Opening A Pub In Bsas

BsAsIrish

Registered
Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Messages
44
Likes
4
Hey guys i would be grateful if any advice you can give regarding opening a pub in BsAs.
When i was last there in 2008 the Irish pub scene was pretty poor and typically false, even though BsAs is the largest irish community of a non-english speaking country.
I have saved a few quid over the past years with a view to doing this.. However id appreciate any insider help anyone can give. Would be great if anyone has idea on premises. Ideally i would be looking for a lease, leaving money to cover legal costs and fitting out the pub . anything else you want to mention please feel free to add.

Cheers
BsAsIrish!
 
Ceviche

Drop me a pm if you like. I would without doubt be keen on a partner. I lived in BsAs for 6 months back in 2008 and have a fair idea of what im looking to do, however even though my head is fairly well screwed on BsAs can spin you round and sell you to your shadow if your not careful! Have you been living in BsAs for long? Are you familiar with business set-up protocol there?

Cheers
BsAsIrish
 
Ceviche

Drop me a pm if you like. I would without doubt be keen on a partner. I lived in BsAs for 6 months back in 2008 and have a fair idea of what im looking to do, however even though my head is fairly well screwed on BsAs can spin you round and sell you to your shadow if your not careful! Have you been living in BsAs for long? Are you familiar with business set-up protocol there?

Cheers
BsAsIrish

May God have mercy on your souls :huh:
 
See my recent comments on corruption in Argentina in a recent thread, which has a few comments about this particular subject.

Be prepared to either 1) pay bribes or 2) go out of business. That is the biggest thing that owners of bars and clubs have right now, is staying open. The biggest concentration of issues seems to be related to occupancy / fire inspections, although there are a myriad of other issues involved in this as well.

And that is if you can even find a place to rent that will take you as a renter. The minimum business lease here is three years and you have to have other property that you own (or someone you know owns) to secure the lease, as a garantia (it's not a law, but nearly all property owners require a garantia). Unless you are talking about renting a property in a bad part of town, that would probably be run-down and possibly dangerous for clientele (and yourselves), I doubt you'll find a property owner that will be willing to rent to a foreigner (or anyone else, for that matter) unless you can come up with a garantia.

I'm not saying it's impossible - I know three guys who have been quite successful at opening a very popular bar with two locations. But it is not for the faint of heart and someone with a little bit of money, and you will go through travail after travail, most likely, in getting the place up and running and keeping it so over time.

As Bajo_Cero mentioned in that other thread, there are a lot of bars here who launder money and the police and all manner of officials are looking to cash in on such money-makers. Even if you're running an honest business (as do the guys I know, as far as they are able, and certainly started off that way completely), you will be a target.

Your experience from 2008 will not necessarily bring much to the table these days either. Things have changed significantly since then economically and including things like imports. However, the one business that does seem to continuously generate money is the sale of alcohol - i.e., clubs intended to allow the young ones of the city to souse themselves at will, in great numbers.

Also, to make a truly authentic Irish pub here, you have to think about the availability of things that you want to include in your establishment and the products you would offer and how you will get them here.

Then, you have to start thinking about labor issues. High taxes, awful labor laws that completely favor the worker, 13 months' salary per year required (among many other bad labor laws) and give the employer very little real ability to fire people that don't work (for example) - unless you want to have people who work for you for less than three months and you let them go before they hit that three month limit (that's when you can let someone go, during their "probationary" period, if you don't like the way they do their job, before you become encumbered with a bunch of crap). You will have a hard time finding someone like a manager that you can trust to run the place, so you will have to be there pretty much all the time or worry about pilfering or down right stealing, lack of service and caring about the place, etc.

Not an easy task. Don't want to discourage you, but you have to know the truth of how things are here.
 
They could always hire Bajo as their lawyer and every time they need to break the law paying a bribe they could call Bajo.. Bajo to the rescue! Dun dun da naa Dun dun da naa!

The Bajo could legally explain to the police and inspectors that they are not selling contraband and there is no corruption in Argentina and the bribe taking corrupt police and inspectors would magical turn into loyal faithful followers of the righteous K political system.

Oh no wait.. were talking about reality here.
 
I have seen several "pub" type places open lately, pretty successfully. But I dont know if an irish pub, especially if your main goal is authenticity, would make it.
Buenos Aires is not in Ireland.
Real japanese restaurants dont make it here, because nobody will eat raw fish.
Real Indian or Mexican food has to be watered down, because argentines go nuts if they walk by a hot sauce store.

That said, ignore the naysayers- a half dozen expats open bars or restaurants every year, and make a go of it.
NOLA is basically a pub, and its packed.
The trick is- low overhead, good food, and cheap, quality beer. No fancy decorations, no attitude, no attempt to be "authentic" except to be authentic to the feelings of the owners.
Across the street, the rib joint is killer, too.
La Cresta is half owned (english husband, argentine wife) by expats. Its so busy they are opening location number 2.

Its true, there are lots of local complications to any business. But its still a city full of businesses, including bars and restaurants. Its possible.
 
Just remember this : if any situation gets problematic, make sure it is illegal, that way you can always pay the proper bribe and solve the problem. The real nag is to get something done that is perfectly legal, it is almost impossible!!!
 
Just remember this : if any situation gets problematic, make sure it is illegal, that way you can always pay the proper bribe and solve the problem. The real nag is to get something done that is perfectly legal, it is almost impossible!!!

LOL I am laughing but I feel like I should crying. Because these Zombies in South America have so much pride about their countries. But you just spelled it all out. I am starting to think that this side of on the continent is completely and utterly insane along with the majority of the locals. But on a very deep sub conscious level that is hard to recognize unless you have lived here a long time.If you think about it 135% plus taxes on business profits plus pay bribes. Employees are Gods gift to business in an completely dysfunctional economy. I could continue but it is not worth the effort.
 
Get on a plane . Bring your notebook and a recorder. Schedule one on one meetings with 10 of the current expat Pub/Bar owners. Make a chart. FF&B and pros and cons. Remember you are not unique and your business plan is not unique so their experience will apply to you and your success. If it still seems like a good idea, then triple check and move on the plan.
 
Back
Top