Where to open a jazz restaurant on Samui

[Saladin]

I am planning to relocate to Koh Samui in February and will spend the first couple of months getting the feel of the place and how things work. Then I will want to start a small business, possibly a restaurant specialising in pizzas and crepes etc. I am not interested in attracting the Girlie Bar clientele (no pool tables, no TV showing sport etc). Instead I want it to be a bit more up-market and cater to locals, visiting couples and single women. If possible I would like to have live jazz playing at nights so it would need to seat 80 or so inside and outside to make it economically viable.

My questions are (1) Where would be the best location for this - Chaweng, Lamai, or Bophut? (2) I have been to the International Jazz Week before but the performers were mainly visiting from Europe, Africa and the Caribbean. Are there any good jazz musos on Samui, either locals or expats?

Edited December 12, 2013 by Rooo
Format

[Mole]

Are you planning to do this in order to make a profit, or just doing it out of passion?

I can't see how this could possibly be able to make any profit here in Samui. Especially since you're narrowing the clientele to "up-market and cater to locals, visiting couples and single women".

There simply aren't enough people like that to be able to sustain your business on this island.

If this is what you wanna do profitably, you should probably open in Bangkok where there certainly are enough people who fits your criteria. (Whether they'll actually decide to regularly come is another matter..)

You have to accept the fact that most expats on this island happens to be a "barfly" who don't mind a beer and a couple of nice girlies nearby. Even those girlie bars are hardly making any profit.

Tourists hardly come here to Samui for its jazz bars and authentic pizzas and crepes.

And I'm also looking for single women...

Edited December 12, 2013 by Mole

[Jose]

Instead I want it to be a bit more up-market and cater to locals, visiting couples and single women

I see what you're doing there...

[Rooo]

Honestly, you are not ready to open a business here. You can't count on other people doing your leg work for you.

Advise is to come & spend a few months here before you do anything & do your own market research .

OR

Employ a market research company.

[Samui Coconut]

Use the 2 month wisely and check around. Do your homework during that time and whilst trying to attract the upper market type clientele (good intention), you must come up with something really nice/good to get them to you. They are around (less than the middle class of cause), but don't forget this upper class expects upper class environment, food, service etc..... and not everyone (including me) likes jazz. Make it a music café/restaurant...rather than specializing on one type of music only....As for location, stick around the busier areas or an area which is easily reachable by the busier areas. Think of parking as well, and then you need the musicians, and of cause qualified staff and ....I could go on for ages.......but I wont.

[samuijimmy]

I would agree and add to the above comment, from Samui Coconut, that look around for more than two months.... look at high and low season traffic!... An empty bar still has overheads!

Take on Rooo's and Moles, comments and do the "leg work" yourself, rather than relying on consultants or locals... Personally I don't think it will fly, but I am not a jazz fan either... or a "bar fly" for that matter!

[carmine]

I wouldn't advise anyone to invest any money here.

[Samui Coconut]

I wouldn't advise anyone to invest any money here.

...and why not ???

[carmine]

I wouldn't advise anyone to invest any money here.

...and why not ???

Where to begin....political uncertainty and only going to get worse, corruption rife, developing country with third world mentality.....that would be enough for me anyway. Theres far better places to invest than a country thats going to get left behind by its neighbors and is already making a fool of itself with regards ASEAN.

Anyway, thats my opinion but i doubt those already invested would admit to agreeing with me. Atleast it offers an honest "opinion" for the OP to dwell on.

[Tropicalevo]

I wouldn't advise anyone to invest any money here.

That's one point of view carmine BUT - my glass is half full.

To be fair, people come here for different reasons.

I never came to Samui to make money - I came here for a lifestyle change. I was fed up of living in hotels and on airplanes.

Making money here (legally) is hard work - just like most other places in the world. Costs on Samui are high compared to other parts of Thailand, but people expect to pay a low price as if Samui was still in the 1980's.

I started a business here when I first arrived - mostly to try and reduce my living costs. It took some years, but the business is now profitable and sustainable.

The land that I purchased (and built on) is worth lots more than I paid and the government estimated price for that land (for tax calculations) is one of the highest prices on the island.

The downside - low season can be really low. This does not affect my business that much - but it is a killer for bars/restaurants etc. Also, the politics/corruption/coup rumours etc etc can be disconcerting but they seem to have less impact on Samui than in Bangkok say.

To summerise -

Do you research/homework.

Create a proper business plan (assume little or no income in the early days)

Be careful who you trust and who you take advice from - not everyone is honest. Even lawyers!

I achieved my goals - I love living here. It's great. Warts and all.

Good luck

[Samui Coconut]

I wouldn't advise anyone to invest any money here.

...and why not ???

Where to begin....political uncertainty and only going to get worse, corruption rife, developing country with third world mentality.....that would be enough for me anyway. Theres far better places to invest than a country thats going to get left behind by its neighbors and is already making a fool of itself with regards ASEAN.

Anyway, thats my opinion but i doubt those already invested would admit to agreeing with me. Atleast it offers an honest "opinion" for the OP to dwell on.

Not wanna get into now....as you said...your (one!) opinion.....

[carmine]

I wouldn't advise anyone to invest any money here.

That's one point of view carmine BUT - my glass is half full.

To be fair, people come here for different reasons.

I never came to Samui to make money - I came here for a lifestyle change. I was fed up of living in hotels and on airplanes.

Making money here (legally) is hard work - just like most other places in the world. Costs on Samui are high compared to other parts of Thailand, but people expect to pay a low price as if Samui was still in the 1980's.

I started a business here when I first arrived - mostly to try and reduce my living costs. It took some years, but the business is now profitable and sustainable.

The land that I purchased (and built on) is worth lots more than I paid and the government estimated price for that land (for tax calculations) is one of the highest prices on the island.

The downside - low season can be really low. This does not affect my business that much - but it is a killer for bars/restaurants etc. Also, the politics/corruption/coup rumours etc etc can be disconcerting but they seem to have less impact on Samui than in Bangkok say.

To summerise -

Do you research/homework.

Create a proper business plan (assume little or no income in the early days)

Be careful who you trust and who you take advice from - not everyone is honest. Even lawyers!

I achieved my goals - I love living here. It's great. Warts and all.

Good luck

My glass is always half full. I'm just being honest. I do well financially here, i just don't like the place, but am not at a stage of my life when i realistically what to start up again. Thats another thing the OP should consider.

[Battybird]

And this is the same Saladin who only one topic below this is asking where be can locate a furniture showroom!!!

[SamuiDude]

And this is the same Saladin who only one topic below this is asking where be can locate a furniture showroom!!!

Jazzbar- / furniture showroom, with a little adjustment you could easily combine these

Going either three-way, I would really check the island for what it is...

Most of the the people who live here - love it and wouldn`t live anywhere else..

fFnd out what your connection to the island is and choose what it is lacking?

Remember that soon there´s this giant 400 meters long mall that will change Chaweng business as it stands..

Good luck.

[Jose]

Find out what your connection to the island is and choose what it is lacking?

Good idea - how about a large indoor ski slope?

Oh, wait...

[samuibruno]

hi all

my opinion is that locals eat here all year round and support good food [not chaweng prices]

if you can get the locals eating at your intended operation on a regular basis you may survive with the jazz as an added extra earner[or looser]

we all have to eat[well most of us]but we all may not like jazz

a restaurant with dedicated no smoking area may be a hit [with non smokers] as i hate to inhale used smoke when dining out

just a thought

[Higgins]

I heard a Jazz bar was being built already in Chaweng on the road from the lake down to Q bar and temple road past the Ice bar. On the left as you drive out. Awful idea and downright stoopid idea I thought unless you enjoy burning cash

(apologies that I navigate by those equally stoopid dog-end eyesore places I mention)

Jazz mags would be a better idea

[CaptainS]

Walking and driving around I can still see almost all the restaurants and bars nearly empty, same for many months already. Even in hotspots like fisherman village most of the restaurants have very few tables busy.

I thought this would be high season already, really wonder if it will be different in one or two weeks. I think in Samui there are probably just too many restaurants and bars already.

[carmine]

Walking and driving around I can still see almost all the restaurants and bars nearly empty, same for many months already. Even in hotspots like fisherman village most of the restaurants have very few tables busy.

I thought this would be high season already, really wonder if it will be different in one or two weeks. I think in Samui there are probably just too many restaurants and bars already.

High season doesn't even kick in until tomorrow so you're a bit premature

[samuijimmy]

Walking and driving around I can still see almost all the restaurants and bars nearly empty, same for many months already. Even in hotspots like fisherman village most of the restaurants have very few tables busy.

I thought this would be high season already, really wonder if it will be different in one or two weeks. I think in Samui there are probably just too many restaurants and bars already.

High season doesn't even kick in until tomorrow so you're a bit premature

I guess the early birds are here, then .... lots or white and red skins around! .... and more wobblers on motorbikes!

[Evergreen]

Walking and driving around I can still see almost all the restaurants and bars nearly empty, same for many months already. Even in hotspots like fisherman village most of the restaurants have very few tables busy.

I thought this would be high season already, really wonder if it will be different in one or two weeks. I think in Samui there are probably just too many restaurants and bars already.

High season doesn't even kick in until tomorrow so you're a bit premature

I guess the early birds are here, then .... lots or white and red skins around! .... and more wobblers on motorbikes!

Wobblers on motorbikes. the mind boggles!! ha ha

[Birdman]

until now was one of the lowest low seasons. The low season usually lasts from end of Oct until a few days before Xmas. Then couples arrive, fleeing the Xmas stress, many young party people form Europe, the Middle East and AUS to spent Christmas in relatively affordable and trendy-chilled out tropics and families from Europe, because of the school holidays and the prices at ski resorts in the Alps... Then a short low between ~second week, 'cause most of them are gone and last week in January. Then the high season starts

forget to mention re. good location for the Jazz Restaurant, maybe at the new Central Festival complex to come, don't know, just an idea

Edited December 23, 2013 by Birdman

[ThaidDown]

Wobblers on motorbikes. the mind boggles!!

Bra-less females ???

[robsamui]

Are you planning to do this in order to make a profit, or just doing it out of passion?

I can't see how this could possibly be able to make any profit here in Samui. Especially since you're narrowing the clientele to "up-market and cater to locals, visiting couples and single women".

There simply aren't enough people like that to be able to sustain your business on this island.

If this is what you wanna do profitably, you should probably open in Bangkok where there certainly are enough people who fits your criteria. (Whether they'll actually decide to regularly come is another matter..)

You have to accept the fact that most expats on this island happens to be a "barfly" who don't mind a beer and a couple of nice girlies nearby. Even those girlie bars are hardly making any profit.

Tourists hardly come here to Samui for its jazz bars and authentic pizzas and crepes.

And I'm also looking for single women...

Spot on!

I would add to this that the majority of businesses that are steady enough to make a regular profit have an sturdy base of locals and ex-pats. You really need to be able to say that this core will earn you enough to live on. The high season tourist customers are a welcome extra, and it's during this time of the year that money goes in the bank for the low seasons.

I'd also say that the few established profitable businesses of this type pull in their regulars with a wide range of consistently excellent food - not just snacks - and lots of broadcast sport. It's what the majority of people who live here (and tourists, too) seem to go for. There just aren't enough people living here for what you're thinking of, unlike Phuket, Pattaya or BKK.

There is a first-rate restaurant off the ROCKY coast of Lamai which for quite a while ran a really excellent jazz trio one night a week. (There are some world-quality jazz musicians living here . . .) But it is significant that this didn't attract any more customers than they had on the other six evenings.

Take note of the other comments here. A jazz joint sounds like a nice dreamy idea, but you really haven't done your homework!

R

[robsamui]

Walking and driving around I can still see almost all the restaurants and bars nearly empty, same for many months already. Even in hotspots like fisherman village most of the restaurants have very few tables busy.

I thought this would be high season already, really wonder if it will be different in one or two weeks. I think in Samui there are probably just too many restaurants and bars already.

High season doesn't even kick in until tomorrow so you're a bit premature

I guess the early birds are here, then .... lots or white and red skins around! .... and more wobblers on motorbikes!

Motorbikes? - woah - bands of semi-naked grinning lobsters stopping for a sudden roadside chat and halting traffic, grim-faced swat-suited-and-helmeted Asians teetering with map held in front of pillions face, road warriors 2-up on road-race bikes screaming down the yellow line while videoing the sights, hundreds of Harleys blatting about, a little group stopped at the side of the road all of them anxiously mopping the blood off one person's leg where she's fallen off her bike, lots of puzzled people parked up studying the GPS in their Iphone, policeman at the lakeside roundabout stopping bikes for trying to go round the wrong way, three lots of ambulances with flashing lights and sirens . . . . and that's just in a 20-minute drive from Mae Nam to Chaweng!

Armageddon Christmas comes but once a year, and all that . . .

EEEK!

R

Edited December 24, 2013 by robsamui

[Tropicalevo]

Motorbikes? - woah - bands of semi-naked grinning lobsters stopping for a sudden roadside chat and halting traffic, grim-faced swat-suited-and-helmeted Asians teetering with map held in front of pillions face, road warriors 2-up on road-race bikes screaming down the yellow line while videoing the sights, hundreds of Harleys blatting about, a little group stopped at the side of the road all of them anxiously mopping the blood off one person's leg where she's fallen off her bike, lots of puzzled people parked up studying the GPS in their Iphone, policeman at the lakeside roundabout stopping bikes for trying to go round the wrong way, three lots of ambulances with flashing lights and sirens . . . . and that's just in a 20-minute drive from Mae Nam to Chaweng!

Armageddon Christmas comes but once a year, and all that . . .

EEEK!

R

[SamuiDude]

Find out what your connection to the island is and choose what it is lacking?

Good idea - how about a large indoor ski slope?

Oh, wait...

A) no one would tell you what it is lacking as everyone is buying currently here all the things they are missing

every possible style of restaurant/bar/disco/entertainment venue that one could possibly think of has already been done here

C) if I could possibly think of anything - I would not tell you

just a tip... check globally what kind of stuff is there on other tropical islands. I bet you`ll find something.

I miss fair priced cigars...

I miss hot licorice...

i miss some sports..

i miss old school disco - not just one nite a week thing but when I want to go and have fun...

Other people miss other things - perhaps. Ski slope is certainly what Jose is missing but is it within reach, understanding, or budget?

Make a survey. That is most likely the way NOT to waste any coin...

[robsamui]

Find out what your connection to the island is and choose what it is lacking?

Good idea - how about a large indoor ski slope?

Oh, wait...

A) no one would tell you what it is lacking as everyone is buying currently here all the things they are missing

every possible style of restaurant/bar/disco/entertainment venue that one could possibly think of has already been done here

C) if I could possibly think of anything - I would not tell you

just a tip... check globally what kind of stuff is there on other tropical islands. I bet you`ll find something.

I miss fair priced cigars...

I miss hot licorice...

i miss some sports..

i miss old school disco - not just one nite a week thing but when I want to go and have fun...

Other people miss other things - perhaps. Ski slope is certainly what Jose is missing but is it within reach, understanding, or budget?

Make a survey. That is most likely the way NOT to waste any coin...

Um . . . I think that Jose might have been making a joke - p'raps . . . ?

[SamuiDude]

Damn, I was sure he was feeling the slope for real! They got this Ice bar here too. What`s an other indoor skiing resort

Sure he was, I just tried to make my response as polite as possible without having to explain, but wazz the heck...

If I was coming here for the first time, I`d have some kind of touch on what to do and what not to do. Jazz bar? It is a top step.. Advice is mostly in and all one can say is that good luck with what ever endeavor you decide to choose...