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Old January 29th, 2009, 05:40 PM
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RIKKI TIKKI RIKKI TIKKI is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: NOGALES, AZ.
Posts: 1,200
Smile Bad Economy?

Jim,

The economy & bar business around here is upside down. Bars with poor management/ownership have suffered because of the smoking ban, added pressure from the " blue meanies " stalking the parking lots, and liquor prices that keep going up.

I'm on the Arizona/ Mexico border south of Tucson about 65 miles. Most of my bars and night clubs that I gig in are medium size ( 50 - 100 capacity ). I have built shows where I don't move around much. I see ownership and management changes but my shows usually survive new ownership if they have checked the books, they understand that Karaoke night(s) pays a lot of the bills/payroll that the other nights (DJ, Ladies Night, Pool Tournaments, etc.) can't match. I don't charge as much as I should, but then again there is little competition from other KJ's in this area. My prices have remained the same since I started 15 years ago, and I foresee no changes as long as the bar and me both make money.

I used to manage a bowling center, and it had a small lounge that was under used, so I hired a KJ to come down from Tucson, better than break even for the business. Then another KJ moved into the area, and I hired him as he didn't charge mileage and turned out to be better, and the Karaoke night got bigger until we were at capacity ( actually over full ) and the boss was thrilled to see the lounge make some money for a change, and all was good for about 6 mos, then this KJ moved out of town and I decided that I could run the show if the boss would buy the equipment. We struck a deal where he put up the money to buy the equipment, and I would be the KJ, working the shows for free for 2 yrs, and then the equipment would be mine!

I left the bowling business a few years later, and took my show to another venue as a part-time thing, and before I knew it I was booked 3 or 4 nights a week around town, and holding down a full time day job. It got to be a strain on the day job, so I cut back to 2 shows for about 7 or 8 years with the ocassional private party, wedding, thrown in, when I chose to do them. I was turning down a lot of private parties because of my contracted gigs, and not wanting to get the KJ burnout again.

The economy around here revolves around the Mexican produce industry, and border tourism. One is seasonal about 7 - 8 months out of the year, and all the businesses used to hibernate for the other 4 -5 months that depend on the produce season. So while the season is here, everything is groovy and the $$$ flows freely, then it ends and everyone tightens their belts and waits for the next season to return. So we're used to seeing swings in the economy around here, and the produce and satellite industries haven't felt the pinch that most of the rest of the country has felt. In that respect we are lucky.

Then there's the bar's that sometimes dont know how to survive in the interim, or try to open while the season is gone, and don't make it past the first year or two. We have alot of added police presence that has the bar patrons scared to come out and booze it like the old days, and the no smoking ban has run a few people away from the bars, and the tourism has felt the economic turn down, so most of the bars are complaining. My Karaoke nights are still packing the places, and I know that Karaoke is like blue chip stock ( stock market? ). Everybody has a good time at my shows, no matter if they just watch, dance, or sing. Whatever comes in the door I can entertain, no matter if they are eight or eighty. We all should feel blessed that we can provide a service that makes almost everybody happy, and get paid for it! Good Luck, and be prosperous!

Rick
Rikki Tikki Karaoke
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