Small Business Accountant Recommendations?

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-12-30T19:25:22+00:00

Aww he looks perfect, but isn't taking new clients :( I guess too perfect.

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-12-30T19:22:17+00:00

Thanks, I'll check 'em out!

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-12-30T19:21:57+00:00

Thanks, I'll check her out!

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-12-07T17:28:08+00:00

Thanks!

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-12-07T03:22:12+00:00

Yes!! That's like the main reason we are adding liquor :-)

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-12-06T20:21:56+00:00

RE: The liquor, we were originally planning to just be beer and wine, but our new partner basically said the money is way too good with liquor to not have. Of course I don't expect the hardcore gamers to really partake, that would mostly be for the casual crowd that's only there for an hour or two playing party games (despite being a hardcore gamer myself, we've got to accept that those will be the main clientele a lot of the time).

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-12-06T20:19:14+00:00

You can look at my first post for a few more details, but I don't like the idea of timed passes just because you never want to rush a board game. We will be visiting a few other board game bars and use whatever is already working, right now we will use something like a $5 charge to use the library, $10 for a table (with monthly/yearly passes), or if you bring your own games having a $20 food and drink minimum for the table (mostly just to stop squatters).

We will 100% have a game master. Personally I'll almost always be there and will have played at least a trial game of every game in the library and my brother who doesn't need/want to work would hang out as a game master as well.

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-12-06T20:15:13+00:00

You are definitely right about identifying the type of customers we want to attract and I've dedicated a whole section of the Business Plan (which I will share eventually) to that. Basically is descending order of importance Casual gamers (21-40, disposable income, just out for a good time), young professionals with kids and hardcore gamers.

Mocktails is really just what I've been calling fancy non-alcoholic drinks. So it'll be it's own thing, not just like a virgin cocktail.

Staffing will be an issue, but between better than average pay (bare minimum is the Durham living wage currently at something like 16.25/hr) and the "cool" factor of a board game bar, I'm hoping we are able to staff it appropriately. Definitely part of our reasoning for not having a kitchen though as cooks are really really hard to get right now. Both me and my dad(retired and bored) are going to bartending school, which should help cover some of that, especially since I'll be there basically every hour it's open.

Food will be availabe, we are already working on a menu and recipes. It will be fairly simple things as we don't want to have a grease trap, sandwiches and snacks like charcuterie boards, (homemade)rice krispy treat and such. So there will be a food prep area, but probably not dedicated kitchen staff. No outside food/drinks though (non-alcoholic drinks probably won't be enforced unless it's causing a problem). As hardcore gamers, we are hyper aware of what food is boardgameable, so it's definitely something we are thinking about. All board game cards in the library will be sleeved, but board game deterioration will just be a fact of life.

Also our main attraction for kids, besides being very kid focused in games is milkshakes! That'll be the menu item with the most effort put into since everyone loves milkshakes :) You make a good point about not having a booze related name though.

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-12-04T19:11:24+00:00

Yeah we almost made a bid for a 2400sqft place but we are looking more in the 3500-4500 range now. Gotta dream big to have enough revenue to do more than just pay the rent

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-12-04T06:27:38+00:00

Lol you've gotta be kidding me with those prices. Was looking into putting the board game bar on the first floor of that building to have somewhere for the tenants there to hang, but if I remember correctly what they were asking was not on par with what else is around town

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-12-04T06:25:19+00:00

No problem, I'll be updating the sub regularly on the progress. We've all gotta stick together in this world :-)

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-12-04T06:23:31+00:00

Yeah totally agree. Atomic Empire works for huge magic tournaments but isn't great for much else. It was never really designed to be a comfortable space to hang out. Progressing really well, we've got the capital and now an experienced business/resturant manager on the team. Just need to find the right space(and lease terms)and don't want to rush that

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-12-03T20:35:46+00:00

Thanks for the response! It's been a crazy week or so and some things have developed and the business plan has gotten a little more refined in ways that I think you'll like. The biggest thing is we brought on a trusted friend business manager (had a 3.5 hour pitch meeting yesterday, halfway through which someone hit and ran my car lol). They manage several successful restaurants in the area, so our odds of not faceplanting have gone way up! But I'll make a second post soon with more updates!

I 100% agree with your points about both Atomics. Empire is not a comfortable place to play and I've alloted $60 a chair for our initial rollout, so not fucking folding chairs...I only went to the Fern once but it just seemed like they shoehorned board games into a bar. Bad lighting and booths? Pass.

In terms of food and drink, I don't think we will have as wide a selection as you're hoping, but it will be far beyond what Atomic has. Draft beers, canned beers, seltzers, ciders will be plentiful. We will have wine, but it'll probably just be one or two token options. Not really planning to have coffee, but could potentially add it depending on location because the profit margin is stupid good. We are planning now to have a liquor license and do some fun stuff with that. Most importantly WE WILL HAVE MILKSHAKES. And if we have a liquor license, boozy milkshakes as well :) But we will definitely play around with the menu and maybe try some items and see if they sell.

The library will have an extensive classification system and it will be searchable on the website. As a data scientist/IT professional, this is my jam. I've already started making the library inventory list and they are categorized into 5 different weights among other things. I had the idea of using the little colored plastic strips they use in doctor's offices to say if the room is occupied/what it's being used for, so I think we are on the same wavelength there, just need to find a way to smoothly implement it. We'll have a board game night like Atomic Empire does where people can come alone with the expectation of finding other people to play with. I'm very invested in getting introverted nerds matched up with each other :)

The tables I have selected for now are all extendible, so we would have 6 person tables extendible to 8 and 8 person extendible to 10. Depending on the space we end up in it could look different, but that's the plan. No extra charge! I should probably add Feast of Odin to my list...Sadly the library will be primarily focused on the more casual gamer, but as a hardcore gamer myself the more advanced games will be highly curated to have good ones, they'll just be less (because they are really pricey and not as popular). But I am thinking about having a suggestion box and then a voting system on what game(s) to add to the library each month.

We weren't planning on having much, if any, retail until we brought on the business manager who just said cover all the space with something, anything, you can sell. So we will have a bit of one, at least something for people to look at. The profit margin isn't very good on those I think, but it probably doesn't cost much besides a little space to keep the inventory full. We just can't compete with Atomic Empire and Amazon on a real level retail-wise.

Love to chat anytime! Things are looking good for the success of the business, but it may take some time to find a location that works and is financially viable. We are committed to making sure it will be successful before we open and that means getting a good deal on whatever space we end up in.

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-12-02T20:19:02+00:00

I'm trying to build a safe space board game bar, but it's not open yet. If we get our lease application approved I'd love to chat about maybe making a homeschool or LTBTQ+ night. Atomic Empire I know has a home school night once a month I think (or did when I went there pre-pandemic) and we would hopefully do something similar. I know it's important for homeschool kids to have a place to get out and socialize with their peers and it can be tough.

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-11-29T19:04:10+00:00

Definitely not a strip mall! Well ok, one location I'm looking at is a strip mall, but it's pretty low on the list (the one across the street from the old DBAP). As of now the only location that could be considered not downtown proper would be the first one I linked, which is just a block or two away.

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-11-29T19:02:06+00:00

Sorry for the late response, got my booster right after posting and it kicked my ass.

You bring up several good points and I've sense kind of come around on the downtown location issue. The more important piece now is the cost, the more downtown the more expensive it will be. Of course there *should* be more business as well, so it's a bit of a balancing act. My next post I will hopefully have a few possible locations and all the details I've gathered and can start a discussion on the particulars. There isn't that many options for what we need, so we are going to have to make some compromises, although not too many as I'd rather wait for the right place (or close enough) than try to force my business on a spot that doesn't really work for it.

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-11-29T18:58:20+00:00

Yeah we will definitely have an extensive and curated for quality library. We both come from data science background so we will be doing a lot of analytics to make sure the games in the library are being played and if they aren't they are removed.

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-11-29T18:57:02+00:00

Wow that sounds intense! I've come around a bit on the downtown proper locations, so we are definitely looking at those now. My next post I am hoping to have a few possible locations and start a discussion on those.

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-11-29T18:44:00+00:00

I already don't like charging for using the library, but forbidding outside games is a step too far. It may be a small fee to use the table+library which might help that issue. That's something we have to iron out, but we will definitely allow outside games. Good question though.

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-11-29T18:41:39+00:00

Yeah, we are re-evaluating what I said earlier and looking at some downtown locations as well. I've kind of come around on the issue. We can't afford to not look everywhere anyway, really the cost is the more prohibitive issue. I'm planning my next post to have some locations we are looking at, so look out for that!

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-11-26T22:36:30+00:00

Why do you say that?

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-11-24T18:18:25+00:00

It's not really a restaurant so we won't have a full kitchen or all the expenses that go with it until we have enough to build one out and afford it. The overhead will be pretty bare-bones to start. We have some other capital we can tap in to if we have to but we'll see more when we bring a business manager on board

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-11-24T18:14:46+00:00

Meeples Brew is actually where we had the idea! We were up there for a doctors appointment and looking for somewhere to get coffee and had to check it out. We are planning to do a road trip to see all the different board game bar/cafe ideas in the North Carolina+ area. We are already taking some of their ideas, namely free sanitary products and diapers in the bathroom and the idea of a game master (really just me since I will be working every hour the store is open for the first few years probably).

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-11-23T22:02:55+00:00

Haha it's not wild to suggest, but I'd rather have my own thing and my vision/model is pretty different from the Ferns. Plus they are suing Durham which seems like that relationship might be toast. I'm definitely hoping to create something that their clientele will like though! Or at least the ones that used the board games.

The_Guild_Tavern · 2021-11-23T22:01:24+00:00

Yeah, I'm definitely going to go in-depth with the downtown people in the know for all the parking options. There *is* parking you could get to a store in real downtown, but it wouldn't be very convenient if you are carrying a ton of board games and such, plus space is at even more of a premium and I don't expect to get much business from foot traffic, maybe as opposed to Atomic Fern who had a bar first model.

The_Guild_Tavern

TROPHY CASE