
Edgar Carlson Hospitality USA
Adam Chafetz Health Communications/TIPS
Harvey Chaplin Southern Wine & Spirits of America Inc.
Lonnie Charleson High Energy Holdings, LLC
Clint Clausen
Jim Colosi
SBE
Charles Jacquin Et. Cie Inc.
David Commer Commer Beverage Consulting
Christopher B. Coursen Infinity Hospitality Group
Peter Cressy Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
Steve Chucri Ariz. Restaurant & Hospitality Assoc.
Patrick Droesch Brinker International
Matt Durbin
Vito Finizio
Fox & Hound Restaurant Group
Vacation Adventures International
Bob Fenley TapDynamics, Inc.
Jim Flaherty Flaherty Beverage Brokers
Ray Ford FORD Management Services Inc.
Stuart Foster Moet Hennessy USA
Mike Ginley Next Level Marketing
Thom Greco
Greg Greenbaum
Greco Holdings
CentArchy Restaurant Management Co.
Charlie Greener Harborage International Inc.
Jeff Grindrod Brand Action
Mike Grosser Zipscene Mobile
Barry Gutin Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar
Scott Hempstead The Boston Beer Company
Paul Hartgen
David Henkes
Maryland Restaurant Association
Technomic Inc.
Patrick Henry Patrick Henry Creative Promotions Inc.
Cian Hickey Anheuser-Busch InBev
Doug Jackson Darden Restaurants
Ken Jarecki Shaw-Ross International Importers
Debbie Johnson Ariz. Hotel & Lodging Assoc.
Patrick Kirk
John Knorr
Buffalo Wild Wings
Phillips Foods Inc.
Ken Kribel Southern Wine and Spirits
John Lingo Tooters Promotions
Ken Madison Labatt USA
Ryan Magarian Liquid Relations
Wyatt Magnum CMS/Magnum Music Group
Ted McAleer Sydney Frank Importing Co.
John Metz Metz Enterprises
Mike Mikenas Western Spirits Beverage Co.
Lonnie Moore The Dolce Group
Vic Morrison McCormick Distilling Co.
Gary Namm Tampa Bay Partners
Michael Nelson Promo Only Networks
Ron Newman Newman Hospitality
Stan Novack Novack Consulting LLC
Andrew O’Rourke Heineken USA
Dan Parr MillerCoors
Roberta Perry Roberta Perry and Associates
Robert Plotkin BarMedia
Randy Porter Glazers
Jonathan Ressler The Big Fat Mouth LLC
Keith Riley Monster Beverage
Jim Robinson Promo Only
Ken Ruff Beam Global
Glenn Schmitt MarkeTeam Inc.
Bob Sikora Bobby Q’s
Jimmy Skeadas ShowTenders Inc.
Joseph Smith Monin Gourmet Flavorings
Sterling Smith Sterling Leadership Consulting LLC
Robert C. Smith Nightclub Security Consultants
Jason Strauss Strategic Group

Contributing Writers For subscriptions or www.nightclub.com Jose “Papo” Suarez

Lew Bryson, Sean Evans, Monica Kass Rogers,
Karen Weisberg
Jim Sullivan
Coco Lopez
Sullivision Inc.
customer service concerns: Frederick M. Tibbitts Jr. Fred Tibbitts & Associates Inc.
P: (847) 763-9594 (847) 763-9694 Richard Verrechia Neat Beverage Concepts
Jesse Waits Tryst, XS
nightclub&bar@halldata.com Steve Walkerwicz Pernod Ricard USA
P. O. Box 1269, Skokie IL 60076 Kent Walrack Lyons Magnus
Chuck Weisberg Kameryn Beverage Marketing

4 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m

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All blended together in one of the quietest blenders working on professional countertops.

INTRODUCING THE QUIET ONE.®

TO SEE AND HEAR THE DIFFERENCE, GO TO VITAMIX.COM/THEQUIETONE
OR CALL 800-4DRINK4 FOR A DEALER NEAR YOU.

©2010 Vita-Mix® Corporation.

 Industry | News

Register Now for 2011 Nightclub & Bar

Show & Save
R egistration is now open at ncbshow.com for the 2011 Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade
Show in Las Vegas on March 7-9, and early birds get the savings.
Numerous attendee packages are available to suit every person and every budget, from the
Super Premium Pass — the best value — to the Expo Hall Pass. The Super Premium Pass gives you
access to all conference sessions, including keynotes and the exhibit hall, and includes the Club
Pass — providing you free admission to featured Vegas clubs — and NCB Show parties like the
2011 Welcome Kick-Off Party, Opening Night Party, Top 100 Party and Closing Night Party. The
popular Expo Hall package includes admission to keynote speakers, the exhibit hall and the Wel-
come Kick-Off Party, as well as a Club Pass. Attendees registering before Jan. 7 can save up to $80.
This year, the Nightclub & Bar Show offers new incentives and prizes for attendees and exhibi-
tors. In the exhibit hall, the Main Street area will lead to the new NCB Main Stage, where the Shake
it Up! Competition will be held. New on the floor are the specialty areas, which include the Bou-
tique Brands Pavilion, the interactive Coin-op Pavilion and a new Lighting and Sound area. Also
on tap is the 11th Annual DJ Spin Off with a twist: a collection of DJ talent will battle for turntable
supremacy at one of the hottest parties of the year.
What’s more, the debut of the Nightclub & Bar Sports Bar Marketing Conference will provide
owners and operators with information on how to develop and execute promotions and pro-
grams tied to sports programming. This new event will take place March 7-8.
So go to ncbshow.com, and learn more about the Nightclub & Bar Show events, speakers,
forums and exhibitor info. We can’t wait to see you at the Show!

Ignition Interlock: Get the Facts

N early 200 beverage executives from spirits, wine and
beer marketing companies and the nation’s largest
restaurant and bar operators gathered in Palm Beach
Gardens, Fla., in October for the American Beverage Institute
meeting to discuss one of the most pressing issues threaten-
ing the bar business today: ignition interlock.
One question asked was whether most bar and club
operators understand ignition interlock and what it means to
their businesses. If you are not in the know, you need to be,
so here is the rundown:
What is Ignition Interlock?
An in-vehicle device that detects blood alcohol concentration
(BAC) and prevents the vehicle from starting if the driver’s
BAC exceeds a pre-set limit.
The BAC level for interlock devices is typically set at 0.02
or 0.03 percent, well below the legal limit, to allow for a
margin of error, according to manufacturers.
Most ignition interlock devices today are in-car breatha-
lyzers, but developing technologies can randomly detect
BAC via sensors in steering wheels, gear shifts and key fobs
(transdermal detection) and also using retinal scans and
measurements of the air in the vehicle.
What’s the legislative angle?
Twelve states now mandate ignition interlocks be placed in
the vehicles of all drunk driving offenders, regardless of BAC
level or number of previous offenses; 16 mandate for high-
BAC, first-time offenders; 12 require for repeat offenders; and
six allow for judicial discretion.
Who’s For & Who’s Against?
The hospitality industry supports ignition interlock for high-
BAC, repeat drunk driving offenders but does not support
it for low-BAC, first-time offenders, asserting that doing so
does not address the core of the drunk driving problem in
this country — the heavy drinking, repeat drunk drivers. KEEP THE PEACE WITH
MADD and several federal government agencies are ®
aggressively advocating for ignition interlock to be standard THE QUIET ONE
in all vehicles in the U.S.; federal funds are being sought out
to research the technology, and legislation for mandatory PATENTED FLOATING
ignition interlock is being pushed in several states.
TECHNOLOGY REDUCES SOUND
Volvo, Toyota and other auto manufacturers are testing
the technology abroad; interlock and insurance companies MAGNETICALLY-SECURED
advocate for it as well. COVER FOR EASY CLEANING
Led by the American Beverage Institute (ABI), concerned
restaurant operators are lobbying against mandatory ignition 6 BUTTONS/34 OPTIMIZED
interlock for all DWI offenders and against the technology PROGRAMS FOR EASE OF USE
becoming standard in all vehicles. AND CONSISTENCY
ABI asserts that standard ignition interlock in all cars will
essentially create a new era of prohibition in which sale of
alcohol in bars, clubs and restaurants will be nearly impos-
The Quiet One is ideal
sible because the majority of patrons will not be able to start for bars, coffee shops,
their cars after even a single drink. small cafés and smoothie
What’s Next?
stands where traditional
How fast is the pro-interlock campaign moving? ABI antici- blender noise can really
pates that without intervention from our industry and an spoil the ambience.
outcry from consumers, ignition interlock could be standard
in all cars within five years. ABI is launching another round of
consumer education outreach.
VITAMIX.COM/THEQUIETONE
Nightclub & Bar will continue to cover the issue, and
urges you to be aware and be a part of the process. We’ll also
present a session on this topic at the Nightclub & Bar Show in
Las Vegas in March 2011.
Bottom line: Get involved or kiss your bar business
goodbye! For more information, search “interlock” on
nightclub.com or visit interlockfacts.com.

nightclub.com N ov/ D e c 2 010 | Nightclub & Bar Magazine 7

 Marketing | Promotions

Testing the Market Going Whole Hog

M anagement at Corkbar in Los Angeles is enticing
customers’ palates with a savvy food promotion that
also makes their California wines more affordable. How exactly
F or the past 26 years, the clientele at La
Jolla, Calif.’s Georges at the Cove have
appreciated the culinary limbs on which
does that work? Chef and Co-owner Trey Foshee is willing
With Test Kitchen Tuesday, chefs test out new dishes on to climb. With Foshee’s latest menu addi-
guests by fixing small portions and pricing them at just $2. The tion, a whole suckling pig preparation that
promotion goes on every Tuesday from 5:30 p.m. until they run feeds eight to 10 people, Foshee has seen
out, although guests are limited to one $2 plate per person. that support grow.
While the promotion helps sell food quickly, it certainly doesn’t “We were doing a few specials a while
hurt the wine sales, says Managing Partner Caleb Wines. People back, and I had one entire pig leftover. So I
can afford to spend a bit more on a glass if they know they are had a few friends come in for a special din-
getting such a good deal on an appetizer portion of food. ner. I figured it was unique and put the option
Overall sales on Tuesdays are up 150 percent, Wines says. on the menu,” Foshee says. “We require that
The night was “born out of the desire to experiment with new guests call a week in advance because we
food items and get feedback from our customers. It also makes can’t have a whole pig laying around. At this
people feel like they are a part of the process and gives them time, we have sold four of them.”
a voice. This fits in nicely with our philosophy of making wine Guests are seated and presented with the
more accessible and creating a comfortable atmosphere.” suckling pig, a seasonal salad and several
seasonal sides for $600. Foshee has upped
his profits even more, thanks to the pig’s
versatility in pairing beverage options with
the meal.
Think Pink “This preparation lends itself well to

I n Vegas, it’s hard to host a multiple options. The flavors are subtle
consistently great Monday night. and work with a red wine like a nice Pinot
Rhumbar, however, seems to have Noir, bourbon neat, bourbon cocktails and
Mondays cornered, becoming a haven multiple craft brews,” he says. “We use
for locals and tiki-loving tourists who local farms and most of the beers we use
appreciate a great promotion and a are local. For this particular style dinner
well-crafted cocktail. we have our servers suggest [one of] Stone
The event is called “Pink Sugar brewing’s large-format bottles.”
Jam,” and it combines live rock mash- The locally produced, 22-ounce beer,
ups with accompanying acoustic musi-
Foshee believes, is a near perfect comple-
cians. Management takes this night up
ment to the locally sourced fresh pig,
a notch by collaborating with X-Rated
Fusion Liqueur to serve a neon pink cocktail, the X-Rated Mojito for $8. especially in a large group setting. For the
“This is our original take on the Cuban classic, featuring X-Rated Fusion Liqueur, mint leaves, rock candy and a splash of holiday, he plans to serve a porchetta-styled
soda,” says General Manager Oliver Nivaud. “It complements the attitude and vibe on the patio, and we move a lot of them.” preparation instead of the typical Christmas
Through print and radio spots, Monday Pink Sugar Jams pull in a great deal of Las Vegas’ thirsty patrons and management ham with warm cocktails to complement the
plans to continue the promotion. There is no cover for the event, but Rhumbar is making plenty of money with the right style. meat dish.

Is It Snowing in Here?
U ncle Fatty’s Rum Resort, located in Chicago, has
a tropical theme that spreads to the menu. But
this winter, things are about to get cold inside the bar.
“Co-owner Mark Kwiatkowski, our staff and I are
always trying to think of ways to remain as innovative
as possible when it comes to special events,” explains
co-owner Brian Galati. “We’ve always gone big with
holiday decorations in the past, but this year we are
taking it a step further.”
“Big with holiday decorations” translates to the
guys devoting upward of $10,000 just for decorations
annually. This year, they are transforming the bar into
an actual snow globe, with $5,000 of accoutrements
like confetti snow for the bar’s Dec. 18 party alone.
“The snow globe will be specific for the event,”
Galati says. “[We will use] metal flex molding and
plastic [wrapping] to create a dome over the stage
where the band is playing. We plan ... to dome the
main bar as well.”
Half a dozen confetti cannons will spray snow a
dozen times throughout the night, filling the room
with white confetti. To encourage guests to attend,
management is making the most of social network-
ing on Facebook, which is a perfect tool for the bar’s
target demographic, ages 21-25. Add to the lineup
a great live cover band and drink specials like $10
signature yards, $15 Polar Pond Fishbowls, $15 mini
pitchers and a $100 4-gallon fishbowl that serves
10, and you have yourself something Santa would be
hard-pressed to outdo.

8 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m

 Recipe | File
By Alissa Ponchione | aponchione@questex.com

Just Desserts
W
ho says you can’t drink dessert? Dessert cocktails can be the perfect upsell to
guests who may want to stray from the normal drink regimen and have a sweet
treat instead, and they’re particularly appropriate around the holidays. Transform
your cocktail menu from mundane to subtly sweet by adding a few cocktails made with lush
liqueurs, chocolate syrups and graham cracker garnishes that will not only satisfy a patron’s
sweet tooth but also your bottom line.

Black Forest Martini Flor de Caña Cobbler

Created by Sara Welch, pastry supervisor for
Bistro Aix in Jacksonville, Fla.
3 ounces Dole Fresh Frozen Dark Sweet Cherries,
thawed and puréed
2 ounces brandy
1 ounce chocolate syrup
½ ounce vanilla extract
Chocolate shavings, for rim
Combine cherry purée, brandy, chocolate
syrup and vanilla extract in a shaker with ice.
Shake vigorously. Strain into a Martini glass
rimmed with chocolate shavings.
Rose Raj Fizz
On the menu at Apothecary in Lakewood, Ohio.
1 ½ ounces Bombay Sapphire gin
½ ounce orange juice
2 dashes rose flower water
½ ounce vanilla syrup
1 ounce cream
1 ounce egg white
2 ounces soda water
Star anise, for garnish
Combine first six ingredients and dry shake
for 1 minute. Add ice and shake for another
minute. Strain into a white wine glass and top
with soda. Float star anise.
Created by Niccole Trzaska of Stone Rose NYC
for Flor de Caña.
1 ounce Flor de Caña Grand Reserve 7-year-old rum
¾ ounce honey
¾ ounce lemon juice Combine all ingredients in a blender. Add
½ ounce water two ice cubes. Blend until smooth. Pour into
Assorted berries a cocktail glass. Garnish with whipped cream
Splash Cremant d’Alsace and an avocado slice.
Muddle lemon juice, honey and water until
liquefied. Add berries and muddle lightly. Add S’mores
Flor de Caña and shake. Strain over crushed Created by Jeff Isaacson and Clark Moore for
ice. Top with sparkling wine. After stirring, add Gerber Group.
crushed ice. Garnish with berries, lemon peel 1 ½ ounces blended whiskey
and a drizzle of honey. 1 ½ ounces dark crème de cocoa
¾ ounce cinnamon schnapps
Don’t Mess with My Tu-Tu Splash of milk
Created by Gina Chersevani of PS 7’s in 3 miniature marshmallows, for garnish
Washington, D.C. Rim a Martini glass with a graham cracker
1/3 part Plymouth gin crust. Combine all ingredients and pour into
1/3 part lemon juice the Martini glass. Garnish with the miniature
1/3 part Roi Rene Rouge cherry liqueur marshmallows.
Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with
ice, shake until frothy, strain into a small wine Cookies & Cream Martini
glass and garnish with smoked fairy Courtesy of Monin.
floss (cotton candy). 1 ½ ounces vodka
¾ ounce Monin Shortbread Syrup
Mango Bellini ½ ounce Monin Caramel Sauce
Courtesy of the National Mango Board. 2 ounces half-and-half
1 Tbsp. fresh mango, peeled, pitted and puréed Combine ingredients in shaker in
4 ounces chilled Prosecco the order listed. Cap and shake
1 mango peeled, pitted and sliced for garnish vigorously. Strain into a Martini glass
Combine mango purée and chilled Prosecco rimmed with crushed graham cracker.
in chilled Champagne glass and serve. Gar-
nish with fresh mango slices on the rim. The S&M (Whipped Nuts)
Courtesy of Rich Hellner for Pandora
Avocado Mint Chip Spirits LLC.
Whip 2 ½ ounces NutLiquor peanut butter vodka
Created by Kim Haasarud ½ ounce Pinnacle Whipped vodka
of Liquid Architecture. Shake with ice and strain.
2 scoops mint chip ice cream
¼ ripe California avocado
1 ounce light cream Thirsty for More?
1 ½ ounces chocolate Want more sweet treats? Go to www.nightclub.com/desserts
liqueur (optional) to get more ideas for delicious confectionary creations.

nightclub.com N ov/ D e c 2 010 | Nightclub & Bar Magazine 9

Marketing
M i dn i g h t With the Opening of the Massive Marquee
Las Vegas, Jason Strauss and Noah Tepperberg
Put Nightlife on a Grand Scale
By Sean Evans

10 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m

 Can we please use this picture again?” Noah Tepperberg jokes as
he flips around a frame containing a copy of the cover of Night-
club & Bar from 2004, featuring himself and business partner Ja-
son Strauss. “C’mon, I look great here! We look so young! Look at
all my hair,” Tepperberg chuckles as Strauss, seated next to him, laughs. The duo
are reminiscing while sitting in Tepperberg’s office, located on West 27th Street in
New York City, less than five blocks from their famed club, Marquee. While they had
operated several clubs in Southampton and Manhattan previously, Marquee is the
venue that truly put them on the nightlife map when it opened in 2003.
Seven years and seven venues
later, Tepperberg’s office wall
seemingly doubles as an impres-
sive résumé for the duo; it’s
adorned with multiple matted
New York Times profiles, Wall
Street Journal features and more
pieces of prominent press, linearly
showcasing the twosome’s ascent
from club promoters to their posi-
tions as kings of clubland. What’s
the secret to their longevity and
success? Tepperberg and Strauss
aren’t simply savvy nightlife op-
erators; they’re savvy marketers
who happen to own nightclubs.
They’ve mastered the notion of
marketing midnight, creating
an overwhelming demand for a
wholly intangible product: late-
night fun.
Their latest creation, Marquee
Nightclub and Dayclub at the LAVO Las Vegas (above) and TAO Las Vegas (left)
Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas Group — Rich Wolf, Marc Packer, both have counterparts in New York City; with the
— the highly anticipated $3.9 bil- Lou Abin and Seth Rodsky — to opening of Marquee at the Cosmopolitan in Las
lion luxury hotel and casino open- oversee the portfolio of venues Vegas, Strauss and Tepperberg (opposite) try the
ing Dec. 15 — will debut with that includes Marquee New York, formula again, taking Marquee from NY to Vegas.
a wild New Year’s Eve blowout. TAO New York, TAO Las Vegas,
The 60,000-square-foot venue is LAVO Las Vegas, LAVO New York,
rumored to have cost $50 million Avenue in NYC and now Marquee
to develop (funding came from Las Vegas, Tepperberg, Strauss America means to our country,
Deutsche Bank). Given its size, and their veteran partners stand how they continue to post im-
Marquee Las Vegas will unofficial- at the helm of an expansive pressive returns on their investors’
ly receive the title of the biggest nightlife machine that now plays dollars and more.
nightclub in America. “We haven’t in multiple markets and shows no
heard of anything being larger,” signs of slowing anytime soon. NCB: Let’s start with the latest
Strauss says, flashing a grin that The twosome sat with Nightclub Vegas project. Tell me about
reveals more than a sliver of pride & Bar to reveal their plans for Marquee Nightclub and Day-
at the accomplishment. Marquee at the Cosmopolitan, club at the Cosmopolitan.
While it takes an entire team how a massive deal like this hap- Tepperberg: It’s three rooms,
of dedicated partners at Strategic pens during an economic crunch, essentially. The main room has
Group Hospitality/The Tao what opening the largest club in a big circular dance floor and

nightclub.com N ov/ D e c 2 010 | Nightclub & Bar Magazine 11


coliseum-style banquet seating,
which is tiered so that one section
is above the next. Everyone has a
great view of the DJ, which is the
focal point of the room, given the
stage.
The second room is called the
Boom Box, and it’s smaller, has a
real urban sensibility ­— etched
artwork and beautiful bars with
a DJ booth sunken into one.
There are a lot of glass windows
in there, out of which you can see
the Strip.
The third room is called the
Library, which is designed to feel
like someone’s living room. It’s on
the mezzanine level, overlooking
the main room. It has a fireplace, a
pool table and a cool British glam-
rock feel to it. It’s a total lounge.
Strauss: Then there’s the pool
and dayclub portion to the space.
It’s a massive space, with numer-
ous cabanas — each with its own
private dipping/plunge pool
12 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m
out front. There’s a gaming area,
raised bar area and a fantastic DJ
setup. There are also 10 bunga-
lows, which are really three-story
hotel rooms.
Tepperberg: Guests can spend
the night in there if they can get
one [laughs]. Each has a hot tub
on the roof and it’s really the
ultimate Vegas hotel room. It’s
poolside and club adjacent, so
you can walk from the party to
your room in a few feet.
 
NCB: What’s the coolest in-
novation about Marquee at the
Cosmopolitan?
Strauss: We are building a
multimillion-dollar festival-esque
DJ booth in the main room. It’s a
fully interactive light and sound
stage, so it’s no longer just a DJ
spinning or a person performing;
it’s an entire show. The stage is 40
feet high, with multiple levels of
LED walls and video components.
Marquee New York (above) helped Tepperberg and Strauss rise to fame on the club scene before opening
venues like Avenue in NYC, TAO in Las Vegas and LAVO in Vegas and New York (left).
It even has hydraulics so we can
float it out over the crowd and
move it around. That’s never been
done before.
 
NCB: Why did you decide to
name this venue Marquee?
Tepperberg: We needed a
name that was bold; that evoked
the thoughts and image of a
big, cosmopolitan — no pun
intended — nightclub experi-
ence. Having owned Marquee NY
for seven years, we couldn’t think
of a better name to exemplify a
soon-to-be-famous, world-class
nightclub. We’ve had nearly a
decade of success in New York, so
it’s time to bring it to Vegas.
 
NCB: What are the challenges
presented by a project this big?
Tepperberg: One of the biggest
will be how you move traffic and
thousands of people in and out of
a venue this size with grace and
ease. And there’s always going to
be a weather issue because half
the venue is outside. It’s not easy
to plan for when you have 7,000
people — half being around your
pool — and the weather drops 50
degrees and you have to fit them
all inside. Or vice versa. Managing
the seasonality in Vegas will likely
be the biggest challenge.
 
NCB: How do you formulate a
plan for that?
Tepperberg: Those are made up
as you go. [laughs]
 
NCB: Here’s the burning
question: Why build such an
expensive, large venue during
a recession?
Tepperberg: The nightlife market
in Vegas is booming. There may
be a recession going on in other
sectors of this industry, but as far
as Vegas goes, there’s no reces-
sion there. People are flocking
to Vegas [clubs]; every place is
packed. And they’re spending
money. Now’s the exact right
time to do something like this.
 
NCB: What does opening the
largest club in America mean to
the country?  
Strauss: We’re fortunate to have
[Deutsche] bank as our partner,
willing to invest in nightlife and
willing to create an attraction
that the country and the world
should see. That it’s happening
in Las Vegas — that there’s such
a confidence to build something
of this grandiose stature — really
puts the stamp on Vegas as the
nightlife capital of the world.
 
NCB: How do you continue to
pack your houses and put up
great numbers despite the
economy?
Strauss: Mainly through [guest]
experience and through commit-
ment to service. But having the
most relevant and new content
all while pushing the envelope
and being plugged into what
the demographic is looking for is
also important. Keep it fresh and
people will want to come back.
 
NCB: Is nightlife recession-
proof?
Strauss: As the recession
changes, there are adjustments
you make to pricing points, but
people are always looking for
the nightlife experience. Owners
have to adapt to the recession,
but now I’m feeling less of a fear
[of the economy] and more of a
sense of confidence in our clients’
[spending habits]. It’s been a
very steady but slow increase
from month to month. We’re also
seeing an upswing in corporate
and private events in our venues,
which had been negatively af-
fected for the last two years.
 
NCB: What do your partners in
Strategic Group Hospitality and
Tao Group bring to the table?
Tepperberg: Lou [Abin], Marc
[Packer], Rich [Wolf] and Seth
[Rodsky] are great partners. We’re
a well-rounded team, and we all
play different positions. When
you have the size and scope of
the properties we have, it’s got
to be a team sport not a solo
endeavor.
still very hands on. We’re at one
of our venues six nights a week.
Every partner has their strengths
— some are better at certain
things than others — but gener-
ally we each touch all facets of
the business. No one partner
sticks only to marketing, or just
to helping out making sure the
kitchen is running smoothly or
showing someone how to do a
door properly, etc. We all do a
little bit of each discipline.
NCB:  What do you know now
that you wish you could go
back and tell your younger self
to do differently?
Strauss: I think when I was
younger, we were really top-line
focused. What mattered was
bringing in the business, and we
didn’t look at the bottom line as
much. As we matured, I think we
found a nice balance between
managing the house and balanc-
ing the top line and bottom line
of the financial slope. So I’d have
fixed that earlier.
Tepperberg:  In 2003, all I did
was work, and I’ve learned as I’ve
grown up that personal time is
important as well. You need to
take a vacation, even if it’s to Ibiza,
and take days off every once in a
while, even if you’re still on your
BlackBerry. I didn’t take a day off
between 2003 and 2008, so I’d
tell my younger self to learn to
balance the personal life with the
professional one.
The Nightlife Market in Vegas is Booming. There
may be a recession going on in other sectors of the industry, but as
far as Vegas goes, there’s no recession there. People are
flocking to Vegas [clubs]; every place is packed.
– Noah Tepperberg, co-owner and co-founder of the Strategic Group Hospitality/Tao Group
 NCB: What does the future of
nightlife look like?   outside of the U.S. Will that be
Tepperberg: Marquee, LAVO and
TAO [laughs]. Trend-wise, you’re
going to see clubs that opened
in the beginning of the nightlife
boom five or six years ago being
remodeled and reopened. A lot
of original products are being
retooled. In New York and in Las
Vegas, nightclubs coming on line
are being revamped and stronger
than ever. When the recession hit,
operators were able to buy them
cheap and are just waiting for the
right time to reopen them, which
is now.
 
NCB: What’s next for you two
and SG Hospitality? How do
you top the biggest club in
America?
Strauss: For us, it’s about build-
ing the brands, such as TAO,
Marquee, Avenue, LAVO and
our Artichoke Basilles Pizzeria
& Bar concept that we recently
launched with Francis Garcia and
Sal Basille. We want to create
more brand extensions of those
successes.
Tepperberg: Maybe opening the
biggest restaurant in America? Or
building the biggest club in the
world? [smiles broadly]
NCB: You don’t have a venue
changing in the near future?
Strauss: We have offers in a few
countries, and we have one or
two pending deals abroad, but
nothing we can announce just
yet. We’re always looking.
 
NCB: What are your ultimate
goals? Where do you see
yourself in 10 years? Still at the
owners’ table of your hottest
venue?
Strauss: The goal would be to
expand the brands and develop
enough senior-level people so
that we can grow properly. I’m
sure we’ll still be at the owners’
table but just not as often as we
are now.
Tepperberg: Precisely.
 
NCB: So you want to continue
to stay in nightlife for the fore-
seeable future?
Strauss: I’ve been doing this
since my sophomore year of
high school...I don’t know what
else I would be doing if it wasn’t
this. NCB
Sean Evans writes about nightlife and the
nightclub business from New York City and
various points around the globe.

NCB: How have your roles in

SG Hospitality changed as the
company grows and you have
more and more venues under
your belt, particularly ones as
large as Marquee at the Cosmo-
politan?
Strauss: We’re delegating
more. We’ve had to empower
and mentor a lot more people
and create an infrastructure of
different layers of management.
Despite the delegation, we’re
Strategic Success
J ason Strauss and Noah Tepperberg may run one of the largest
nightlife enterprises in the nation, but they started small and
still apply the basic rules of smart operations. Here are their tips
for surviving in today’s tough market for any nightlife pro:
Manage all aspects of your club closely. Don’t assume the bar is running
smoothly because you have a great manager overseeing it. Get in there
regularly, understand what’s going on and tweak as you see fit; lots of
dollars can be lost behind the bar and in the stock room. Watch how the
door is run, making sure guests are handled efficiently and with a high level
of hospitality.
Know your customer, and constantly refine your space, drink menu,
music, service style and promotions to attract and keep them in the house.
Watch the top line closely and the bottom line closer. Be strategic in
how you drive traffic into the club, and then be smart in how you manage
costs — everything from staffing to inventory to energy costs.
Focus on service and experience. The nightlife customer expects both, so
consistently deliver better than your competition.
Be proactive. Keep an eye on market trends, from consumer spending
habits to real estate opportunities, so you can stay ahead of the game and
the competition.

14 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m

TRENDS
2011 What drives trends?
High-tech Tables,
Retro Design,
House Music & More

These days, we see

innovations in technology Technology
and consumers looking to
As you read this, these technologies are likely evolving, but
connect while also seeking here’s our take on the tech trends for bars and clubs in the
a highly personalized coming year:
experience as the key Guest Experience Enhancers
trends shaping the bar and Touchscreen tabletops and bartops –Tabletop systems allow guests to review drink menus,
customize cocktails and place drink orders — all while playing games and accessing the
nightclub business. While venue’s Facebook and Twitter feeds. System advances promise greater guest-to-venue and
we could go off on lengthy guest-to-guest interactivity.
TV systems – Slimmer and sleeker HDTVs, 3-D and increasing multi-functional and custom-
and lofty articles about izable systems are on the rise. “Private” cable or satellite feeds mean varied programming
what that means, we know within the venue, including in-house feeds. Systems that overlay ads for brands on hand,
current or upcoming promotions or event notices on screens will drive greater sales and new
that when looking in the revenue for bars and clubs. Also, text-to-screen and ticker options are on the horizon.
proverbial crystal ball, bar Music for the ears and eyes – Greater production elements for DJs, from visuals like digital
light shows to live drummers and DJ platforms that move to float out above the crowd, not to
and club operators want mention video mixing to sync with audio for a complete multi-sensory experience.
two questions answered:
Back of House
What’s Hot? What’s Not? Scan, sync and prevent shrink – Internet-enabled inventory control systems track bottles from
So here’s our take. Now receiving to backbar (thanks to ever-smaller RFID tags), sync with POS systems and allow man-
agement to get real-time inventory and sales reports sent to their mobile devices — even for
it’s your job to see how small bars. Benefit: just-in-time inventory, no out-of-stocks, nimble ordering for promotions,
these trends may or may less shrink and a better bottom line.
Rockin’ reports – Draft line and liquor pour systems synced with POS systems will yield
not play out in your place, drink-level reporting; spot the winners, losers and sources of loss quickly and push manage-
and what you need to ment to make adjustments.
— Donna Hood Crecca
do to capitalize on them.
Good luck!
16 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m
 Bars Design
Here’s what we see coming, and going, at the nation’s
bars in 2011
and Décor
What’s In 
Iconic beer brands (think PBR) on Retro is the future. Michelle Bushey, partner

Bartenders putting guest service on the menu alongside eclectic brews and creative director at Dallas firm 360 Design,
par with crafting great cocktails (think Allagash White)
is seeing more bars and clubs using exposed

Bars, and those who tend them,
breaking out as mainstream media What’s Out brick, vintage games like Pac-Man and chess as
darlings 
Drinks with ingredients no one can tabletops and reclaimed wood and furniture

Pisco, rye and cachaça, for real pronounce, let alone recognize to create a clubbier and darker version of your

Millennials. They’re coming of age in 
Telling patrons, “We don’t serve that parents’ basement; Bushey calls this “Rec Room
droves. Are you ready? here.” Chic.” Here are other trends to note:

Live entertainment – music acts and 
Thinking gin will be the next vodka
comedians, with social media build- (Hey, we’re huge fans, but gin won’t

ing the buzz and bringing the crowds

Better trained bartenders, thanks
to programs like the USBG Master
Accreditation, BarSmarts, B.A.R. and
more

Organic, green and sustainable
spirits, wine and beer

Boutique brands — but only of the
authentic variety
capture 30 percent of the market
any time soon)

Thinking vodka is over (see above)

Flat, skunky or poorly poured beer —
there’s just no excuse anymore

Deep, deep drink discounts that
deliver no margin and attract the
wrong guest
— Donna Hood Crecca
I
t’s all about the “wow” factor, which demands
versatility. Transforming seating options from
day to night, creating small, intimate spaces,
using sustainable furniture and energy-efficient yet
decorative lighting are all on-trend design points that
help create a comfortable yet stylish setting. Michael
Werner, vice president of Kansas City, Mo.-based Leap
Hospitality, says this allows the operator to constantly
change the guest’s perspective of a space.
Steven Lewis, principal of design firm Lewis &
Dizon in New York, sees, specifically, that horseshoe

Regulatory
banquettes are replacing the straight benches that
place crowded tables next to each other. Guests
are now seeking out a club with a more personal
nightclub design.
Future trends include an increase in retro stylings
Bar and club owners have enough to do without trying to
as well as a more “show biz” feel with a stage or per-
keep up with the politicians and legislators, but you don’t formance area that gives operators the edge.
want to be blindsided either. Here are two issues to track on the local and Additionally, Werner recommends creating an
national scene: environment that's enticing and comfortable for
the ladies. “Women tend to influence the selection
Drink Taxes process when it comes to eating or drinking out.”
Counties, states and even the Fed are looking for dollars, and alcohol is a likely can- From digital menu boards to at-table ordering,
didate for increased taxes in 2011. From taxes on individual drinks to fee increases at technology is the future. Werner says owners need to
the state level that will trickle down to wholesale prices, we’re at risk. With 59 percent integrate technology into design concepts because
of the cost of a retail bottle of spirits already coming from taxes, according to the they create efficient operations.
Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, it pays to keep tabs on what’s going on — Alissa Ponchione
and get involved. Stay tuned at nightclub.com and also check out
stophospitalitytaxes.com.

Ignition Interlock
The future of your business rests on this issue. In-vehicle alcohol detection devices
could be standard in all cars within five years, if we don’t get involved. Twelve states
require ignition interlock for first-time DWI offenders with low BAC levels; that’s a strong
step toward universal application (interlocks in all vehicles), which translates into major
loss of business for any of you with parking lots. Search “interlock” on nightclub.com or
visit interlockfacts.com for more.
— Donna Hood Crecca

nightclub.com N ov/ D e c 2 010 | Nightclub & Bar Magazine 17

 Social Media
Here are the top social media trends, according to
Dave Sribnik, manager of trends and technology for
MarkeTeam Inc., a Mission Viejo, Calif., F&B sales promotion agency.

B
e omnipresent and sign up for all social networking opportunities. Ubiquitous
ones like Facebook and Twitter are important in retaining loyalty, while those
gaining in popularity like Yelp and Foursquare offer insight into what your
customers like and rewards them for it.
QR Codes or Microsoft tagging are the future of mobile marketing. Using smart-
phones, guests scan a barcode that is on your bar or club’s napkins, glasses or POS,
which takes them to your website, where you can offer coupons or discounts.
Augmented reality combines smartphone camera capabilities and reality. Customers
looking for a place to nosh or drink simply open their phone, snap a photo and overlay
that photo on the map from the GPS locator, which will show where all the bars and
clubs are in their vicinity.
Personalized URLs and e-mails are the future. Instead of sending out a mass e-mail

Music
to your whole database, you can personalize text messages, e-mails and URLs with a
welcoming message to the customer you’re trying to attract, making him/her feel like a
VIP at your establishment.
— Alissa Ponchione
One word:
electronica.

W
hereas many Las Vegas clubs
used to be the only ones touting

Nightclubs
the dance music craze, smaller
bars and lounges around the country are
now starting to feature house music.
“Dance music is slowly taking over and
The top 5 trends we’re tracking for 2011: will soon become what is considered main-
stream,” says Sol Shafer, director of special

1
operations and music for the electronica-
Day-to-night, multipurpose venues.  Nightclubs will use their space for other pur-
focused Marquee Night & Day Club at the
poses, getting the most for their rent money, whether it’s with a dayclub, a restau-
soon-to-open Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, a
rant or private event space.
brand-new hotel and casino on the strip.

2 Headlining house DJs instead of unknown talent — but where will they get their
start? Hopefully this won’t discourage rising DJ stars.
This surge in nightlife stems from its
swelling popularity in the music scene over-

3 Personalized spaces — where every guest feels like a VIP. all. “It’s crossed over to commercial music
— your will.i.am, your LMFAO — everybody
is crossing over, and it’s taking a huge turn,

4 Nighttime pool parties (where applicable) — or just using the great outdoors in all
seasons. “Pool parties this summer were going later and later…and lighting and
visuals were added for those events,” says Deanna Rilling, reporter with Las Vegas Weekly.
especially in the [nightlife] market,” says
Zee Zandi, director of marketing and special
events for Las Vegas-based Angel Manage-
Clubs are using their outdoor space to extend the party poolside, on the rooftop or patio ment Group.
as long as possible. Live music also will make a splash, with

5 Ultra-lounge/exclusive nightclub settings, even outside of Vegas: “I think that New performers helping to pack small- to mid-
York, especially, will always remain a lounge/ultra-club destination because there are sized bars and clubs.
so many different personalities in New York nightlife, and they speak to all different sorts — Emily Hanna Mayock
of people,” says Pavan Pardasani, director of marketing for New York’s EMM Group. And
by speaking to the right audience, you’ll rake in money all the way to 2012.

— Emily Hanna Mayock

18 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m

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 Social W
hen it comes to
social media, there
are many roads

Blitz
to take, and though some are
less traveled, you should make
sure your bar or club is head-
ing down the right ones. Each
social networking site has its
own pros and cons, but by
surveying your loyal customer
IN
base and understanding each,
as well as your demographic,
you can create a social media
How to Make Social Media Work For Your Bar or Club presence that will positively
By Alissa Ponchione affect your bottom line.

20 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m


What it is: This free review site not only
gives people the facts about your restau-
rant — linking to your website, showcas-
ing photos and giving your address and
hours — but it’s also a place for users to
review your business — good or bad.
In fact, with more than 38 million
unique visitors checking out the site as
of August 2010, Yelp is showing no signs
of slowing down. Having your business
on Yelp means you’re working hard to
develop an exclusive community that
supports your bar or club, explains Boris
Bugarski, CEO and president of Santa Ana,
Calif.-based mUrgent, an e-mail marketing
and search engine service. Yelp creates
value that goes both ways, he says: You
value your customers for their opinions,
and they value you for being interactive.
How to use it: For business owners,
Yelp offers information about your ac-
count, a summary of the traffic flow to
your page, a place to create special offers
and announcements and, more impor-
tantly, it allows you to respond to reviews
either through direct personal messages
or publicly on the site.
This gives you the opportunity to
change a guest’s point of view by ac-
knowledging either their positive experi-
ences or their grievances. If guests know
22 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m
you’re listening to them, they’re more
likely to come back.
Pros and Cons: As web searches shift
from universal to local, Yelp can help push
your business to the first page of search
engine results. “It’s important to optimize
your listing,” Bugarski says. “If you do it
correctly, then you can compete and de-
vour the first page of Google searches.”
Dr. Rachna Jain, chief social marketer at
Washington, D.C.-based MindshareCorp,
says the main criticism with Yelp is that
unfair or negative reviews can cause bias
and often become “as authoritative as
negative press for your business.” To com-
bat this, make sure you have a trained and
dedicated staff that frequently responds to
reviews, offering coupons or incentives to
people who are both happy and unhappy
with your business. “If you can’t train
someone to respond to a bad complaint,
then you have a miscommunication,”
Burgarski warns, which means you’ll lose
business.
What it is: Right now, Facebook is it. With
more than 500 million users and grow-
ing, it’s the largest social media platform
out there. For business owners, Facebook
When It Comes to Social Media,
there are many roads to take, and though
some of them are less traveled, you should
make sure your bar or club is
heading down the right ones.
allows you to maintain customer loyalty
by offering deals and specials to a loyal fan
base who appreciate and frequent your
establishment.
How to use it: Create a Facebook Fan
or Like page. The reason this works best:
“They’re tied to a business and not a
personal profile,” says Jain, and it makes
it easier to search. What’s more, Facebook
offers a variety of ways to engage your
clientele — pictures, discussions boards,
videos, etc. — and you should take advan-
tage of all them. Remember, by tagging
photos of your patrons, you ensure their
friends will see it because it likely will
show up in their news feed and profile
page, meaning more and more people will
learn about your business.
Pros and Cons: When it comes to Face-
book, most business owners don’t know
how to use their fan pages properly, often
over-saturating or cannibalizing sales with
too much frequency. Let the consumer be
in control, having him/her start discussion
topics that you can respond to, if you’d
like. Also, tone down your use, only updat-
ing about two to three times per week.
“It’s all about engagement and community. You don’t always have
to go in there and post something. You can add a comment. Be
genuine and make it fun,” Bugarski says. It’s also important not to Rated 94
inundate fans with direct Facebook messages; it’s a surefire sign of
losing fans online and guests at your place.
by BTI

What it is: Relatively new on the social media scene, Twitter is a

microblogging site that gives you 140 characters or less to tweet
a message to your followers. It’s an efficient way to connect with
customers, who often check Twitter as frequently as they do their
Facebook pages. Twitter jargon, from @replies and hash tags to
direct messages and retweets, may confound you now, but the
learning curve is steep and worthwhile. Twitter is perhaps the
most direct way for you to connect to your followers — there are
more than 100 million people on Twitter — and show them you’re
listening in a public forum.
How to use it: Getting started with Twitter is effortless, espe-
cially because it’s easy to find business handles on Twitter. To sign
up, visit twitter.com and create a handle, then start searching for
regular guests who will follow you back. Also, Twitter is a great
way of starting a dialogue with your patrons and getting them
engaged with you and your business. Here’s a hint: If a new fan fol-
lows you, follow him/her back or send a direct message thanking
him/her for following you.
One more tip: Connect your Twitter and Facebook feeds so
you’re hitting your customers on all fronts.
Pros and Cons: Don’t get lost in the noise — find a genuine
voice on your Twitter page, which will allow you to really connect
PASSIONATELY COMMITTED
with your followers. This means not letting multiple people handle
the account; it’s a way to let people get to know you and what you
TO A BETTER COCKTAIL
stand for, not be confused by various styles and personalities from
one account. “Twitter is great at getting people engaged with
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F acebook, Twitter, Yelp and Foursquare should
all be on your radar, but what other sites
should you keep an eye one? Dr. Rachna Jain,
abroad. The opt-in e-mail system connects your
business with thousands of users, and it’s free to
appear on Groupon. “The promotions tend to do
and the limitless flavorful drinks you can make with it.
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As for LinkedIn, the social networking site for
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Eventful.com allows users and businesses to increase foot traffic, but it can help you network
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looking for trendy places to go. ing promotions. “It’s a good outlet for building an
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nightclub.com N ov/ D e c 2 010 | Nightclub & Bar Magazine 23


What it is: Though in its infancy, Foursquare
has 4 million users, and it’s growing. This
mobile application works as a social guide
for friends who want to know what is hap-
pening and where. It also functions as a
game where users “check in” to places and
are rewarded with special badges for their
frequency. Businesses can offer deals to
for seamless, sculptural surfaces
users that come to their bar or club. In short,
Foursquare is a social networking trifecta: a
guide, a friend finder and a game.
How to use it: Bugarski sees Foursquare
as truly the most innovative social media
platform out there today because it builds
value and loyalty. Business owners can
offer specials through Foursquare, such as
discounts or prizes to customers when they
“check in” to a bar or club. For example,
when a patron earns Mayor status, which
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precisely interlock
of any size.
indicates the number of times he or she has
come to your place, he/she could receive a
special offer. On the site, Foursquare offers
analytics to businesses in order to check out
how web traffic is flowing.
For businesses, creating specials for spe-
cific “check-ins” means your loyal customers
receive a complimentary drink or appe-
tizer, but it’s an even better marketing tool
because it connects to users’ Twitter and
Facebook feeds, so more and more people
know your place is the one to check out.
Pros and Cons: Foursquare is for building
frequency and loyalty. Whereas you don’t
want to overly saturate your Facebook fans
with constant updates, Foursquare is a site
that welcomes constant vigilance. “Connect
to people who use it actively and encourage
them to come to your place more often,”
Jain says. You can offer specials, leave tips
or a list of what customers should check out
at your place. She also recommends having
someone keeping note of all the people
checking in to your location, which allows
you to get to know them and greet them
personally when they enter your bar or club.

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24 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m

Luxe Living
Despite the Economy,
Guests Open Their Wallets for
Ultra-premium Spirits
By Jack Robertiello

hen bars aiming to make a splash throw open

their doors, inevitably the drink menus are pep-
pered with brand names that signify quality — and
price. A focus on the high end of the pricing spectrum
might fly in the face of the recent economic trends, but it seems to be the
norm among new cocktail-oriented bars. Take, for example, the new Forty Four
at the Royalton Hotel in New York City; it’s high end to start with, given that the
six bartenders who put together the drink list — Richard Boccato from Painkiller in
NYC, John Lermayer from The Florida Room in Miami Beach, Pernod Ricard ambas-
sador Simon Ford, Contemporary Cocktails’ Willy Shine, Misty Kalkofen from Drink in
Boston and Eric Alperin from The Varnish in Los Angeles — are among the best-known
in the country. A menu like the one they created, with drinks priced $15 to $17, must use
top-shelf brands, and even the secondary spirits in the drinks run at the high end: Cherry
Heering, Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth, Chartreuse and Benedictine, among others.
At Drago Centro, chef Celestino Drago’s newest venture in downtown Los Angeles, som-
melier and beverage director Michael Shearin recently introduced a fall cocktail menu that
displays no sign of retreat from high-end brands. The drinks, normally $12, include the Autumn
Night’s Dream, made with Martin Miller’s Westbourne Gin, Crème Yvette and St-Germain, are all
super-premium brands. Other drinks highlight such brands as Karlsson’s Gold vodka, Zaya Rum,
Appleton Estate V/X rum and Belle de Brillet Poire Cognac — all super- to ultra-premium products.
Menus at these and other cocktail-centric bars are one part of the reason high-end spirits are still
de rigeur — when drink prices break the $10 barrier, it’s hard to drop down a level in ingredient quality.
Says Drago’s Shearin, “I definitely take price into consideration when creating drinks for each seasonal
menu, but there are other, better ways of keeping costs down than using cheap liquor.”

nightclub.com N ov/ D e c 2 010 | Nightclub & Bar Magazine 25

 On both coasts, ultra-premium spirits reign supreme: Sommelier
and Beverage Director at LA’s Drago Centro, Michael Shearin (far
left) prefers ultra-premium products as do (front, from left) Eric
Alperin, Misty Kalkofen, Richard Boccato, Willy Shine, (back from
left) John Lermayer and Simon Ford at NYC’s Forty Four.

Bar operators aren’t the only
ones playing in the higher price
ranges. When Banks Five Island
Rum recently launched, an all-star
team of New York bar stars —
PDT’s Jim Meehan (who worked
on developing the rum), Julie
Reiner of the newly opened Lani
Kai, Eben Freeman of the Altama-
rea Group and Dushan Zaric of
Employees Only — helped roll
out cocktails designed to show-
case the spirit’s fruity, pot-still-
driven qualities. Clearly presented
as something special at the upper
echelon of the lightly aged rum
category, pricing for Banks was
set to push the $30 barrier, but
folks involved with the brand pri-
vately admitted the ultimate price
would depend on initial response
from the market.
That’s a far different attitude
from a few years ago, when
marketers for high-end spirits
seemed to be competing for the
honor of bringing out the most
deluxe, the most prestigious or
the highest price point spirit in
the category. The logic behind
that model mostly disappeared
with the recession’s onset. Yet
while conspicuous consumption
may be less in vogue and some
high-end brands may struggle to
sustain growth, there’s no pre-
cipitous drop in spirit prices at the
top. Marketers may hold off a bit
on introducing more expensive
products, but there’s still plenty of
consumer interest in spirits that
are special, whatever the price.
And that means there’s plenty of
ways for your bar to gain profits.
Price Breaks
The persistence of super-premi-
um brands is partially a result of
the shattering of so many price
barriers in the 2000s. Cocktails
selling for $15, bottles of rare
malts pushing the $1,000 range,
vodkas like Jean Marc XO and
Crystal Head going for $50 a
bottle — all of this helped create
the idea that something rare and
well made was worth more, and
in turn, it created consumers who
now like to shop at many price
points up and down the ladder.
Partially driven by the craft
distillery boom, which is bringing
a flood of new small-production
spirits to the market, there’s a
constant thirst for the new among
operators of bars and restau-
rants. Beyond the small distillers,
producers of some categories —
notably tequila and mezcal — are
constantly importing new brands,
most at super-premium and
above price points.
Some categories have shat-
tered low price sensitivity among
fans; while it was once possible to
find a handful of modestly priced
single-malt Scotches, for example,
many of those smaller malts have
undergone repositioning, with
higher prices arriving along with
new packaging and profiles.
Even among blended Scotch
whiskies, suppliers seem un-
daunted. The recent repackaging
of the best-selling Dewar’s range
included an 18 year old priced
about $80 retail (roughly the aver-
age price for that age) and the
Signature at nearly $200. Clearly,
keeping prices tight all along the
line is of utmost importance in
suppliers’ minds.
Upscale Sales
For some operators, the economic
rollback had a serious impact at
the top end. The Brandy Library
in New York City defines itself
with an enormous collection of
rare malts, brandies and other
ultra-premium spirits, depending
largely on consumers willing to
spend lavishly. But according to
owner Flavien Desoblin, while
his traffic is strong, the current
picture is quite simple: “We have
a large proportion of corporate
clientele who used to bring in
four or five clients and order a
few rounds of the most expensive
whiskies or Cognacs we had, but
since the summer of 2008, that’s
all changed. Wall Street guys and
bankers are much more careful
about conspicuous spending
because of how it might look to
their coworkers or clients.” 
At Brandy Library, orders might
have averaged $60 or more until
2008, but now they are about
half that, though Desoblin says
since the summer he’s noticed an
uptick in check totals, as custom-
ers are starting to loosen up on
spending. These customers also
want to know more about the
spirits they order, something
Desoblin, who heads a staff of
brandy “librarians” well-versed in
their stock, says is crucial when
trying to sell top-end spirits.
Cordials especially are buoyed
by the recent higher-end intros;
while the bottom seems to have
fallen out of the inexpensive end
of the category, such brands as

26 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m

 introducing the
Some categories have shattered low price sensitivity among fans;
while it was once possible to find a handful of modestly priced single-
malt Scotches, for example, many of those smaller malts
have undergone repositioning, with higher
Power
prices arriving along with new packaging and
profiles.
Crème Yvette arrived with great Ketel One, Ciroc, Hendrick’s, St-
Bomber
fanfare — and a $40-and-up retail Germain and Cointreau. There’s 100's
1000''s of
10 of recipes!
rec
ecip
ippeeess!
price. Other recent examples in- even an ultra-premium Upper
clude the planned national rollout East Sidecar made with Remy
of the pear-flavored liqueur Xante Martin VSOP and a Martini featur-
big
big fun!
bi fun!
fun!
at about the same price and Gran ing Ultimat vodka.
Classico bitter apertif, priced at Commer says chains, like most big
big profits
pproofifits tonight!
toonnight
igght!
ht!
ht
around $30 retail. That’s just the restaurants and bars, are caught
cordial category, where many in a bind when it comes to figur-
of the best-selling products are ing out how to market high-end
suffering even though their price spirits in today’s economy — if pilsner ner glass
ppiillssner
ne glass
points are far lower. they are too focused on driving
“When a product like Crème foot traffic through discounting
Yvette comes out, we’re anxious and low pricing, they may unnec-
to play around with it and see essarily undermine what they can your uurr logo
yyooour oggoo here
log here
he
what we can do with those charge at the top-end.
flavors, especially if it’s something To solve that problem, Shearin
with historical references,” says now offers a two-tier menu at
Shearin. Bartenders’ eager antici- Drago Centro, one set for happy
shot
shot glass
shot gla
lassss
las
pation of other high-end products hour food and drink items and
with interesting flavor profiles is prices, and the other featuring the
carving out backbar space in a bar’s regular prices. The $5 happy
crowded market. hour drink menu includes four
changing classics — the recent shot
shhott glass
laassss magnet
ggla maggnneet
The Chain Game list included the Sazerac and Pen- magnets
maggnneetts lock!
ma lloock
ck!
Casual dining chain restaurants dennis, made with value brands pilsner ner glass
ppiilslsne ass magnet
gglas maggnneett
ma
provide a good barometer of the Pikesville Rye and Seagram’s Gin,
consumer’s willingness to spend. meant to bring in an entirely dif-
While many chains may be carry- ferent set of customers than the
ing slightly fewer high-end spirits rest of the evening, says Shearin. Power your sales!
as they deal with the recession
through inventory and SKU reduc-
tions, there’s still great customer
But on the other hand, he’s sur-
prised that, despite the economy,
he still goes through a significant
Power your brand!
loyalty to break-away super- amount of Macallan 18 Year Old 30% boost in sales on day 1
premium brands like Grey Goose single malt, Highland Park 18 Year increase shot sales Ɣ group sales
and Patron, says David Commer Old single malt and Don Julio premium promotional product
of Commer Beverage Consulting, 1942 Extra Anejo Tequila, all ultra-
who works with chains including premium brands. Proof positive approved material
Mimi’s Café, T.G.I. Friday’s and that no matter what the state of shatter resistant Ɣ dishwasher safe
Lone Star Steakhouse. the economy, for drinkers, price polycarbonate glass
But chain operations at the resistance to the patron’s favorite Ƈ bulk orders available now, call for special pricing Ƈ
higher end recognize the wisdom brands is still rare. NCB
of focusing on featuring the best; Power Bomber, LLC
at the many Palm restaurants, 11743 Springhaven Court, Ellicott City, MD 21042 USA
single-malt Scotch dinners are still Thirsty for More? (410) 458-2613 Ɣ rob@powerbomber.com
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a fixture, and the signature cock- Want to check out the latest in ultra-premium
tail list features super-premium spirits? Visit nightclub.com and click on the Products ThePowerBomber
brands like ABSOLUT, Stolichnaya, tab to see what’s new.

nightclub.com N ov/ D e c 2 010 | Nightclub & Bar Magazine 27

I
f you told Chef Edward Lee
when he was a kid that one
day, hip American bar guests
would clamor for Korean kimchee
(spicy pickled vegetables), he
wouldn’t have believed you.
“I would have said, ‘No way!’”
laughs Lee, chef and owner of 610
Magnolia in Louisville, Ky., who
does a mean green tomato kim-
chee. “Back then, everybody was
like, ‘How can you eat that? It’s so
stinky and spicy!’” But clamor for
kimchee they do. And also Peru-
vian anticuchos. And Venezuelan
arepas. And Polish pierogi. In fact,
your bar’s interest in ethnically
inspired tastes is a top priority for
adventurous palates. The hottest
new bars either delve deeper into
well-known world cuisines, con-
temporizing and redefining them,
or introduce guests to lesser-
known world foods in fun ways.
Either way, globally inspired bar
food distinguishes your business
from the competition and, in the
Other-worldly Tastes
Deeper Explorations of World Foods Add Verve to
Bar Menus and Dollars to Bottom Lines
28 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m
process, helps you gain faithful
customers.
The ripple effect is every-
where. During happy hour,
guests can go way beyond what
they thought they knew about
Mediterranean and order the
Lebanese lamb ribs with straw-
berry and scallions a la plancha
in a cumin/Aleppo pepper broth
at ilili in New York City ($10). Or
get the Armenian Luleh Kabob
Sliders with caramelized onion,
bacon, aioli and arugula ($8) at
Neomeze in Pasadena, Calif. Or
try the modern-Hellenic baby
okra with sun-dried tomatoes,
fresh coriander and semolina
bread ($8) at Taxim in Chicago.
It’s not just Middle East fare
that has guests salivating. The
perception of Polish food as
always-heavy is also getting
an upgrade. The lighter, more
creatively stuffed dumplings are
the bar food of the moment at
pan-European LOKal in Chicago
By Monica Kass Rogers
where “Pierogis After Dark” is a
late-night special feature. Chef
Ian Flowers does about a dozen
varieties of the half-moon pillows,
including those filled with duck
confit, BBQ braised pork, and
sweet potato. He likes to pair the
dishes with the Polish Zywiec
beer, available on tap for $5.
Street Smarts
This ethnic-exploration trend
includes a proliferation of “street-
food” restaurants such as Susan
Feniger’s Street in Los Angeles.
Feniger’s approach is to introduce
patrons to easy-to-eat foods from
all over the globe. The items on
the menu are inspired by cuisines
from Iceland to Singapore,
At Philadelphia’s Chifa, bar patrons love the
Asian-inspired Pork Belly Buns (above), while
the Boricua (below) at Chicago’s Belly Shack is
a riff on a Puerto Rican plantain sandwich.
Brazil to Syria and even more
in between. Some of the best
sellers at Street are the Tatsutage
Fried Chicken from Japan ($15),
which pairs well with Carl Ehrhard
Rocken Riesling ($12), and Kaya
Toast from Singapore (toast with
coconut jam, served with a soft
fried egg drenched in dark soy
and white pepper; $11), which
Feniger likes to pair with Ayinger
Bräu-Weisse beer ($10).
At INC Street Food in Roswell,
Ga., the inspiration is “authentic
international” with a largely Latin
spin. Popular bar bocaditos (“little
dishes”) include the Salvadoran
chicken pupusas — grilled white-
corn masa stuffed with adobo-
braised chicken and queso,
 It isn’t Maker’s Mark®.

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served with Peruvian potato salad
($7.50). Street-style tacos also
are very hot, and both are good
matches for any number of INC’s
vast selection of tequilas and
mezcals, in 1-ounce pours, rang-
ing in price from $3.50 to $16.
Freestyle Latino
This conglomeration of tastes is
the catalyst for a growing group
of “freestyle Latino” restaurant/
bars such as Chef Maximo
Tejada’s Rayuela and Macondo
restaurants in New York City.
Spanish for “hopscotch,” Rayuela
jumps all over Peru, Ecuador,
Mexico, Cuba, Columbia and
Spain for ingredient and flavor
combinations. Tejada tucks the
unfamiliar (Uruguayan caviar or
Peruvian Alpaca meat) in with
the familiar in light-handed
small plates. At Rayeula, Tejada
says Jalea — a Peruvian seafood
tempura of shrimp, scallop, cala-
30 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m
The Belly Shack in Chicago offers soft serve treats
(left) while Taxim, also in Chicago, serves a
modern Hellenic baby okra (above).
(crispy calamari, rocotto-honey
aioli; $9), which Tejada says goes
great with the Maracuya + Vodka
cocktail (passion fruit, Sobieski,
Canton ginger liqueur, lime juice,
jalapeno; $7.50).
Neo-Mediterranean
The meaning of Mediterranean
also has broadened. The term,
which once suggested vague
mari and octopus, with mango adherence to a menu of hummus,
aji amarillo aioli, red onions and falafel and spit-roasted meats,
yucca fries ($12) — is one of the now is highlighted by cuisine that
most popular items at the bar. is more creative and culture-spe-
He recommends pairing it with a cific. At ilili, Lebanese is the focus.
glass of the Rias Baixas Albarino Ilili means “tell me” in Lebanese,
‘09 Licia, Spain, or with a Tona and executive chef/owner
beer imported from Nicaragua. Philippe Massoud’s mission is
At Macondo, Tejada’s newer to better-inform Americans’
exploration of Latin street food, experience of Lebanese food.
menus hone in on food platforms “Lebanese cuisine has been so
that are vehicles for a wide variety neglected, overlooked and under-
of Latin ingredients. Among represented here,” says Massoud.
them? Venezuelan arepas (corn Setting the record straight, items
cakes; $11-14), Spanish chur- from ilili’s bar menu are scru-
ros (sweet-filled crispy pastries; pulously made fresh daily, right
$6) and Mexican tacos ($10). down to the garbanzo beans.
At the bar, the Bocadillo de Beautiful examples? Massoud’s
Chimichurri Chico (short ribs, bay scallops ceviche with smoked
peppers, manchego cheese, pomegranate ice ($9), and kibbeh
cabbage, onions; $11) is very beef dumplings with yogurt and
popular and often is paired with aleppo pepper ($6). But ilili’s
a glass of Terrazas de los Andes cheese rolls (Rkaykat bil Jibnet;
‘07 Mendoza, Argentina ($7 by $8) are most popular. “They’re
the glass). Another oft-ordered our contribution to America’s
item is the Calamares Crujientes long-standing love affair with
mozzarella sticks,” says Massoud.
Made with feta, kashkaval and
mozzarella cheeses, the rolls are
perfect with arak ($10 - $12 by the
glass; $100 - $140 by the bottle).
“It’s the quintessential best bever-
age pairing for Lebanese cuisine,”
Massoud says. “It resets your
palate between bites, and it’s a
potent digestif.”
Meanwhile at Neomeze, fun
Armenian items such as the
Cheese Bouregs — wontons
filled with feta, fontina and Jack
cheeses plus mint garnish — and
the Arayes (Armenian quesadillas)
are stars on the bar menu, which
draws from Armenian, Persian,
Israeli, Lebanese, Greek, Moroc-
can and Turkish influences. One
easy-to-prepare guest favorite
at the bar is the Watermelon
Neo: stacked watermelon and
feta sticks in herbed olive oil
($10). General manager Marques
likes to serve this dish with the
restaurant’s $12 Summer Sky
Martini — cucumber-infused
Skyy vodka, strawberry purée and
lemon juice.
Delving Deeper
New restaurants that stick with
one country’s cuisine — but
do it with a cutting-edge and
contemporary style — include
many iterations of the small-
plate-focused, Japanese izakaya
pub fare. Skipping items like
fish guts, cartilage and skin
that are popular in Japan, U.S.
izakaya bars dial things down
a bit for American palates. San
Francisco’s Nombe — which just
opened a snack bar for midnight
noshers — includes items on
its Late Night Bar Menu such as
fried wild nori with lemon and
togarashi ($5); Brussels sprouts
with mint, carrot and togarashi
($5); and beignets with yuzu jam
and crème fraiche ($7).
Also focused and fun: In
Chicago, people line up at the bar
for the Dutch version of a tequila
shot, a Maatjesharing ($9), at
Vincent, chef Joncarl Lachman’s
just-opened Dutch-accented
bistro. “You start with a piece of
soused herring, follow that with
a shot of Bols Genever and finish
with our house-made dill pickles,”
explains Lachman. “In the three
weeks since we opened, we’ve
been amazed at how popular
this is!”
Meanwhile, venues that pull
elements from wide-flung food
cultures and put them together
on one plate are referencing
those cultures more creatively. At
Belly Shack in Chicago, an Asian
restaurant with Latin and Puerto
Rican touches, which some have
dubbed “Korican,” chef Bill Kim’s
Boricua sandwich is a riff on the
Puerto Rican jibarito plantain
sandwich with Korean fillings for
$9. Planks of fried plantain are
spread with sweet sticky brown
rice, Korean BBQ beef, Korean
chili paste, curry mayo and bean
sprouts.
The key to success with all
this global inspiration? Make the
unfamiliar more easily acces-
sible by linking it to the familiar.
“If you say, ‘Belgian food,’ the
first thing everybody thinks
about is waffles,” says Chef Bart
Vandaele of Washington, D.C.’s
Belga Café. “So using the waffle
to take people in unexpected,
delicious directions is a lot of
fun.” Belga’s couscous waffle
with foie grass, the cornbread
waffle with pulled pork or the
roasted tomato waffle with sour
cream and smoked trout each
illustrate his point.
For all the progress American
restaurants have made with
worldly menus, many chefs
look forward to guiding guests
further and deeper into ethnic
explorations. Lebanese chef plate — and their money across
Massoud sums it up: “We’re the bar. NCB
taking baby steps right now.
Once the American public is Monica Rogers writes frequently about culinary and
more familiar with how the food beverage trends and operations from Evanston, Ill.
should taste when it’s fresh and
authentic, then we’ll really be
able to push the envelope.” But Thirsty for More?
for now, let’s just get guests Looking for more bar food ideas? We’ve got ‘em.
pushing their forks across the Check out nightclub.com and search “bar food.”
Worldly Wings, Burgers & Dogs
F or the easiest entry into ethnic flavor exploration, bar food basics like chicken wings, burgers and
hot dogs are an open canvas. Rework the sauces and toppings, and presto-chango: You’ve got the
world in a basket — or on a bun. Check out:
 Korean BBQ burger featuring American wagyu and braised short rib with kimchee ketchup, pickled
vegetables and sesame krispies; available for $14 at Atlanta-based FLIP Burger Boutique
 Chicken Tikka Spiced Wings with chat masala, nectarine chutney and spicy mint chutney; $9 at
Akasha in Culver City, Calif.
 Jumbo roaster wings with a honey, sambal and lime sauce; available for $11 at 51 Lincoln in
Newton Highlands, Mass.
 The Belly Dog, topped with kimchee salsa and egg noodles at Belly Shack in Chicago; $8
 Bacon-wrapped Sonoran hot dog with cucumber coleslaw, black beans, queso and chili-lime
mayo; available for $8.95 at INC Street Food in Roswell, Ga.

Right at Tableside with the Write-On Handheld™ for the iPod Touch.

1. Swipe to Open Tab

2. Select Items
3. Send
Repeat or Settle.

See demos online at www.rmpos.com/ncb and live at the Nightclub & Bar Show, March 7-9, 2011.

nightclub.com N ov/ D e c 2 010 | Nightclub & Bar Magazine 31

 The Eyes Have It
From Glassware to Garnishes, Smart Drink Merchandising
Heightens Guest Appeal
By Jenny Adams
O
rders for large quantities of
glassware placed by bar own-
ers are trending downward.
Not surprised? That’s understandable.
It’s hardly the most exciting moment in
your month, determining the amount of
breakage plus the total number of your
logo-clad pilsner glasses stolen by wily
members of bachelor parties. However,
owning quality merchandise matters. It
gets your brand in the brains (and, yes,
occasionally the pockets or purses) of
patrons, and it says to your customer that
you care about quality; that your venue,
events, services and products are worth
his or her time and money. And merchan-
dise doesn’t necessarily mean glassware
— what about using straws, beer taps
and even creative garnishes to set your
bar apart from the competition? Use them
wisely and you can easily recoup the invest-
ment in the form of loyal customers.
Looking Past the Glass
At the 15 Post Road Entertainment
(PRE) venues throughout Connecti-
cut, New York, New Jersey and North
Carolina, management opted to cut
back on glassware and bulk up on more
meaningful items that offer some lon-
gevity. Staff members at each of PRE’s
locations select unique products that
fit their concept, from sports bars and
Irish pubs to live entertainment venues
and nightclubs.
“We had done pints in the past, but
looking at the price point, breakage
and cost of people taking them, it was
an incurred cost we didn’t need in this
Specialty glassware is on the rise in tiki-themed bars. economy,” explains Nicole Steeger,
At Frankie’s Tiki Room in Las Vegas, custom tiki mugs are director of operations. “We are keeping
iconic collectibles for regular customers. the [quality] experience the same for
customers by using large-scale and
big-ticket gimmick items instead of
32 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m
everyday things.”
These large-ticket items for PRE’s Black
Bear Saloon operations, for example, include
a tabletop beer tower dubbed a “cub keg”
that is available in two sizes; the smaller
dispenses six beers and the larger 10. Man-
agement sourced the beer towers from a
company called Tavern Toys and personal-
ized them with the Black Bear Saloon logo,
providing guests with a unique product
that advertises the bar, provides an original
experience for guests and doesn’t run the
risk of being stolen.
Creating a unique atmosphere
around your establishment will keep
guests intrigued and asking for more,
which is why it’s important to think
outside the glass. “Glassware is
becoming less of a novelty,” offers
Gia-Marie Vacca, founder and owner
of Fulcrum Promotions & Printing, a
promotion merchandising company.
With on-premise accounts, she notes,
management is opting for standard
orders rather than unique designs.
Additionally, they’re looking for
something classic and upscale, which
generally means bars are no longer
putting alcohol company logos all over
the glasses as part of sponsorship or
promotion programs.
Bar operators are also adding
one-of-a-kind touches to cocktail
presentations in the form of
unique garnishes. Whether edible
— yet still unique — like shrimp,
flamed lemon twists or Dress
the Drink’s pineapple jerky, or
inedible, such as a sparkler or a
beautiful flower, a special garnish
breathes life into what could other-
wise be a well-made but standard-
looking drink. Think about the
visual and also aromatic elements
a garnish can bring to a cocktail. Or, consider
the branding opportunity. Cheeseburger
in Paradise, the 32-location chain, includes
clever garnishes made with fruit and novel-
ties that relate to the Jimmy Buffet-inspired
concept. The Electric Lizard, for example, is
dressed up with Lizard Lips, a garnish involv-
ing lime and lemon slices arranged as a face
adorned with sunglasses held together by
the stick of a paper umbrella. Kitschy? No
doubt, but it makes a memorable impression
for the brand.
Big Swell
Although merchandising companies are
seeing a similar downward trend in specialty
glassware, they also are seeing new trends
arise. There’s one segment of the bar world,
however, that is ordering custom like no
other: tiki bars.
At Hula Hanks, a tiki-themed venue from
PRE located in Stamford, Conn., Top Shelf
Marketing supplies giant plastic fishbowls
that are decorated in logoed stickers
and outfitted with neon plastic straws.
“Customers steal the fishbowls
nine times out of 10,” Steeger says.
“There is no way to stop this, so we
make sure our information is on
there. Then, at least, our venue has a
spot in their homes.”
Other tiki bars are seeing the value of
having eye-catching glassware as well
— and even making a profit off it. Hold-
en Westland’s company, Tiki Farm, has
been online for 10 years, and business is
rising this year as the tiki trend booms.
His specialty is creating an actual mug
from a bar’s logo rather than simply
sticking a logo on the glass.
“The cost for doing a custom ce-
ramic mug is in the $6 dollar range,
and it goes down and up depend-
ing on complexity,” Westland
says. “It’s about the same price
as printing a T-shirt, but you can
sell the [glass] with a drink for an
added profit.”
Frankie’s Tiki Room in Las
Vegas features Tiki Farm prod-
ucts, and although the place is
fairly new, the custom mugs are
already legendary.
“When we first opened, we had
eight original tiki mugs designed
nightclub.com N ov/ D e c 2 010
for us,” says Frankie’s owner, P Moss. “We
have a special drink menu, and eight of
those mugs have drinks named after them.
They are collectable, and we sell thousands
of them at the bar and online.”
Guests at Frankie’s can get a mug by itself
for $15; add a cocktail in the mug and it’s
just $5 more (saving money off the $8 cock-
tail guests normally would pay for without
the mug).
Tiki mugs as high quality and sought after
as Moss’ require a little extra time and effort
on his part.
“Ours are all designed by various artists,
and it’s quite an involved process,” he
says. “They make drawings, which become
sculptures, that then go to the factory to be
produced as mugs.”
For the bar’s second anniversary event on
Dec. 4, Moss unveiled a $79 custom mug.
Think that price sounds a little steep? Think
again. He did the same thing last year and
sold out in about a week.
Moving Forward
So where do you go from here? Custom
glassware certainly has its pros and cons.
While you may understand that large,
logoed items like beer towers eliminate the
expense of people taking items home, how
do you know what to order, especially when
it’s your first time?
Bryan Balbuena, wine and spirits business
development manager
 for Chicago’s Inner-
Workings Inc. says first-time customers have
a lot of general questions. “We get questions
like, ‘What do you suggest? Should we do
custom or stock glassware? Should we order
overseas or domestic?’ It makes it difficult,
because when someone says ‘glassware,’ to
Think Outside the Bar
W hen Nicole Steeger, director of operations for PRE
(Post Road Entertainment), wants to pull people in to
the company’s Thirsty Turtle venues, she looks beyond the
walls of those establishments with creative merchandising.
“In the past, we have had our logo made into a label for
water bottles. We included our phone number and pertinent
information on the label, and we took them to softball
games in the area and passed them out.”
This established several things about the venue to
prospective customers: it is invested in the community, its
management team is creative and they are willing to give
customers something for nothing on a hot day outside.
| Nightclub & Bar Magazine 33
 Tiki-themed bars are growing in popularity across the country, with Hula Hank’s in Stamford, Conn., among them. To spread the word and
offer something unique, bartenders serve drinks in giant logoed plastic fishbowls.

me, that can mean 100 different directions.”
To move the process along, bring in a
photo of what you like, Balbuena suggests.
“That speaks a thousand words, and then my
translation of the technical aspects are much
more clear. It saves us not only days but pos-
sibly weeks in design and ordering, and time is
always money.”
Balbuena also adds that any company
should be willing to mock up an actual proof
for a client ordering something custom. Steer
away from just looking and agreeing to a
picture. If you are putting out the money for
something custom, make sure you can hold
a prototype in your hand before you spend
money on 10,000 of them. Glassware and
merchandise purchasing is something that can
be done on the phone and via e-mail with the
right companies, but there should be open
lines both ways.
“Communication is key,” adds Heather
Dickert, commercial sales manager for Click
Clack, whose clients include Tryst at the Wynn
The Perfect
Alternative ™
Las Vegas. “We have a number of tumblers,
Martini and rocks glasses, and we probably
have 25 different styles. On top of that, we
have color offerings that increase that 25, so
we have to communicate frequently with
customers about inventory availability.” Not
only that, but they have to make sure they’re
getting each customer the right product on
time and that they’re getting exactly what
they desire.
Large companies like Click Clack have
tens of thousands of their top-selling options
stocked domestically, but if an overseas order
is necessary, it can take additional time for an
owner to receive the product, so keep this in
mind if you need the items by a set date, such
as a promotion or grand opening.
Whether it’s specialty glasses or a tabletop
tap, presenting high-quality merchandising
products to your guests is vital. The products
may be an additional up-front cost now, but
your guests will be talking about them, leading
to return visits and new customers. NCB

* Choose Your Partners Wisely

to Red Bull
RoaringLionEnergyDrink.com
*
Roaring Lion and RedBull are registered trademarks of
RLED, LLC and Red Bull North America, Inc. respectively.
“The Perfect Alternative” is the property of RLED, LLC.
L ooking for a glassware or merchandising company but not sure
what you need? Gia-Marie Vacca, founder and owner of Fulcrum
Promotions & Printing, a promotional and merchandising company, gives
her advice for picking a partner:
 You can always find someone who may be cheaper, but when it
costs less, remember you are sacrificing something.
 Work with someone who has knowledge of the industry and what’s
allowed. If someone comes to me and says, “We want custom
candles,” I know the container must be at least 3 inches above the
flame and enclosed for fire safety.
 Will your company ship it for you? They should.
 Go with a company that is going to give you the most options.
 Make sure the company tells you what domestic versus import
products cost.

34 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m

 With one taste of this bold Single Malt Scotch, you will

understand why Laphroaig® is the #1 Islay Single Malt in

the world.* In fact, the seaside location and natural elements

of Islay have combined to create a flavor so powerful

that Laphroaig recently won several awards at the

2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Laphroaig® Laphroaig® Laphroaig® Laphroaig®

10 YEAR OLD QUARTER CASK 10 YEAR OLD 18 YEAR OLD
Double Gold Medal Winner Silver Medal Winner CASK STRENGTH Silver Medal Winner
Nose and taste deliver Aged in small casks for Gold Medal Winner An exceptional expression
a unique measure of a creamy, coconut-like Bottled straight from balanced with a warming
Islay peat smoke, tangy, nose and an unmistak- the wood, this full blast tang of smoke followed by
salt-laden air and an able peat smoke taste of salt, peat and smoke smooth floral scents and an
echo of sweetness with a creamy, zesty is richly flavored with oaky nuttiness. Hints of peat
at the end. orange finish. a fading sweetness and sweet chocolate flavors
at the finish. are accompanied by a rich
toffee and a touch of heather.

Laphroaig® Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 43%–57.8% Alc./Vol. ©2010 Laphroaig® Import Company, Deerfield, IL
*2008 International Wine and Spirit Record (IWSR)
 Spirited | Discussion
By Robert Plotkin
Robert Plotkin is a judge at
the San Francisco World
Spirits Competition and has
recently authored his 16th book, Secrets
Revealed of America’s Greatest Cocktails. He
can be reached at www.BarMedia.com or
by e-mail at robert@barmedia.com.
Top-shelf spirits remain hot commodities. Per capita consumption is steadily
increasing back to the highs of the early ’80s. Now is the time to jump on
board and leverage their popularity into greater sales.
36 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m
Smart Strategies
Make More Money Through Backbar Management
A
restaurant that doesn’t routinely
change up its menu always has
plenty of open tables. The same
holds true for a bar. If you find yourself in
need of a financial shot in the arm, consider
taking a page from the beverage consul-
tant’s playbook and revamp your backbar.
Regardless of the size or concept of your
operation, the backbar is your principal and
most effective marketing device. Ensuring
that it has the most advantageous product
mix is a foolproof strategy for boosting rev-
enue and rejuvenating a beverage program.
To that end, here are some important
things to consider when renovating your
backbar and adding a punch to your bever-
age lineup.
 Taking Stock — Over time, the inven-
tory at most beverage operations grows to
the point of being unwieldy. New products
are added to the backbar, while older,
slower-moving products remain on the
shelves. The reality is there’s a physical limit
to how many products can effectively be
marketed on any backbar.
One way to cull through the inventory
is to analyze each product’s depletion rate.
If an item takes four months or longer to
deplete, it should be considered “on the
bubble,” and you’d be well advised to drop
it from your inventory. Remember, under-
performing products have low returns on
investment.
Products that take nine months or longer
to turn over are no longer a viable invest-
ment and are, for all intents, “dead stock.”
The backbar space they occupy could be put
to better use marketing brands people actu-
ally want. Additionally, these products are
often unsightly, with old, tattered labels that
give the backbar the appearance of neglect.
Dead stock are financial lost causes and
need to be removed from display shelves.
 Maintaining Control — Stocking the
bar with the products necessary to meet
demand requires a significant investment
of working capital. Realizing the neces-
sary return on that investment is partially
a question of control. To be profitable, you
need to know exactly what inventory you
have, what you paid for it, at what rate you
use it and exactly where it is at any point in
time. It necessitates tracking every product
from the moment it comes through the back
door until the end of the inventory period in
which it is depleted.
In jargon it’s referred to as “cradle to
grave” accounting, and it involves imple-
menting a series of overlapping internal
systems — e.g. purchase orders, requisitions,
bar par, perpetual inventory, comp and
spill sheets, etc. — that track every product
through the inventory cycle. While not a
complicated process, the key to the system
is ensuring that all components are in place
and being used properly.
 Capital at Risk — It’s especially impor-
tant in these challenging economic times
to keep your company’s working capital
flowing through the checking account and
not needlessly tied up in inventory. There’s
another reason to maintain inventory levels
as low as is operationally feasible: Once a
product leaves the relative security of the
storeroom, your investment in that product
essentially becomes “capital at risk,” mean-
ing it can be stolen, given away, wasted,
spilled or otherwise lost. Therefore, the
lower your inventory levels, the lower your
exposure to loss.
 Backbar Orientation — Are the
liquors and liqueurs on your backbar still
the best brands to feature? The spirits being
promoted should reflect the character of the
business and help establish its identity. Like
a blood transfusion, changing those brands
may infuse your operation with new life. For
example, some of the finest spirits produced
are from small distillers who could quite pos-
sibly be located down the road from your
establishment. If so, you, then, may decide
to feature a large selection of American
micro-distilled spirits.
With the renaissance of the cocktail and
the ever-growing interest in high-quality
spirits, stocking American-born vodkas like
Tito’s Handmade, Cold River and Vermont
Gold and others makes considerable sense.
 Mixology Support — Liqueurs and
cordials are essential products in drink
making. And yet some of the liqueurs and
cordials you stock may actually be doing
little more than collecting dust and taking
up space on the backbar. Before investing
your working capital, make sure there is
a legitimate demand for each and every
liqueur and cordial stocked. For instance, if
nightclub.com N ov/ D e c 2 010
you’re not planning on serving many Rusty
Nails, you probably don’t need to invest in a
liter of Drambuie.
 Adopt-a-Spirit — So what should
you do with the newfound shelf space
you’ve created on your backbar? Top-shelf
spirits remain hot commodities. Per capita
consumption is steadily increasing back to
the highs of the early ’80s. Now is the time to
jump on board and leverage their popularity
into greater sales.
Another viable tactic is to adopt a spirit
and become known as a great bourbon bar,
tequilaria or single-malt haven. Expanding
the width and breadth of your premium
spirit selections offers guests a broader array
of exceptional brands from which to choose.
The final step in the process is to incor-
porate your spirit of choice into your bar’s
signature drinks and showcase them on
the drink menu. Successfully arouse your
clientele’s collective thirst for discovery, and
you’ll need to order more bar stools.
 Gaining the Upper Hand — Few
things boost premium spirit sales more than
a knowledgeable staff. Make sure your bar-
tenders and servers are well informed about
the top-shelf products, what makes them so
exceptional and why they’re well worth the
higher price tag. Guests often inquire about
what makes one brand better than another
and delivering a concise, informative answer
is usually all that’s needed to close the sale.
Far from a static entity, a well-managed
backbar features an ever-evolving selection
of spirits and liqueurs — a product mix that’s
designed to best support the drink program
and to cast the best possible impression to
guests. Anything less fosters chaos behind
the bar. NCB
Thirsty for More?
If you like Robert Plotkin’s straightforward advice, then sign up
for NCB Smart Bar, our soon-to-launch e-newsletter providing bar
management tips, written by Robert himself. Go to
nightclub.com and click on Subscribe: Newsletters.
| Nightclub & Bar Magazine 37
 Beer | Training
By Lew Bryson
Lew Bryson is an award-
winning, beer-drinking,
whiskey-sipping, brewery-
visiting, cask-tapping, thirst-creating drinks
writer based in Philadelphia. Visit him at
www.lewbryson.com.
Once you have the menu figured out and
your head beer-tender in place, train the
rest of the staff on the styles
you offer. They’ll need to taste, and
they’ll need the right vocabulary to describe
the brews.
38 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m
Making the Most of Beer
Selection, Staff and Operations Spark Sales
S
elling beer has changed over the past
few years, driven largely by the boom
in craft beer. Craft has broken out of
the “beer geek” ghetto and is a likely choice
for a range of customers looking to imbibe.
In turn, consumers are more beer savvy these
days. “Variety” is the key word for beer drink-
ers, and smart bar operators are mixing up
their lists, balancing the majors with the craft
brews and the appropriate imports. Here’s
how to start the process.
Prepare
First, appoint a lead beer person. Create
incentives for him or her to learn about the
full variety of beer, and make sure he or she
knows enough to stay ahead as trends change.
Consider “cicerone” training for your lead bar-
tenders — it’s the emerging beer equivalent of
sommelier (www.cicerone.org). Then sit down
with him or her and your wholesalers — all of
them — to plan the best use of your coldbox
and keg room.
Use the limited space you have to create
a smart variety of beers. Check what other
area bars offer…and be sure your beer mix is
at least 40 percent different. Be prepared to
change at least some of your beers every week,
but keep some regulars in rotation: standards
like Sierra Nevada, Samuel Adams and your big
regionals. Also include a signature beer that’s
a little unusual, such as a high-alcohol Belgian
or a big-bottle craft. Make a tap and bottle list
that you keep current (and correctly spelled);
that’s one of your best selling aids.
Once you have the menu figured out and
your head beer-tender in place, train the rest
of the staff on the styles you offer. They’ll need
to taste, and they’ll need the right vocabulary
to describe the brews. For a comprehensive
guide to beer styles, check out CraftBeer.com,
under Style Finder; BeerAdvocate.com also has
definitions.
Once the servers and bartenders know the
styles and commercial examples, they will
approach customers who are having trouble
making a decision with confidence, offering
suggestions that fit the drinkers’ flavor and
style profiles.
Pour
Keep your taps clean; the beer that’s lost is a
small price to pay for a great reputation for
fresh beer. Train staff on draft maintenance —
at least one person should know the common
draft problems. (The Brewers Association has
an excellent free manual at DraughtQuality.
org.) Make sure everyone knows how to pour:
Open the tap wide into a tilted glass, don’t
“pre-pour” into the drain and don’t let the
spout touch the beer; it’s just not sanitary.
The trick to pouring is keeping the right
amount of foam. The ideal pour for most beer
is about ¾-inch of good foam. It’s pretty, it
makes the beer smell better and it shows cus-
tomers that the lines and glasses are clean.
Present
Finally, deliver the beer to the customer with
respect. Don’t slosh the beer over the lip,
and don’t deliver a wet glass. If you’re using
branded glassware, present it with the logo
facing the customer. The same goes for bottle
labels. If you’re delivering a bottle with a glass,
place the glass in front of the customer, open
the bottle, pour about half a glass and then
place the bottle next to it. Never touch the rim
of the glass or the bottle (even when you’re
opening it). The presentation of the logos and
the half-pour is a bit of class and gives off the
impression that your staff cares about the
beers and the guests.
If your staff members keep selling up, you
can maintain your regulars while building a
beer destination reputation that should start
getting you the coveted limited-release kegs
and bottles. This will get more people coming
in regularly, meaning more business and bet-
ter tips for staff, which is motivation to keep
learning. NCB
Thirsty for More?
Go to nightclub.com and click “beer” on the Products tab.
NCB | News
Upping the Ante
The 2011 Shake It Up! Cocktail Competition at the Nightclub & Bar Show
Increases Prize Winnings to $25,000
By Liza Wylie
J
ust a few short months ago, 25
bartenders battled it out on stage at
the Nightclub & Bar Convention and
Liza Wylie is Trade Show in Las Vegas during Shake It Up!,
Vice President of the the mixology competition sponsored by
Nightclub & Bar Nightclub & Bar and Southern Wine & Spirits.
Media Group. For the 2011 event, they’ll do the same, but
the stakes are much higher: The winner will
receive $25,000 opposed to the previous
$7,500 purse.
Interested bartenders can visit
ncbshow.com to enter; deadline for entry is
Jan. 14. From there, an organizing com-
mittee will judge the recipes and select up
to 25 contestants based on the quality of
the drinks — from creativity to delectabil-
ity. Please note: Entrants must currently be
employed as bartenders to compete.
Selected contestants will be notified by
the end of January to take part in the huge
competition at the Nightclub & Bar Conven-
tion and Trade Show in Las Vegas, March
7-9. During the competition, mixologists will
be tasked with creating drinks of varying skill
40 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m
THE BATTLE OF THE MIXOLOGISTS
levels and styles within a time limit; in the
final round, a secret ingredient is introduced
and bartenders must craft a recipe on the
spot using that ingredient. Last year’s ingre-
dient was aged balsamic vinegar, and Daniel
Gonzales, mixologist and bar manager at
Secreto Bar and Loggia in Santa Fe, N.M.,
snagged the grand prize with his Primavera
cocktail. For 2011, a panel of Southern Wine
& Spirits mixologists will score the cocktails:
Bridget Albert, Jason Girard, Allen Katz,
David Nepove, Armando Rosario, Arturo
Sighinolfi, Michael Trujillo and Chandra Lam.
Shake It Up! is a must-see event for all
attendees. The stage area is always packed
with eager viewers craning their necks to
get a glimpse of what intriguing concoction
these top mixologists will craft next.
“Shake It Up! is dedicated to share the
finest experience in cocktail competition
history, where the greatest mixologists will
surely provide you with inspiration, passion
and creativity,” says Francesco Lafranconi,
director of mixology for Southern Wine &
Spirits and host of the competition.
If you want to share your original recipes
and elevate the craft of the cocktail, get on-
line and visit ncbshow.com to enter. Here’s
hoping we can celebrate your $25,000 vic-
tory in Vegas! NCB
At the 2010 competition, mixologists created delicious libations.
(Bottom, right photo) But it was Daniel Gonzales, mixologist and bar
manager at Secreto Bar and Loggia in Sante Fe, N.M., who earned
the grand prize, presented by Southern Wine & Spirits’ Francesco
Lafranconi (far right). Second place went to Charles Joly of Chicago’s
Drawing Room (far left).
 The
Shelf Product & Promotion News From
Spirits & Beverage Companies

 Kahlúa Peppermint Mocha has a rich cherry aroma with hints

Kahlúa Peppermint Mocha is a
limited-release coffee liqueur made
with 100 percent Arabica coffee
beans grown in the Veracruz region
of Mexico as well as peppermint
and dark chocolate. It’s best
enjoyed neat, over ice or in hot
drinks like hot chocolate and coffee.
Kahlúa Peppermint Mocha is good
for holiday cocktails and is available
through Dec. 31, with custom-
designed merchandising and POS
materials available where legal.
www.pernod-ricard.com.
 Stolichnaya Wild Cherri
William Grant & Sons introduces
Stolichnaya Wild Cherri vodka, the
12th flavor in its vodka portfolio.
Stoli Wild Cherri is naturally
flavored from refined fruit extracts.
The Stolichnaya Wild Cherri vodka
recipe balances sweet and tart and
of vanilla. The taste is full of cherry
flavors with accents of red plum for
tartness. It can be enjoyed chilled or
sipped and is available nationally.
www.stoli.com.
 The Sandy Bottom Drink
The Sandy Bottom Drink, a carbon-
ated, coconut rum drink with citrus
essence, launched in September.
The Sandy Bottom Drink has
tropical and rum flavors with a
fizz finish. It’s packaged in a 100
percent recyclable aluminum bottle
with a ROPP closure, making it ideal
for outdoor venues or those with a
tropical vacation vibe.
www.thesandybottomdrink.
com.

Jon Taffer, world

renowned award-winning
expert in bar and nightclub
management, introduces a
revolutionary new tool for
bar owners/managers:

“Taffer’s 12 Minute Manager” is a user-friendly, intuitive software program which requires

12 minutes of your time daily to enter basic information about your operation. It then uses
proprietary formulas and insights to evaluate this data to identify hidden trends and correct
problems before they become unmanageable. The program includes tactics to fix or
improve any problem that it identifies. Become the master of your business, finally
understanding and even anticipating the most subtle trends and details.

“Give me 12 minutes a day for 12 weeks and

I will improve your bottom line.”
Available at www.tafferdynamics.com
or call to order: 561.625.3225
nightclub.com
System Requirements: Windows XP SP2, Vista or 7 N ov/ D e c 2 010 | Nightclub & Bar Magazine 41
The
Wire
Product News From On-Premise
Technology & Equipment Companies

 Pioneer Headphones
Don’t Get Pioneer Electronics HDJ-500 Series Headphones provide maximum performance and versatil-
ity. The headphones, available in red, black and white, are engineered to assists DJs with the

Stung!!
Protect your business from
the liabilities of underage
purchasing
Give police and prosecutors
quality evidence to verify that
the underage patron committed
fraud and that you acted in good faith.
The Eye-D Cam identifica-
tion card camera systems, are
designed to send pictures of
your customer and full resolution
images of their driver’s licenses
to a video recorder. The Eye-D
Cam is user friendly and fraud
unfriendly.
The Eye-D Cams are rugged, affordable, and easy to install. They can be
purchased separately or in a kit with other system components.
Made in
Lafayette,
Indiana, USA.
■ Eye-D Cams (A100 & A200)
connect to new or existing
CCTV systems.
■ A weatherproof housing is avail-
able for outdoor applications.
■ One stand-alone model
(A200-DVR) is self-contained
with its own event recorder.
mixing process through enhancing the low and mid frequencies of music. The headphones use
urethane pads for ears and are made with magnesium alloy for durability. The right earpiece
can rotate 60 degrees, allowing DJs to listen to audio in only one side of the headphones.
www.pioneerdjusa.com.
 Avatar Pinball Machine
Stern Pinball introduces Avatar Pinball, based on the James Cameron film. The pinball ma-
chine features a 3-D backglass with speech and sound effects from the movie including a
voiceover from Colonel Miles Quaritch (actor Stephen Lang). As Jake Sully, the player’s goal
is to the save the Na’vi people from destruction. Avatar Pinball features a banshee ramp,
magnet for random ball play, stationary targets, mobile targets and multi-ball action.
www.sternpinball.com.
Knuckle Head Tables and Magnetic Skins 
Knuckle Head Bucket Tables and Magnetic Skins are customized tables that allow permanent
graphic magnetic skins to be placed on top. The tables are 36 inches in diameter, come in bar
and patio heights and feature a bucket hole in the center. The Magnetic Skins can be changed
out as easily as a tablecloth and can represent a variety of brands or promotions, including Bud
Light, Budweiser, Smirnoff and the NCAA.
www.animalmarketing.com.

This is the real Eye-D Cam used in nightclubs, convenience stores, and
rental agencies throughout the United States.
The Eye-D Cam.
Purchase for $545 - $2,300, depending on the model.
Call us for details at (888)820-8318.
www.eyedcam.com
Autofry Keypad 
Autofry, from Motion Technology Inc., announces the addition of Spanish, French and Portu-
guese languages to its keypads. The Autrofry MTI series is affordable, safe and user friendly,
and is an alternative to deep fryers. The Autofry keypad comes in four models, which are all
ventless, fully enclosed, fully automated and equipped with an Ansul fire suppression system.
www.mtiproducts.com.

42 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m

TURN BARSTOOLS
INTO STADIUM SEATS.
Give your customers the best sports experience with Comcast Business Class Sports & Entertainment
packages. The MLB Network, NFL Network, NBA TV, NHL Network, and ESPN channels are all included,
plus a whole lot more. With packages like this, it’s never been easier to fill the seats and turn your
business into a fast business.

800-391-3000 | business.comcast.com/bar

Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Minimum-term contract required. Early termination fees apply. Equipment, installation, taxes, franchise, and phone fees
extra. Call for details. © 2010 National Football League. Team names/logos/indicia are trademarks of the teams indicated. All other NFL-related trademarks are
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RL1600
The
Vine
$1,999
Product & Promotion News From the Wine Industry
 Black Tower Redesign
Black Tower wine relaunched its product
in the U.S. market. The new two-tone
bottle, designed by fashion expert Bobbie
Thomas, features two halves: the lower
showing the wine varietal and the upper
with the brand’s black color. A new tagline
reads “Easy Ends The Day” to target young
professionals. The new packaging is
available in New York, New Jersey, Florida,
Pennsylvania and Illinois.
www.black-tower.de.
 Bonterra Pinot Noir
The Bonterra Pinot Noir, produced in
California’s Mendocino County, is a recent
addition to the Bonterra portfolio. The
wine has aromas of strawberry, raspberry
and cola with oak, spice and vanilla ac-
cents. It features berry, vanilla and spice
flavors with the soft tannins adding to
its long finish. Bonterra offers Riesling,
Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon,
Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Rosé, Syrah,
Zinfandel and Viognier varietals in its
portfolio.
www.bonterra.com. the taste a bright acidity.
www.automatedatm.com
44 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m
 2009 Lake Sonoma
Sauvignon Blanc
Made in the Dry Creek Valley, the Lake
Sonoma Winery 2009 Sauvignon Blanc
features a powerful fruit character, bright,
natural acidity and moderate sugars. The
winemaking process involved pressing
whole berries to extract the juice, cold
fermentation in stainless steel tanks and
bottling within six months. The wine has
fresh lime, kiwifruit and guava aromas
with lime, lemon, orange zest and sorrel
flavors that lead to a lingering finish.
www.lakesonomawinery.net.
Korbel Sweet Cuvée California
Champagne 
Korbel introduces Sweet Cuvée California
Champagne. Bottle fermentation results in
persistent bubbles and a polished texture,
and the blending of four grapes achieves
the Cuvée’s style. Chenin Blanc adds the
fruit taste while Chardonnay gives it body
and structure. The Sweet Cuvée has peach,
nectarine and tropical fruit aromas that
are accented by subtle yeast notes and
pineapple and tropical fruit flavors, giving
www.korbel.com.
 S PORTSBAR
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46 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 010

 Ad | Index

Advertiser........................................... Page No.........................................Website

Action Systems.....................................................31..........................................rmpos.com/ncb

AutoFry/MTI Products.......................................22.......................................mtiproducts.com

Automated Financial..........................................44..................................automatedatm.com

Creative Global Marketing...............................33.............. creativeglobalmarketing.com

Comcast..................................................................43.................... business.comcast.com/bar
Coast to Coast Commercial Insurance, Inc.
Specializing in: • Bars • Restaurants • Billiards Diageo.....................................................................21..................................................diageo.com
• Adult & Tavern Businesses
Coverages include General & Liquor Liability, Diageo Don Julio.............................................Cvr2-1...........................................donjulio.com
Property, Assault & Battery and more!
Coast to Coast Commercial Insurance, Inc.
PO Box 60 • Oldsmar, FL 34677 Effen.......................................................................... 5...................................................... effen.com
Phone 813-855-0600 • Fax 813-855-2288
Toll Free 866-599-9940
email: ssmins@tampabay.rr.com Eye D Cam..............................................................42............................................. eyedcam.com
www.ctocinsurance.com

Incredible Technologies...................................15..............................................itsgames.com

Jim Beam............................................................. Cvr 4............................................jimbeam.com

Laphroaig...............................................................35.............................................laphroaig.com

Luci...........................................................................37.......................................... lucireseller.com

:5,67%$1'6 Maker’s Mark.........................................................29....................................... makersmark.com

Custom or Regular, Vinyl or Tyvek
1-800-233-0828 www.wrist-bands.com
Modern Line Furniture................................... Cvr 3....................... moderlinefurniture.com

Modular Arts.........................................................24....................................... modulararts.com

KARDWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Monin Gourmet Flavors..........................9a-b & 40a-b.........................................monin.com

GET NOTICED!
Power Bomber......................................................27...................................powerbomber.com
ADVERTISE IN
Red Gold Sacramento Tomato........................ 3.................................................redgold.com

Roaring Lion Energy Drink...............................34................. roaringlionenergydrink.com

MARKETPLACE Rush Flyers..........................................................16a-b......................................... rushfylers.com

CONTACT Sazerac Gran Gala................................................23..............................................grangala.com

JO VON REED Taffer Dynamics...................................................41..................................tafferdynamics.com

Office Direct: 662-513-8656 Touch Tunes..........................................................19.................................. mytouchtunes.com

Toll Free: 800-247-3881, x8656
Fax: 662-281-0104 Vitamix...................................................................6&7..................... vitamix.com/thequietone
Email: jvreed@questex.com
Western Spirits Tres Leches.............................13................................. drinktresleches.com

nightclub.com N ov/ D e c 2 010 | Nightclub & Bar Magazine 47

 Night | Cap
A Winning Night at Victory
NOLA’s Victory Bar Serves Mixology with a
Touch of Class — and Economy
By Karen Weisberg
W hen our association of food and
beverage trade magazine editors
and publicists started planning our annual
conference to be held this year in New Orleans,
we included, as always, an afternoon of visits
to relevant — and fun — locations. Since
some of us previously had interviewed Daniel
Victory, the award-winning mixologist at The
Ritz-Carlton New Orleans, who also regularly
teaches at the Crescent City School of Bartend-
ing, we thought a busload of us would pay him
a visit. Victory, voted New Orleans Magazine’s
Bartender of the Year in 2009 and subsequently
featured in Esquire as well as GQ, immediately
welcomed the idea of our visit. However, after
a decade-long stint at the Ritz, he was leaving
to open his own place, Victory Bar on Baronne
Street in the Central Business District.
Since the new venue was slated to open by
the time of our visit in November, we could be
among the very first to come and check it out,
Victory said. But when we arrived, he and his
business partner, Andrew Emory, appeared
48 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | N o v / D e c 2 0 1 0 n i g h t c l u b . c o m
unfazed, even though they just received their
Certificate of Occupancy the day before and
were prepping for an early December opening.
As our group of more than 30 swarmed
in, we found ample yet cozy seating (there’s
actually room for 57 guests) in a cheerful
room that emanates a warm reddish glow, a
I’ll do a lime and simple syrup rum gelatin with a mint syrup on top to
be cut with a fork and knife. We want to push the envelope of
what we can do with our palate.” Daniel Victory, partner
flattering tone for people, drinks and food alike.
The Disney World-inspired shattered green
glass-topped bar dominates the space; Victory
constructed it to be a bit higher than standard
because he and Emory each top 6’4”. In fact,
little else in this former Quiznos location needed
to be changed. “Whoever did the build-out
did an amazing job,” Victory points out. “We
just repurposed it, and I did the plastering and
stucco on the walls. We have a low budget and
low overhead, but we aim to give people an
enjoyable experience with good service and
good products. I put employees as No. 1 so
they’ll put customers as No. 1; both must have a
great experience.”
Aiming to “create a restaurant with a lounge
atmosphere combined with a mixology focus,”
Victory points out that the cocktails are old clas-
sics yet presented in innovative ways. That’s not
to say guests can’t still enjoy a shot of Jameson
and a beer. “We want the old classic cocktails
on the menu, especially the Sazerac and Ramos
Gin Fizz; we also want people to know about
mixology and ‘edible cocktails’ such as Mojitos.
I’ll do a lime and simple syrup rum gelatin with
a mint syrup on top to be cut with a fork and
knife. We want to push the envelope of what
we can do with our palate.”
The “eats” menu features a slew of quick-
to-prepare items including bowls of warm black
truffled popcorn with smoked coarse sea salt
($4), which was especially yummy. For a more
filling small plate, there’s the Korean BBQ lettuce
wrap of ahi tuna, fresh melon and cucumber with
wasabe cream wrapped in a spinach tortilla ($17
to share among four) — perfection.
Photo by Karen Weisberg
Daniel Victory (left) and Andrew Emory (right)
show guests how to create the perfect Mojito.
With the crunchy economy, Victory finds
some places have lost their finesse, dropping
details like fresh flowers. “When you touch on
all five senses you make people feel welcome;
it doesn’t have to be high end, but people
act more sophisticated in fine surroundings.
I saw that at the Ritz.” He also believes his
new location in the business district suits his
upscale sensibilities and that the area could be
renamed the Central Loft District with so many
young people now living in spaces vacated by
businesses after Hurricane Katrina. Because of
this heavy evening foot traffic, he plans to be
open from 4 p.m. to midnight weekdays, and
until 2 a.m. on weekends. “Anytime things get a
bit too hectic, we can tell Andrew [Emory] to go
sing some opera; it always blows people away
to see this guy covered with tattoos singing
opera. He’s a maitre d’, a waiter and is great at
taking care of people.” And that, really, is what
bartending in any city should be about. NCB
New York-based award-winning journalist Karen
Weisberg has covered the issues and luminaries of the
food and beverage world — both commercial and
non-commercial — for more than 25 years.
 WEEKENDS
WERE MADE
FOR E F F E N.


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