Could this be the ultimate LB bar in Bangkok

[mardhi]

I was chatting with a few guys over last couple of weeks, and have been mulling over what elements could come together to create a good LB bar.

Do you agree or disagree? Just remember the following:
1. There are no more gogo licences available - gogo licences permit staged dancing.
2. The gogo scene is already well catered for in Bangkok
3. Rents in Nana are HUGE and PAYOFFS considerable to the boys in brown.

So considering these points, how does the following sound and would you go?

Incidentally, I would not be willing to set this up - but if anyone wants to take and run with it, I'd be there on the opening night (and probably a lot more thereafter).

Assuming a location such as the indoor beer bar complex in Suk Soi 1 where there is a short time hotel on the top floor, (by all accounts, they even change the sheets every now and again, which is a huge advantage over Hi Boss !!!). Key advantages to this location are: Discrete, indoor (air con), space available, relatively cheap (important for a new start up bar), near to Nana Plaza for variety.

The bar would be somewhere between the tackiness of a Nana bar and something you would see in a hotel, such as Rivas, CM2 etc. I could imagine on the walls, you would have photo's of the LB models on this and other sites - perhaps showing them in Black and White prints.

The main focus of the bar would be the bar itself - long, plenty of stools and lots of extending tables allowing for group chats around the table but still "at the bar". ie it would look like a Capital "E" Above the bar and set back would be an impromtu stage should it be needed with a huge drop down screen showing either videos or sport events or even fashion TV and LB equivalent (can always live in hope). Only genuine drinks served - no dodgy vodka, Gin etc.

Lots of booths with u-shaped seating surrounding a table along the walls of the bar - plenty of space for a quiet discussion etc etc and all facing toward the bar and stage area.

Ladyboys would be split into teams and dress accordingly. e.g

Greeter - meet the guy as he comes into the bar, ask if he wants to sit at the bar or in one of the horseshoe bits. Take his drink order and offer to go and get a girl to sit with him or to offer advice on different LB's. This role could actually be a LB who is going through Uni and not keen on full on shagging of all and sundry who pay her BF - i.e she can go if she wants or can just work. They would be dressed in something sexy but elegant - perhaps a black mini skirt and cream jacket with high heels and stockings. Capable of speaking couple of languages.

The hostesses - these are the primary BF material in the bar and they are there to ensure the customer has a good time and comes back. They cannot hassle customers and/or solicit drinks. Invariably the guy would ask one of the greeters who he likes and she then brings her over to join him. Of course if the guy is an old hand, he can just invite her over.

They would all wear badges with a name and number on them and there 'uniform' would change every day: for example:

Monday: Cowboy night - tight denim shorts/miniskirt, cowboy shirt, boots and a hat
Tuesday: Doctors and nurses uniform - with underwear on prominent display
Wednesday: Elegant red sexy long dress
Thursday: Leather/Vinyl night
Friday: Schoolgirl night
Saturday: Freestyle (i.e she chooses)
Sunday: black and white miniskirts and boob tubes.

Uniforms would be supplied by the bar and charged to the girl in some way - they have to follow the dress code and effectively pay for it over XX months.
The themes could change - for example in the world cup, theme could change to reflect national football team kits, cunningly tied around their waists and high heels replacing the football boots.

I'd imagine the pricing would be similar to a gogo bar, or slightly cheaper for customer drinks. Lady drinks much cheaper and the LB gets 50% of the drink - the bar gets 50%. No quotas for the girls in terms of Bar fines or drink quota's that just pisses of the punter when the first thing he hears is 'buy me a drink'

Bar fines somewhere around 400 baht.

Member cards available for purchase would offer members discounts on all drinks (incl Lady drinks), a number of 'bottles' depending upon level of membership, VIP invites to special events, reduced Bar fines. Basically its a loyalty package, designed to encourage you to come back. Perhaps including an glass engraved with your name if that kind of things pushes your buttons.

Music would be there but more background - its a bar not a gogo.

Toilets would be nicely done, clean and feature a window above the urinals of course into the changing room for the LB's.

So guys how does this sound? Anything missing? Anything a waste of time? Would you go?

Cheers
Mardhi

[Guest]

Would i go ? Um why would i want to leave  

Sounds like heaven mardhi .

I bags the first urinal on the left .

[kempthorn]

what you are discribing is one of the 'painter bars;
ala the 'office.; on soi 33.
i have a much better plan, but not telling because my
l.b. friend and i are going to open it.

[dummy_plug]

And stunners only right? Haha...I'm just kidding.

Sounds like an ace of a plan Mardhi! With all those wheels turning in your head, it'd be a crime for you NOT to open this bar! Something like this might entice me to come back to BKK.

[Guest]

Mardhi,

Sounds great, you have thought about a lot of stuff that Nana just can't do. I for one would appreciate a place to meet LB's where you dont get attacked and abused if you dont accept their offerings. A place to chat and drink where you can hear each other and decide on who you want to talk to and for how long.

Secondly, in setting up a bar like this you would need to have a Thai front the operation with you standing behind him or her. Maybe a mamasan from another bar that you know REALLY WELL or an LB with brains and some business sense. TRUST is the biggest issue and the necessary paper work for work visas etc......

Maybe buying an existing bar and changing the profile from GG to LB's would be easy than trying to establish a new place. Might save some money as well.

Great idea but risky unless you fully understand Thais.

I bags the second pisser of the left............

[dummy_plug]

Fully understand Thais?! Is that possible? I'm not sure the Thais even understand themselves lol.

BTW - I call whatever stall is still left. As long as it has a door! Don't want all the LBs to see my .

[Guest]

Too late DP. I think all the LB's in Nana have already seen your huge monster......lol

Maybe Taskin might be interested now he is out of a job.

[mardhi]

(kempthorn @ May 11 2006,09:01) what you are discribing is one of the 'painter bars;
ala the 'office.; on soi 33.
 i have a much better plan, but not telling because my
l.b. friend and i are going to open it.

I'd guess the ambience would be similar to one of the Soi 33 bars, except the big difference woud be the prices. Incidentally the Office is not typical of the 'Painter' bars on Soi 33, its much cheaper for a start.

Feel free to take any of these ideas - I just want to see somewhere else open that benefits us all - The NEP gogo's are driving me mad and I need somewhere slightly less in your face.

Cheers
Mardhi

[mardhi]

(newcomer @ May 11 2006,10:29) Mardhi,

Sounds great, you have thought about a lot of stuff that Nana just can't do. I for one would appreciate a place to meet LB's where you dont get attacked and abused if you dont accept their offerings. A place to chat and drink where you can hear each other and decide on who you want to talk to and for how long.

Secondly, in setting up a bar like this you would need to have a Thai front the operation with you standing behind him or her. Maybe a mamasan from another bar that you know REALLY WELL or an LB with brains and some business sense. TRUST is the biggest issue and the necessary paper work for work visas etc......

Maybe buying an existing bar and changing the profile from GG to LB's would be easy than trying to establish a new place. Might save some money as well.

Great idea but risky unless you fully understand Thais.

I bags the second pisser of the left............

I'd thought about that new beer bar complex for the simple reasons I outlined:

Its relatively cheap - at least compared to Nana, Soi Cowboy etc.

Its discrete - Access from the upper floor to the ST hotel is easy. But the ST hotel is not on your premises - thats a no no these days - its akin to running a brothel - in Bangkok, you'd last 3 days before either being closed down or having to stump a huge and ongoing payment to the boys in brown to turn a blind eye.

They have space - the complex is suffering - the current bars have nothing to offer the average punter that you cant get on Soi 4 and they charge the same prices.

Your off the radar: Its an indoor complex, so your not going to attract unwanted attention from 'do good, not in my back yard Thai's or even other bar owners'

The Bangkok location would work best - thats where the hi-income money is 365 days a year - its not seasonal due to the expats working n Bangkok. That also helps with the discrete bit - these hi end expats dont really like walking out of Nana with a LB incase one of their work colleagues or customers is walking in !!!!

If you buy an existing bar, if the price is right your ok, but otherwise as your making so many changes including its target market, I'd imagine a completely new start would be better and probably cheaper than taking over somebodies failing bar - after all, your not going to keep any of the customers or staff in any event, so why pay extra for the stuff you dont need.

The bar licences would need to be in Thai names - its the only way you can do it.

Cheers
Mardhi

[mardhi]

Incidentally, Something I had not covered in the first post, one of the benefits of doing something in this style is that with a drinking and dancing licence, you can have improptu 'spur of the moment' dancing by the LB's but it cant be seen to be a permanent feature of the bar like a gogo. The laws around this area are complex - thats why your better of doing it inside a complex of other bars as opposed to a stand alone bar - LB bars have a tendancy to attract lots of negative attention and this would minimise these risks.

[Guest]

OK what happens on Soi 33 (Sukhumvit BKK?) any LB action to be had?

Spill the beans!

[Mai-Kee]

     Great thoughts, man!
I was asking this a couple of weeks ago, as I'm working on something like that and had some excellent inputs by you guys.
http://asiantsgirls.com/cgi-bin....+lb+bar

You're absolutely right with BKK as the best place for such a venture. The idea of the beer bar complex is excellent - a bit off the scene and out of the focus - butbest of all, you NEED a short time as close by as possible!
The license thing is true, but you could either buy an existing gogo bar or open a club - guess that's what you meant above with drinking&dancing license. On a dancefloor there's enough room for presentation - and interpretation what's gogo and what not.

.... to trebor: Sukh. soi 33 are only upmarket gg bars. No lb's!


MK

[Guest]

Shame!

[Guest]

May I add Soi 33 also have overpriced drink prices and expensive GG prices. Some good restaurants line the street but no LB action. More for singing Japanese men....555

[kempthorn]

was not being critical of your thoughts. you are part way onto the right track. i think a lot of us t.s. lovers have wished there was a higher class place to meet the girls
and they would also have a more respectful place to
work. can anybody go into casanova and stay more than 5 minutes.

walk in the door and 6 jump you. buy me drink buy me drink.
i mentioned the'office' not as an exact model. just had things you suggested. good bar, tables, different costume nights. etc.