Talking about a change in business.

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Just as a note the owner of the place really didn't care about that place. He was more into the bar he owned on Broad Street in downtown Newark. I heard that bar got robbed once. The drinks in the place were too cheap. Thus that attracted all kinds of people. Besides that the bar was located on Sherman Avenue in Newark and at the time that entire strip was known for cheap drug prostitutes walking the streets there.

Just so you know I only worked there one night. I covered the bar one night while my partner did another event in a hotel. So your statement about me being concerned about the bar reaching it's full potential is not true. I could care less. I wasn't the regular DJ there. I just started hanging out in the place. My reason for going there was to play the touch screen game they had in the bar.

Later on they had a DJ came in and started playing there. I found out he got the job from someone that had him come and play for their birthday party in that bar. The owner liked what he did and got him to play there on Thursday and Saturday nights. The place was a ugly hole in the wall. People would go in the bathroom getting high. I would come in there and they would look at me very funny like. I would look back at them as if to say keep doing what you're doing, I'm not the police.

Just to get back to the other place for a quick moment. Taso that place normally stayed packed with plenty of drinking customers. Every so often the Lounge had a bad night. Those times were far and few times. A lot of the people who came there were regulars that came there most of the times. Often bringing people with them that didn't either know about the place or were used to going somewhere else. Once they came there, a lot of those people became regulars too because they saw how friendly and peaceful the place was.
You keep missing the simple fact that you keep talking about the past and I keep talking about the present. The nightlife scene has changed drastically since then.
 
Taso if a place is very successful with what they are doing, then why should they change how they are doing things? I say they should only change when what they have been doing stops working. This place had a great run and did so because they were consistent. Also a big plus was the super big parking lot that used to be for Center Meats. It closed down many years ago. After 6pm the metered parking was finished. So you didn't have to worry about getting a ticket. So that was a big help to the Lounge.

One major reason people came there was because they felt safe in the place. The owner made sure she kept the people she felt that were trouble makers out of the place.

Some places just are not careful who they let in their place. The spot around the corner Ashanti's on Friday night after I was done playing at 10pm allowed a bunch of drama for your mama's in the place. I'm talking a bunch of young people paying $10 to get in the place. The DJ was allowed to play all types of music with a bunch of curse words including MF, B the N word and so on. A bunch of them being underage. The owner didn't care. All he saw was he was making money. So the people that knew me and came to hear me play were gone by 9pm. The reason for that is they didn't want to be in there when that hot mess was coming in.

ABC came in and the owner got fined. Not to mention the owner made the DJs playing there hire security. So if you were there in this small place and you were getting paid from the door and was told to supply security, who do you think you would get? So they got a guy they knew looking to make a few dollars and not real security.

The time for me to play there which was 6-10pm there was no need for security. The place is a juice bar now.
 
Taso if a place is very successful with what they are doing, then why should they change how they are doing things? I say they should only change when what they have been doing stops working. This place had a great run and did so because they were consistent. Also a big plus was the super big parking lot that used to be for Center Meats. It closed down many years ago. After 6pm the metered parking was finished. So you didn't have to worry about getting a ticket. So that was a big help to the Lounge.

One major reason people came there was because they felt safe in the place. The owner made sure she kept the people she felt that were trouble makers out of the place.

Some places just are not careful who they let in their place. The spot around the corner Ashanti's on Friday night after I was done playing at 10pm allowed a bunch of drama for your mama's in the place. I'm talking a bunch of young people paying $10 to get in the place. The DJ was allowed to play all types of music with a bunch of curse words including MF, B the N word and so on. A bunch of them being underage. The owner didn't care. All he saw was he was making money. So the people that knew me and came to hear me play were gone by 9pm. The reason for that is they didn't want to be in there when that hot mess was coming in.

ABC came in and the owner got fined. Not to mention the owner made the DJs playing there hire security. So if you were there in this small place and you were getting paid from the door and was told to supply security, who do you think you would get? So they got a guy they knew looking to make a few dollars and not real security.

The time for me to play there which was 6-10pm there was no need for security. The place is a juice bar now.
Mix .. EVERY successful place has to change every so often TO STAY SUCCESSFUL .. that's WHY they have to change.

Car companies wouldn't be selling much today if all they had were the top selling models of 1985.
 
Taso if a place is very successful with what they are doing, then why should they change how they are doing things? I say they should only change when what they have been doing stops working. This place had a great run and did so because they were consistent. Also a big plus was the super big parking lot that used to be for Center Meats. It closed down many years ago. After 6pm the metered parking was finished. So you didn't have to worry about getting a ticket. So that was a big help to the Lounge.

One major reason people came there was because they felt safe in the place. The owner made sure she kept the people she felt that were trouble makers out of the place.

Some places just are not careful who they let in their place. The spot around the corner Ashanti's on Friday night after I was done playing at 10pm allowed a bunch of drama for your mama's in the place. I'm talking a bunch of young people paying $10 to get in the place. The DJ was allowed to play all types of music with a bunch of curse words including MF, B the N word and so on. A bunch of them being underage. The owner didn't care. All he saw was he was making money. So the people that knew me and came to hear me play were gone by 9pm. The reason for that is they didn't want to be in there when that hot mess was coming in.

ABC came in and the owner got fined. Not to mention the owner made the DJs playing there hire security. So if you were there in this small place and you were getting paid from the door and was told to supply security, who do you think you would get? So they got a guy they knew looking to make a few dollars and not real security.

The time for me to play there which was 6-10pm there was no need for security. The place is a juice bar now.
DO you know anything about the nightlife scene of today? You only talk about a past that doesn't exist now. As steve said, everything needs to change somehow to be successful. You change because of the changes that go on around you... some you have to adjust for, and some you don't. But even simple things like rent going up and people getting older can affect a business model and require it to change. It was great for that generation of clientele at that particular same... but that doesn't mean it would continue to do so without changing.
 
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So your statement about me being concerned about the bar reaching it's full potential is not true. I could care less.
Actually, that was your statement - not mine. Here it is to remind you:
... good ideas to present to an owner where a place is not reaching it's full potential.. Again I said giving suggestions to a owner.
And if you could care less, then why are you still talking about this 3 pages later.
 
Radio Shack did not change their image, or the products they sold that nobody ever wants. Look what happened to them!

What exactly did Sears change at all over the past 10+ years to compete with competition and improve? I cant think of a single thing! ...And now they are on the verge of going out of business

Look at the New YorkJets! Their last SUperbowl was 1968....50 years ago!!! Possibly the worst franchise in the NFL today. What have they changed in 50 years to improve and get back to the superbowl? ...I can assure you they have made many, many changes over the years, but they were all terrible decisions!!! LMAO :)


My Redskins ain't much better...I'm use to being disappointed by those losers every year. I usually smell the utter disappointment around week 8 every season LOL. . I don't even hardly watch them any more. Last Super Bowl was 1992!
 
Taso if a place is very successful with what they are doing, then why should they change how they are doing things? I say they should only change when what they have been doing stops working. This place had a great run and did so because they were consistent. Also a big plus was the super big parking lot that used to be for Center Meats. It closed down many years ago. After 6pm the metered parking was finished. So you didn't have to worry about getting a ticket. So that was a big help to the Lounge.

One major reason people came there was because they felt safe in the place. The owner made sure she kept the people she felt that were trouble makers out of the place.

Some places just are not careful who they let in their place. The spot around the corner Ashanti's on Friday night after I was done playing at 10pm allowed a bunch of drama for your mama's in the place. I'm talking a bunch of young people paying $10 to get in the place. The DJ was allowed to play all types of music with a bunch of curse words including MF, B the N word and so on. A bunch of them being underage. The owner didn't care. All he saw was he was making money. So the people that knew me and came to hear me play were gone by 9pm. The reason for that is they didn't want to be in there when that hot mess was coming in.

ABC came in and the owner got fined. Not to mention the owner made the DJs playing there hire security. So if you were there in this small place and you were getting paid from the door and was told to supply security, who do you think you would get? So they got a guy they knew looking to make a few dollars and not real security.

The time for me to play there which was 6-10pm there was no need for security. The place is a juice bar now.


In the bar business going out of business is sometimes a slow process. Generally everyone doesn't leave at once it's months or sometimes years and all of a sudden the place is empty. Proactive management is necessary in the bar business recognize trends and act on them. If you get a 5 year run in that business without a major change or re-branding you've done well.

You say your friend was there 27 years? There's one of probably many reason the locks are on the doors now. Bar DJ's are like diapers they need to be changed on a regular basis and usually for the same reason ;)
 
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In the bar business going out of business is sometimes a slow process. Generally everyone doesn't leave at once it's months or sometimes years and all of a sudden the place is empty. Proactive management is necessary in the bar business recognize trends and act on them. If you get a 5 year run in that business without a major change or re-branding you've done well.

You say your friend was there 27 years? There's one of probably many reason the locks are on the doors now. Bar DJ's are like diapers they need to be changed on a regular basis and usually for the same reason ;)
I almost agreed with you till you talked about my friend who played there for 27 years. You don't stay in a place that long without being damn good! His adjustment to things were spot on.

He was eventually working on not playing there on Friday night and turning it over to me. The management wouldn't have had a problem with that. One thing I personally hated some people telling me they liked me better than my friend. I hated that because I was not in competition with him. He's a great DJ and great guy. He was a big reason I got to play in the place covering for the DJs that played there when they had jobs somewhere else.

One of his favorite lines was he had to watch out for me because I would steal his job from him. I told him I don't step on my friends toes. Now if I don't know you that's a different story. You better have your game up.

I know he was just saying that as a compliment.
 
You don't stay in a place that long without being damn good!

... or cheap .. or convenient ... or any number of other possibilities. He may certainly have been good, but that's not always the reason we stay with someone.
 
... or cheap .. or convenient ... or any number of other possibilities. He may certainly have been good, but that's not always the reason we stay with someone.
He was getting paid $200 a night and he worked there Thursday and Friday nights. For a Lounge that was more like a bar that's good money for a DJ to be paid around here. Only places that will pay a DJ more is a big club that's making plenty of money.

He was able to last that long there because he became a legend in that place.. A big reason people came there was because of him. He knew and still does know how to please a crowd.
 
He was getting paid $200 a night and he worked there Thursday and Friday nights. For a Lounge that was more like a bar that's good money for a DJ to be paid around here. Only places that will pay a DJ more is a big club that's making plenty of money.

He was able to last that long there because he became a legend in that place.. A big reason people came there was because of him. He knew and still does know how to please a crowd.
you don't get around much. Most bars do pay more than that to their resident dj's. Big clubs do pay even more, but they also bring in bigger dj's... some commanding 15-25k a show, depending on how big the club is. $200 on your 1 mile radius perhaps might be the norm, but not at most bars that bring in a decent sized crowd. Even the 20yr old djs that work with me and also at a local bar on their off days get paid more than $200.
 
you don't get around much. Most bars do pay more than that to their resident dj's. Big clubs do pay even more, but they also bring in bigger dj's... some commanding 15-25k a show, depending on how big the club is. $200 on your 1 mile radius perhaps might be the norm, but not at most bars that bring in a decent sized crowd. Even the 20yr old djs that work with me and also at a local bar on their off days get paid more than $200.
You said it. Around here that's the norm. You're talking about a DJ that can bring in a special guest DJ getting paid over 10k. That means the place has to be able to make more than enough money to pay that special guest DJ. That place could never do such a thing. It wasn't big enough to hold that many people to justify doing such a thing. For that particular place that was good pay for a DJ. Maybe the DJ who worked there on Saturday night got paid a little more.

The places you're talking about I bet the drinks are super expensive. A place like that one could never get carried away with charging a ridiculous price for drinks. It was a nice place but not that spectacular. I get your point. For me I had no problem working there because it was a friendly peaceful place where rarely had someone acting up and being thrown out. Also you never worried about your pay being short. Unlike some places when they have a bad night they tell you they can only pay you a certain amount which is way below the price you agreed on to work there.
 
You said it. Around here that's the norm. You're talking about a DJ that can bring in a special guest DJ getting paid over 10k. That means the place has to be able to make more than enough money to pay that special guest DJ. That place could never do such a thing. It wasn't big enough to hold that many people to justify doing such a thing. For that particular place that was good pay for a DJ. Maybe the DJ who worked there on Saturday night got paid a little more.

The places you're talking about I bet the drinks are super expensive. A place like that one could never get carried away with charging a ridiculous price for drinks. It was a nice place but not that spectacular. I get your point. For me I had no problem working there because it was a friendly peaceful place where rarely had someone acting up and being thrown out. Also you never worried about your pay being short. Unlike some places when they have a bad night they tell you they can only pay you a certain amount which is way below the price you agreed on to work there.
you totally missed the last line... the dj's working local bars make around $350-$600. Your guy was making $200. Even weekday nights they could make $4-$500. And the places I used to work when I focused on bars/clubs didn't have fights either. But after looking up the private place and seeing a picture... I can see why it closed down and I can also see why they don't pay more than $200. Unless you lived within walking distance there, there's no reason to show up there... and if the only clientele you have is within walking distance, that's not a huge amount of people. Very easy to see how it can go out of business with operating costs going up yearly, yet the amount of people you can attract stays the same... and you can't raise prices on them since they're accustomed to lower than average prices.

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The places bringing in a big dj are huge nightclubs... you weren't not comparing apples to apple with that analogy when you mentioned big clubs, because chances are, they're not bringing in local dj's anyways.
 
you totally missed the last line... the dj's working local bars make around $350-$600. Your guy was making $200. Even weekday nights they could make $4-$500. And the places I used to work when I focused on bars/clubs didn't have fights either. But after looking up the private place and seeing a picture... I can see why it closed down and I can also see why they don't pay more than $200. Unless you lived within walking distance there, there's no reason to show up there... and if the only clientele you have is within walking distance, that's not a huge amount of people. Very easy to see how it can go out of business with operating costs going up yearly, yet the amount of people you can attract stays the same... and you can't raise prices on them since they're accustomed to lower than average prices.

View attachment 35769

The places bringing in a big dj are huge nightclubs... you weren't not comparing apples to apple with that analogy when you mentioned big clubs, because chances are, they're not bringing in local dj's anyways.
Again I explained the reasons she finally closed the doors. Actually it was 1 door into the place. My friend told me after her husband died she was planning on shutting it down. The people that worked there begged her to stay open. He told me that was another 10 years. I also was told she had 2 other jobs besides running the Lounge. Basically she just got tired of running the place along with the repairs needed in the place and the barber shop not paying their rent on time.

So the thing I do agree with is this. As the cost of things go up the place needs to make more money than it did before. The bills were getting paid because they kept people coming to the place. A lot of times you could barely get in the place it would be so packed. Also the majority of the people who came there weren't people that nursed one or two drinks all night. The place made plenty of money and it was a well oiled machine. She kept things very organized.

Too end it 2 things. Plenty of people came there that didn't live anywhere near the place. Some lived in PA. A bunch of us hate it's no longer open including me and my friend. Nothing can be done about it now unless I hit the Mega Millions or Power Ball and buy the place from her to open it back up. At an rate she's my all time personal favorite owner.
 
Again I explained the reasons she finally closed the doors. Actually it was 1 door into the place. My friend told me after her husband died she was planning on shutting it down. The people that worked there begged her to stay open. He told me that was another 10 years. I also was told she had 2 other jobs besides running the Lounge. Basically she just got tired of running the place along with the repairs needed in the place and the barber shop not paying their rent on time.

So the thing I do agree with is this. As the cost of things go up the place needs to make more money than it did before. The bills were getting paid because they kept people coming to the place. A lot of times you could barely get in the place it would be so packed. Also the majority of the people who came there weren't people that nursed one or two drinks all night. The place made plenty of money and it was a well oiled machine. She kept things very organized.

Too end it 2 things. Plenty of people came there that didn't live anywhere near the place. Some lived in PA. A bunch of us hate it's no longer open including me and my friend. Nothing can be done about it now unless I hit the Mega Millions or Power Ball and buy the place from her to open it back up. At an rate she's my all time personal favorite owner.
If it was doing so well, why did she need multiple jobs. If this was a moneymaker, why not keep this, be her own boss, and quit the other jobs. Just cause bills are getting paid it doesn’t mean it’s providing a living... and at that point why waste the time and energy if it’s not making your life financially better, and you’re one bad week away from going into the negatives. There’s more to operating a business and being successful than what you see on the outside.
 
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If it was doing so well, why did she need multiple jobs. If this was a moneymaker, why not keep this, be her own boss, and quit the other jobs. Just cause bills are getting paid it doesn’t mean it’s providing a living... and at that point why waste the time and energy if it’s not making your life financially better, and you’re one bad week away from going into the negatives. There’s more to operating a business and being successful than what you see on the outside.
She retired from the other 2 jobs. One I know was working for the city of Orange, NJ and another job as well. I understand what you're saying and I agree with you. There's more to be considered when running a place like that one.

The thing I know for sure that I and the people who worked there liked was never worrying about getting paid all their money. I was there one Thursday night covering for my friend. It had snowed that day and they weren't sure if they were going to open. They did and at 11pm the manager said shut it down. So I packed up my gear, got paid and left. Never worrying about the amount in the envelope. One other good thing I forgot to mention is the fact that I could leave my gear in the place if I was working the following night without worrying about anything happening to it.

There are places I would never do that!
 
He was getting paid $200 a night and he worked there Thursday and Friday nights. For a Lounge that was more like a bar that's good money for a DJ to be paid around here. Only places that will pay a DJ more is a big club that's making plenty of money.

He was able to last that long there because he became a legend in that place.. A big reason people came there was because of him. He knew and still does know how to please a crowd.

After 27 years it really doesn't matter how good or bad he was he was little more than a piece of the furniture. For every one that came to see him there were 2 that's wouldn't because he was there. It's not a slight on him it's the nature of the beast

you totally missed the last line... the dj's working local bars make around $350-$600. Your guy was making $200. Even weekday nights they could make $4-$500. And the places I used to work when I focused on bars/clubs didn't have fights either. But after looking up the private place and seeing a picture... I can see why it closed down and I can also see why they don't pay more than $200. Unless you lived within walking distance there, there's no reason to show up there... and if the only clientele you have is within walking distance, that's not a huge amount of people. Very easy to see how it can go out of business with operating costs going up yearly, yet the amount of people you can attract stays the same... and you can't raise prices on them since they're accustomed to lower than average prices.

View attachment 35769

The places bringing in a big dj are huge nightclubs... you weren't not comparing apples to apple with that analogy when you mentioned big clubs, because chances are, they're not bringing in local dj's anyways.

Around here you are looking at $75-$150 on the high end for a resident DJ. It's a little better than a minimum wage job all things being considered.
 
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After 27 years it really doesn't matter how good or bad he was he was little more than a piece of the furniture. For every one that came to see him there were 2 that's wouldn't because he was there. It's not a slight on him it's the nature of the beast



Around here you are looking at $75-$150 on the high end for a resident DJ. It's a little better than a minimum wage job all things being considered.
I totally get everywhere being different, but mix literally is 15 miles away, and because jersey is so small, there are opportunities everywhere but he talks like he lives in a bubble of 1 square mile lol.
 
I totally get everywhere being different, but mix literally is 15 miles away, and because jersey is so small, there are opportunities everywhere but he talks like he lives in a bubble of 1 square mile lol.
Given that about 50% of the time the van is either not running or stuck in a parking garage waiting to be bailed out, it's probably too far to have him walk.

And the Private Place Lounge .. I'd be more worried about a vehicle going through the guardrail on the bridge and coming through the roof of the place.
 
Given that about 50% of the time the van is either not running or stuck in a parking garage waiting to be bailed out, it's probably too far to have him walk.

And the Private Place Lounge .. I'd be more worried about a vehicle going through the guardrail on the bridge and coming through the roof of the place.
Where in the world did you get my van keeps breaking down. My van is running great. The last issue is the battery went dead. That's no major catastrophe. Just replace the battery and I'm riding again.

Right now even though we're having this conversation I'm not working right now because I need the surgery. Do have an appointment to see a doctor on Tuesday. I just hope he can do the surgery so I can get out of the pain I'm in.