Agreeably, for a strip club business to become successful, it needs to be consistently supported with the right resources. As the owner or manager of a strip club, aside from supplying your strip club with varieties of liquor, you should ensure that your club has the right equipment and supplies.
You also need to conduct your research well to understand the kinds of supplies that must be in your strip club. If you own or manage a large strip club, then you will surely require more supplies and equipment compared to a small strip club.
Some of this equipment includes club stools, liquor, ice scoop, ice bins, music systems, glassware, glass racks, glass washing machines, and others. Since there are such low margins in the strip club business, finding ideal suppliers is very vital to ensuring that costs stay down and that you are being regularly supplied.
From club uniforms to beer and wine, ensuring you have the right strip club suppliers makes all the difference in the long run. Ensure to make smart decisions when choosing suppliers for your strip club and learn as much as you can about the equipment you will need, typical costs, and the best places to buy them.
Aside from prices, do not forget to check out the quality of supplies being offered. Note that acquiring sub-par quality will affect the overall customer experience which will come back to affect you in the long run.
Common Places Strip Clubs Get Their Supplies
Strip club owners and managers have varying options when it comes to sourcing supplies and equipment for their business. Here are some of your options;
1. Breweries
Although this tends to depend on a few things (mostly the location & regulations associated with it), a good number of strip clubs get their beers and other liquors direct from a local brewery. In some places, breweries are allowed to sell directly to liquor stores, pubs, and clubs.
While in some places, they are mandated to go through a liquor distribution board (LDB). Note that when clubs purchase liquor direct from breweries, they enjoy lower prices. When it comes to cost, it is cheaper to buy from breweries than from local liquor stores (might be 20%+ more expensive). Also note that when a brewery sells to a club, it gives them about 18-26%.
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Local Distributors
Distributors are partners that help brands sell their products to the right retailers. Everything about distribution centers on relationships. From a top-line view, a distributor (or wholesaler) acts as an extension of the sales arm of beverage brands (called suppliers).
Once there is a partnership agreement between a brand and a distributor, the distributor assumes the responsibility of introducing and selling products to retailers (Clubs, pubs, etc.).
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Full-line Suppliers
Simply put, these are large operators and they carry everything from club equipment to club wares, frozen and canned goods, pantry staples, paper products, cleaning products, and to-go containers. Have it in mind that these suppliers (e. g. Webrestaurantstore, Nightclubs hop, Central Restaurant Product) usually deliver once a week to small clubs, and up to two or three times per week for large ones.
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Discount Clubs
According to reports, there are situations where the sales prices at discount clubs like Sam’s, Costco, and BJ’s are as good as the price anyone can get from a regular wholesale distributor. Also, note that these suppliers can be quite useful if you need to restock your inventory between deliveries from your mainline supplier.
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Online Discount Sites
Also note there are beverage supplies that might be less costly on sites like Amazon, especially for clubs that require just a small amount of an ingredient. However, note that these clubs will have to pay sales tax on these items, put up with delivery lead times, and also be quite conversant with local liquor control laws if the items they intend to purchase contain alcohol.
If you are willing to wait, it is easy to get free delivery, the items will be delivered right to your doorstep, and so this can be a very convenient supply option for strip clubs.
Conclusion
Strip club owners, managers, and beverage directors tend to source their supplies from a vast range of options, especially distributors or wholesalers.
It involves picking up a phone and contacting the sales rep of a distributor or wholesaler or even by leveraging a bar and beverage ordering platform, where all orders are placed directly to distributors through subscription-based software.
Irrespective of the way you intend to source your supplies, ensure you carry out extensive research and also settle for an option that suits your business.