Underhelmed

[Looker]

(rick @ Feb. 02 2008,16:46)

(Looker @ Feb. 02 2008,15:16) what it counts at the end of the day if GB strikes a profit or not, and doing what it makes sense for it to happen.

Eh? This is all that counts?

YES!
Unless you want to take your money and throw it in the sea after having worked your ass for a year or so.
Unless you've never done anything in the retail business, or in any self-started slash self-supported business, you won't appreciate how depressing can be working hard and losing money

[Guest]

I will let you in on the secret to getting a game of pool at the new Guess ,,,, you ask !

Simple the girls do not have right of way on the tables , customers do , you could probably even be rude and not let them finish if they are playing if you wanted to .

On the other hand if there is a customer playing you have to wait your turn    .

I wrote this great long piece about the New Guess Bar but accidently deleted it doh .

In a nutshell its only 2 months old , the sound and style of music gets louder and more current as the night gets later ( no different to the old Guess ) , the lighting makes the places that should be lit ie the bar , the pool tables well lit , and the places that should be darker and a bit naughtier , the couched a bit darker ( no different to the old Guess ) . Ok size well Jay had to find a place in less than a month within her budget , so it was a question of location or size , she made the call to make the loaction central , size had to take a back seat , lets hope one of the spaces to either side become available so the new Guess can do much the same as the Old Guess and expand one of theese days . The Girls , after loads of people saying how Jay never hired new staff and the old Guess was stale because it always the same girls , she went and hired alot of new inexperienced girls , give them time to develop in the new bar i am sure they will , much like the old girls did in the old Guess Bar . Pool tables , well i dont know whether 2 is 1 too many or not , but she should have at least 1 , it is a Bar ( upmarket but still a Bar ) and not a Go-Go , and people need pastimes in Bar's , besides drinking and oggling ladyboys .

The new Guess is in its infancy , its developmental stage really , much like the Old Guess was after 2 months , i for one will still be supporting it as far as my budget allows , sux having no job now   .

Last comment i think the new Guess is really want you make of it , dont go expecting to be blown away , go with the attitude if you want to have a good time you will have a damn good time , i hope i dont accidently delete this one  

[Stewart]

(SukhumvitRoad @ Feb. 02 2008,17:01)

Of course not. But it is a classic example of the kind of short-term, let-the-future-take-care-of-itself thinking for which Thais are famed. It's exactly the kind of approach to the world that made Thailand the international basket case that it is today.......

So, you are saying it's OK to lose money?.....

....that is even more short-term that making a profit

[Guest]

(Stewart @ Feb. 02 2008,19:36)

(SukhumvitRoad @ Feb. 02 2008,17:01)

Of course not. But it is a classic example of the kind of short-term, let-the-future-take-care-of-itself thinking for which Thais are famed. It's exactly the kind of approach to the world that made Thailand the international basket case that it is today.......

So, you are saying it's OK to lose money?.....

....that is even more short-term that making a profit  

Is that how you read it?
The glass in half empty, right?

[Looker]

(rick @ Feb. 02 2008,20:05) The glass in half empty, right?

It's all a bit relative, Rick.
Running a biz where you have to deal with people, like a retail operation or a bar/restaurant/club it's really hard, trust me
That doesn't mean that cannot become a huge or at least a good success, but as well maybe doomed to fail for so many circumnstances.
The retail biz nowadays it's no longer what used to be some 30-40 years ago, where a hole in the wall selling a few stuffs a day ensured you a decent living.
Personally, I had a very similar experience to what Jay is doing, I.E. running a club which offers 'sexually' oriented entartainement. No, it was a public bar or club but a sort of membership club, so we could escape all of the hassle of F&B licences and so on, but still operating legally.
The venture lasted a bit more than one year and then myself and the other two partners decided to close it down.
We started as 4 partners but one promtly jumped off as he saw had to (obviously) put hand on his wallet!
So we went on and on, loved by some and not particularly appreciated by others. Since it was a VERY niche club, we had to listen to everybody and trying to satisfy the requests.
Well, it turned out that the people giving us more hassles were in fact our best friends and (by mouth) supporters, and although it wasn't really a 100% purely business operation, we still had to mind at striking a balance every month.
So, those very friends which we trusted and listen to turned out (almost) to be the worst nightmare in abusing our premises and our time. Lastly, when we proposed to have some sort of paying memebership, they run away annoyed by that despite having abused of our kindness.
Moral: A business has to viable, and don't count on who it telling you this and that because they'll (likely) be the last in wanting to give any real help or support.
Learnt on my wallet!

[stogie bear]

Good post.

[Masahiko]

Wow, the forum turning on the Guess Bar, never thought I would see that.

I am a forum stalker, I participate when I feel there is something I can contribute but mostly sit back and see what others say. I watched as the forum made the Guess Bar and even gave it it's own area, but then again thats when it was getting almost daily photo updates from everyone. Then the Guess Bar photo ban came into play and now we rarely get photo updates. I loved the old Guess Bar and I spent plenty of money in it (sorry Stogie, I enjoy wasting it) as a matter of fact I was there 2 of the 3 days last June when Joy set the 3 day record. I am in BKK 3-5 days a month and I would always stop there and I know some of the girls prior to their Guess Bar fame.

I agree with many here that the new Guess Bar stinks. If I want loud music and a bad atmosphere I can go to any bar in Nana or Patpong and get that, the friendliness of the old Guess Bar appears to be long gone.

Joy had a great idea and product but it seems to have gone off course and maybe it is because her and Gong are exhausted, but that is not the patrons fault is it?

Thats my two yen and lastly I must say I hated the pool table both old and new.

[Guest]

I had the fortune to visit Guess just before it moved to Soi 4. Have not had the pleasure of the new Guess yet. The old bar was great and it evolved into what we all enjoyed. i am sure Jay will guide the new bar in a direction that pleases most customers.

Another key factor is the amount of girls available in the new bar compared with guess on soi 1. It was almost like the girls there were family we had become familiar with Janes exploits and ferns new tits! We all enjoyed reading about the going and comings at the old bar even if we could not be there in person.

The new bar has double the amount of girls and it is not suprising that some of the cosy charm has left the new bar. i am sure that the cream will rise to the surface and we will all be familiar with some of the girls when the high season is over.

Obviously with new girls the earning power of the bar is increased which in the end I am sure will give rise to a better bar. Perhaps we need a few more stories from the new bar to make us all at ease with the way things are going and become familiar with some of the charecters in the new Guess.

Looking forward to june to check out the dark bar.

[mardhi]

(Masahiko @ Feb. 02 2008,22:35) Wow, the forum turning on the Guess Bar, never thought I would see that.  

I am a forum stalker, I participate when I feel there is something I can contribute but mostly sit back and see what others say.  I watched as the forum made the Guess Bar and even gave it it's own area, but then again thats when it was getting almost daily photo updates from everyone.  Then the Guess Bar photo ban came into play and now we rarely get photo updates.  I loved the old Guess Bar and I spent plenty of money in it (sorry Stogie, I enjoy wasting it) as a matter of fact I was there 2 of the 3 days last June when Joy set the 3 day record.  I am in BKK 3-5 days a month and I would always stop there and I know some of the girls prior to their Guess Bar fame.

I agree with many here that the new Guess Bar stinks.  If I want loud music and a bad atmosphere I can go to any bar in Nana or Patpong and get that, the friendliness of the old Guess Bar appears to be long gone.  

Joy had a great idea and product but it seems to have gone off course and maybe it is because her and Gong are exhausted, but that is not the patrons fault is it?

Thats my two yen and lastly I must say I hated the pool table both old and new.

Good post and well said - the new bar is different but that does not mean it will be staying that way. Reality is, that 9/10 guys will not notice any difference - its still minimal hassle, fair pricing and no scams - however the style while being similar to the old bar, is now more like an active bar with pool table etc - the biggest drawback of the current place is the lack of space for the girls to show off and dance - I now Jay is working on how to address this and I suspect that some kind of catwalk will end up appearing between all the sofa sets once one pool table gets the chop. Equally she has to be very aware, that strangely enough, the pool tables keep people in the bar longer and they spend more money within the bar. I am not saying its better - I actually miss the old bar and what she had done but she did say she intends to bring back the Plasma once she figures out exactly where its going to go. Its not easy with so many things to think about - she had the luxury before, of TIME to plan - she did not really have that this time around.

Lets see what the coming months bring in terms of modifications to the interior but for sure, she is on the same page as others - its just a question of how and when to please most people.

Cheers
Mardhi

[Guest]

(Masahiko @ Feb. 02 2008,23:35) Wow, the forum turning on the Guess Bar, never thought I would see that.  

I am a forum stalker, I participate when I feel there is something I can contribute but mostly sit back and see what others say.  I watched as the forum made the Guess Bar and even gave it it's own area, but then again thats when it was getting almost daily photo updates from everyone.  Then the Guess Bar photo ban came into play and now we rarely get photo updates.  I loved the old Guess Bar and I spent plenty of money in it (sorry Stogie, I enjoy wasting it) as a matter of fact I was there 2 of the 3 days last June when Joy set the 3 day record.  I am in BKK 3-5 days a month and I would always stop there and I know some of the girls prior to their Guess Bar fame.

I agree with many here that the new Guess Bar stinks.  If I want loud music and a bad atmosphere I can go to any bar in Nana or Patpong and get that, the friendliness of the old Guess Bar appears to be long gone.  

Joy had a great idea and product but it seems to have gone off course and maybe it is because her and Gong are exhausted, but that is not the patrons fault is it?

Thats my two yen and lastly I must say I hated the pool table both old and new.

Good post and right on target. The next move, I would do a few things differently. Get rid of one of not both pool tables; lower the music and play the kind the customers want; open in the afternoon; and find a place with rooms upstairs within walking distance of the present location. (Suk 5 - 39).

[jaime24]

Having been to both old and new Guess bar's,
i would agree it is a change of style, but as it has been pointed out , this was forced on Jay and not of her own making, and i for one think she has done a great job of relocating and opening up again in such a short time
on my return in march i will be back in there if the bar (and i hope it is) is still going,
ive had great times in both bars and hopefully long may that continue,

[eslmiker]

(ohnoriceagain @ Feb. 02 2008,04:13) .....Not knowing the location, Jay needs to scale it to what the space, location, and clientele will provide for her as a businesswoman.  Smaller group of girls that just don't hang out and play pool but give up the pool tables, flirt, and push the alcohol.

Not knowing the operating costs and traffic, it's hard to give business advice.  And not knowing why she had to leave the former space makes it even harder.  If she's making 50% more than Soi 1, she's done well.

I have not, unfortunately, been to the new Guess Bar. I have just read this whole thread with some level of shock! However, I really loved the old Guess Bar.

Mardhi makes a logical and spirited defence of Jay and the new GB. I would expect nothing less from someone of his intelligence, as well as from his loyalty and support of Jay. However, I believe he said that REVENUE, not profits, were up 50%. He also said that Jay is paying significantly higher rent, in addition to almost tripling the size of her staff. So, I doubt that profits are that much higher than before, if at all.

My trips to LOS and BKK are much less frequent than many BMs. So, I only had the experience of 1 short trip to BKK last September, which was the first and only time I was able to go to the Guess Bar. I gladly spent a significant amount of my limited time in there, and bar fined 3 different GB girls in the 4 nights I was in BKK.

This was because I was able to sit comfortably there, meet the girls, other board members, talk and drink without having my eardrums blasted off, or be constantly stared at & hit upon the way you are in Obsessions, Cascades, etc. As a consequence I dropped a fair amount of baht in drinks.

Without the benefit of observing the new place, it is obviously hard to give an objective opinion. However, it would appear that Jay's revenue has seen a sharp increase from the change to a more 'central' location, with respect to Nana Ent., popular punter hotels, etc. I also believe the new place is ground floor and while not street front, at least close and off a car park. Jay's addition of many more lovely young ladies I'm sure has also helped the jump in revenue. These factors alone would have been almost sure to increase the revenue from the old GB.

However, how much of the revenue increase is from bar fines and how much is from drink sales? It would seem from all the comments and limited facts in this thread that bar fines have definitely gone up. But, have drink revenues gone up or down? This information is critical in deciding a course of action.

My experience with the BKK LB bar scene is very limited. However, my experience with bars in general is somewhat more extensive. Without making any major renovations, or changing locations again so soon, couldn't Jay make some inexpensive changes to keep the punters in the bar longer and drinking more?

Music more acceptable to us middle aged punters, at a volume which makes it possible to talk without shouting. Requiring the girls to give up their pool game and the table, if other girls can talk customers into playing with them. Having the girls actively talking to the punters, trying to get us LB lovers to buy them drinks etc. Surely these things will help, not hurt the bottom line. So I would support Stogie's and Ohnoriceagain's comments on these things

Anyway, I'll be coming to the new Guess Bar on my upcoming trip and check it out for myself. Look forward to seeing you all then.

[stogie bear]

I hope it gets back on track and stays true to the vision it made successful last year.

To be honest with the summer coming up I don't fancy spending my nights at Lucky Lukes!

[eltel]

Having been to both locations I think the new venue is OK.

I prefer the location as it's down the road from Nana plaza.

Smaller of course but that can't be helped (for now).

It's a nice alternative to the Nana Bars

I don't really care about the music in GB as I have a varied taste.
However it can be a tad loud. I had to at times have the LB shout at me so I could hear her.

But I don't go in there to hang out. I go in there to look at and in some cases barfine the ladies.

[stogie bear]

Is that blurry avatar Dick Emery?