Bar + is perhaps the most unusual format. Here we need to talk not about the emergence of this direction as a whole, but to consider each case separately.
For example, the first bar + was the laundry, or laundromat, as it is commonly called in the West. Combining something with a bar is a great way to make extra money: self-service laundromats provide their customers with a delicious cocktail, drink coffee, watch a movie, play sports, play with children and even sing karaoke while doing laundry. The history of laundromats with additional service in the USA begins in 1984, when laundry began to be combined with a pleasant pastime.
In Paris, the bar was combined with the Renault car showroom! “Atelier Reno” is open from 10 am to 1.30 am, a special pride of this place – beautiful alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails and branded ice cream. In addition to classic cocktails, customers are offered drinks named after the legendary race tracks: Indianapolis, Silverstone, Monza, Altert Park, Interlagos, Hungaroring. Even one of the branded ice creams – green lemon sorbet, mango, roasted almonds and curacao – is named after the racing team – Renault F1 Team. In Russia, such concepts have not yet been noticed.
Russia has its own interesting bar+ projects
Firstly, it is a bar and an institute in one. The Strelka Bar is a platform for informal communication created within the Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design. All profits from the work of the bar go to support the Institute. The institution is located on the territory of Red October, on the site of a former garage for cars that transported the products of the plant. Secondly, – bar + boutique “Denis Simachev Bar and Boutique”.
Well, and one more non-standard combination – a wine bar at a wine boutique – “Vinoteka”. This is exactly a bar, not a cafe-restaurant where you can have a great meal and drink excellent wine, there is a real bar counter in the “Vinoteka”, behind which real bartenders work, they only pour whiskey and wine, not Pina Colada and Screwdriver.
The peculiarities of the format are, of course, the unusual combinations, your imagination here is limited only by the availability of funds. In addition, “attaching” a bar to something that already exists is an additional income. Of course, the advantage of the bar + can be considered that there are at least 2 entertainments for guests – the bar itself and what it adjoins, which means that they will spend 2 times more time in the institution, choosing cocktails, trying on clothes or visiting couples.
The complexities and disadvantages of the format, as well as the advantages, are due to the unusualness. There will always be something incompatible, for which it is quite difficult to obtain a license, for example, Strelka, formally it is an institution, and according to the law, an institution selling alcohol or tobacco products should be located no closer than 100 meters from an educational institution.
Bar+ Strelka in Moscow
A feature of the bar + can be considered the need to select a large room, otherwise 2 projects will not fit in it, because you need additional space to hang clothes or place laundromats. It is better if the institution is located closer to the center, people are unlikely to go somewhere far away even for a curiosity! But on the other hand, this format allows you to give more different advertising, and, for example, even if alcohol advertising is banned, you can always get out by advertising clothes. Well, different combinations can cover different audiences: a girl tries on a dress, a young man drinks a cocktail, now he will not refuse to go shopping with her.
Bar + boutique “Denis Simachev Bar and Boutique”
And the peculiarity of the bar at the store is, of course, the opportunity to drink on the spot everything that you see on the shelves, and at the “price of the shelf”.
To sum up:
Pros: guests spend more time in such a bar; the concept can be implemented by expanding your core business; fantasy is not limited;
Cons: more difficult to obtain a license and permits; it is more difficult to find a room;
Features: you need a large room; You can give multi-directional advertising.