It was called Smellements after. Or before. Can't remember...
Biker Cafe Idea - need some feedback from all of you
- Thread starter rorider
- Start date
It was called Smellements after. Or before. Can't remember...
-D-
Banned
toss in some live music and maybe comedy nights, more of the local scene give them a place to perform
mix in some good food and drinks along with something that keeps it fresh e.g. different drink mixes or menu items (based on season).
add in something fun for kids (give parents a place to hang out with their kids)
It can work, it will come down to the location and sadly rental prices are just insane for the type of space you will require.
mix in some good food and drinks along with something that keeps it fresh e.g. different drink mixes or menu items (based on season).
add in something fun for kids (give parents a place to hang out with their kids)
It can work, it will come down to the location and sadly rental prices are just insane for the type of space you will require.
1903 was just always going to be a temporary pop up shop. same as the ikea pop up shop that was downtown that is not there anymore.
Riceburner
Well-known member
Restaurant during the week, live bands Fri and Sat night after the dinner hours...turning it into a club, racing on the screens Sat and Sun, bike decor. Now the location would be key. Something central..ish with parking.
Aw Shucks(Aurora) and The Edge Lounge(Ajax) kinda fall into that category(without the bike part).
Aw Shucks(Aurora) and The Edge Lounge(Ajax) kinda fall into that category(without the bike part).
now your one of 1000? sports bars/lounges/restaurants, just buy a Fion McCools franchise and call it done.
-D-
Banned
Boston Pizza?:lmao:
Riceburner
Well-known member
The basic recipe is there, the MC theme should make it stand out a bit.
What's Fion McCools?
Roadghost
Well-known member
Forget the bar idea guys. I'm not going to a place with young guys on 1000cc bikes who are into getting drunk. A relaxing café complete with latte's, 10 cappuccinos and expressos, exotic tea, fresh sandwiches and fun sweetcakes is a better formula. An atmosphere conducive to talking (no gangsta rap blasting) and comfortable seats, race schedules posted, a map with the world's bets cycle race venues, a big screen TV with live motorcycle race coverage, classic motorcycles on display, the ideas are endless for something like this. But the sports-bar-cum-bike bar thing is more trouble than it is worth.
Only 2 % of the population cares enough about motorcycles to buy one so the economics of catering to the small crowd isn't good. Then there is the touring / cruising /sportbike snobbery slicing the attendance even further.
How motorcycly can you make a diner? A few pictures on the wall.
BTW I went to Stoneys Bread on the Queensway for lunch. I'll be going back.
^ I prefer the term "Frugal". 
My wife and I (& lots of friends we ride with) do a huge number of destination rides, often only for an excuse to eat at point B...so the destinations are quite often restaurants or whatnot. However for us, the destination is all about being somewhere interesting to ride, and good food – the style or "theme" of the restaurant couldn't matter less to us.
Look at Rhinos in Bewdley or Muddys Pit in Keene for examples...both attract a huge number of motorcycles on any given day, but both have put forth zero effort so far as attracting them - both are popular solely because of their location ( lots of ways to get there, decent riding roads, and a nice comfortable short to medium length ride from a variety of start points) and notoriously good food have way more to do with the attraction in the end.
Most importantly they also maintain a reliable group of customers outside of the motorcycle community to keep them going through the winter and on rainy days in the summer etc.
My wife and I (& lots of friends we ride with) do a huge number of destination rides, often only for an excuse to eat at point B...so the destinations are quite often restaurants or whatnot. However for us, the destination is all about being somewhere interesting to ride, and good food – the style or "theme" of the restaurant couldn't matter less to us.
Look at Rhinos in Bewdley or Muddys Pit in Keene for examples...both attract a huge number of motorcycles on any given day, but both have put forth zero effort so far as attracting them - both are popular solely because of their location ( lots of ways to get there, decent riding roads, and a nice comfortable short to medium length ride from a variety of start points) and notoriously good food have way more to do with the attraction in the end.
Most importantly they also maintain a reliable group of customers outside of the motorcycle community to keep them going through the winter and on rainy days in the summer etc.
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kwtoxman
Well-known member
Re: Biker LoCafe Idea - need some feedback from all of you
Love the Oakville restaurant.
Here's the clip from the you gotta eat here episode.
[video]http://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/you-gotta-eat-here/video/episode/stoneys-bread-company-rock-cod-cafe-the-tomahawk/video.html?v=64705603506[/video]
Look at all the hipsters.
Love the Oakville restaurant.
Here's the clip from the you gotta eat here episode.
[video]http://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/you-gotta-eat-here/video/episode/stoneys-bread-company-rock-cod-cafe-the-tomahawk/video.html?v=64705603506[/video]
Look at all the hipsters.
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Re: Biker LoCafe Idea - need some feedback from all of you
i personally would love it. make it a hub for #themotosocial as well. and obviously depends on location. i love going to town moto to do most of my moto-related shopping, despite the fact i can probably shop online for cheaper. the location and people are awesome though, which keeps me going back.
i personally would love it. make it a hub for #themotosocial as well. and obviously depends on location. i love going to town moto to do most of my moto-related shopping, despite the fact i can probably shop online for cheaper. the location and people are awesome though, which keeps me going back.
I like the idea and I would stop by every now and then as long as it was within 60 minutes ride from home. I like the idea of different moto movies or shows playing on multiple screens. There's enough out there that the screens could always be on and rarely playing the same thing twice.
You could partner up with other moto establishments to put on certain nights/seminars of interest - track days, international moto travel, basic maintenance, tires/suspension basics, gear, insurance, charity bike wash's, etc...
If you were going to serve food, I agree with a summary of what has already been said - fast, tasty (homemade), fairly priced, and a good variety of light meals and desserts/snacks.
Live bands, juke box, foosball, etc will be an added draw.
I'd suggest that you should go to the bike shows coming up because you might get some really good ideas from what you see there and maybe network with some people who share your mentality.
Figure out a great name, design a logo and then market it (shirts/hats/stickers etc) to keep your business exposed to your targeted audience.
Psycho_Biker
Well-known member
Re: Biker LoCafe Idea - need some feedback from all of you
I never said Stoney's was for hipsters, read it again. I said it was for the type of people who would stick their noses up at a motorcycle gathering. So, basically the average Oakville resident. The hipster comment was unrelated and I simply said "you don't have to open a hipster hangout to be successful". Besides, hipsters dont eat bread. I think the gluten scares them or something. I would try Stoney's but I wouldn't ride there and I sure as hell wouldn't organize a group meet there.
SBC is about hipsters? No, I don't know what you mean. I've seen from kids to old people and lots of suits. Not hipsters though. It has a good menu (not basic), great food and great quality (no natchos, no fish tacos, no gelato, no ice cream). Portions are big to huge. They are well known for amazing pizzas, especially for the price. An early restaurant featured on the "You gotta eat here" tv food show. The episode is available to watch free online. Part of the vibe you allude to is because it's situated in a downtown Oakville prime near-lakefront ON location. I previously recommended a different and cheaper location for the op w/riders; in such a location the clientele will make a different vibe and one I'm sure will work well and for riders.
You may have a vision for food, but what your against isn't what SBC is. SBC is a nice step above basic. Not three. IMO, basic food is the surest way to kill a restaurant or cafe. Basic is everywhere ad nauseum (and with so many major chains). TO and the GTA has so much cool/great/tasty food one should try to find a niche to fit in.
Edit, try the sunday brunch at SBC.
Love the Oakville restaurant.
Here's the clip from the you gotta eat here episode.
[video]http://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/you-gotta-eat-here/video/episode/stoneys-bread-company-rock-cod-cafe-the-tomahawk/video.html?v=64705603506[/video]
Look at all the hipsters.
I never said Stoney's was for hipsters, read it again. I said it was for the type of people who would stick their noses up at a motorcycle gathering. So, basically the average Oakville resident. The hipster comment was unrelated and I simply said "you don't have to open a hipster hangout to be successful". Besides, hipsters dont eat bread. I think the gluten scares them or something. I would try Stoney's but I wouldn't ride there and I sure as hell wouldn't organize a group meet there.
kwtoxman
Well-known member
Re: Biker LoCafe Idea - need some feedback from all of you
Just teasing PB. Wanted to see if you were still reading. 
Nobody said anything about going to SBC and using it as a biker hangout. Though, from what I've seen here many people would ride to an SBC style restaurant in a heartbeat if it was located in a ride friendly spot, had lots of parking for bikes and was bike friendly.
Just teasing PB
. Wanted to see if you were still reading. Nobody said anything about going to SBC and using it as a biker hangout. Though, from what I've seen here many people would ride to an SBC style restaurant in a heartbeat if it was located in a ride friendly spot, had lots of parking for bikes and was bike friendly.
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