Come to Rick's

[SamMarlowPI]

a friend and i have been talking about opening up a nightclub/restaurant that closely follows the style of Rick's Cafe Amercain in "Casablanca" for years...

we both love the movie and the whole style, and think it would be a smash if we could open it...have a live jazz/swing band everynight...folks like you all would love it im sure...

what you all think? opinions are wanted...yay or nay, its opening someday anyway

also, any creative names you think up, drop em in, something that has the slight ring of "Casablanca"...The Moroccan, etc. you get the idea

ps, i love this site!!!! ppl are so great here!!


disclaimer - steal my idea and you they'll pickin' lead outta your liver :rage:

 

[skwerl-hat]

i think it sounds like a great idea! best of luck with it. If you populate the place with nicely dressed french exiles and peter lorre i think you will suceed mightily.
Still i wonder if it hasnt been attempted or done some time in the past.

 

[The Wolf]

How about The Blue Parrot?
Rick's Cafe Casablanca
Rick's American Cafe
Rick and Sam's Cafe
Everybody Comes to Rick's

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[LaMedicine]

"As Time Goes By"

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Just make sure you have a pianist named Sam in the center of the room.

There's a thread somewhere of a Rick's Cafe that a lounger visited, but it was closed.

There's apparently a real Rick's Cafe in Casablanca. http://www.rickscafe.ma/

 

[60Years2Late]

If you do it, I'm gonna have to say "As Time Goes By" or The Moroccan are the two best names so far. But sadly, you've been beaten to the punch. I remember reading in the newspaper a few years ago about a "Rick's" being opened in Casablanca. Somebody had the idea already I guess. It would be nice, though, to have one in the States. I say do it. Hey, I'd road trip to go.

 

[Nashoba]

I think it's a wonderful idea. You should open it in Nashville, TN Then I'd have a shot at actually getting there to see it. And it would be a welcome breath of fresh air to all the country music bars. remember....nashville....lol

 

[John in Covina]

What a Thrilling idea.

It can be done, and done well but for recreations, they need to be faithful but allow for the business to florish. With any restaurant it is the food and service that trumps the ambience and what keeps people coming back.

If you could get a location such as the Walk at universal studios, you'd be well set and not have to worry about as much repeat business. Set in regular type city or neighborhood you have to have repeat business to stay in business.

Few people realize just how difficult the restaurant business is for day to day work and for competition.

 

[dashiell]

How about Maghreb? Not many use Maghreb, do they?

I would love visiting such a place, but I agree with the gentleman from Covina that it would be easier to start it in a heavy traffic area like Universal. A place like that would need to be either in an environment teeming with "novelty" clientele or one easily accessible to "niche" clientele (I'm not entirely certain that makes sense). I would certainly visit! Would you have a dress code?

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Or Downtown Disney in Anaheim, though they actually have something slightly similar. The Rainforest Cafe

If this restaurant opened in Universal CityWalk, it would be competition to the Rainforest Cafe.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

hey thanks folks, didnt think this thread would get so much attention

i figured somebody would beat me to the punch, but i had no intention of opening up a club actually names "Rick's" or in Casablanca lol just something very very similar with the same feel, same style, but different...

i tend to have a very persistent mind set for authenticity, so none would have to worry about the club not having the right feel or setting...if that makes sense

i think there might be have to be a dress code, like at least a nice shirt and tie, suit, etc. nothing casual, have to dress to enter...

i like "as time goes by" its perfect...there will definitely be Sam playing a piano when the bands aren't playing, it will be so much like the real Rick's.

i get all giddy when i think about how cool it would be to open something like that, and yes it would have to be in heavy traffic somewhere, LA, NY, Chi, etc.

i also, because of my very nostalgic nature, i want an office on the second floor that pretty much doubles Sam Spade's in "Maltese Falcon" old desk, old chair, old phone, old desk light, office bottle, striker lighter, rolling tobacco and papers, little side wash room, coat and hat rack, maybe a couch...and my name on the frosty door window...

and another idea, opening up a club like "The Dump" in "My Man Godfrey" what a really neat nightclub...i think ill open a string of movie nightclubs lol

 

[dostacos]

nah, go ahead call it Rick's Place and have two price lists one for the average joe that shows up and a lower set of prices for people that come in wearing suits, Fedoras & trench coats, women dressed in period. Of course dressed as a French police officer is free and German uniforms pay double

 

[60Years2Late]

Dead Serious:

I had had thoughts of getting together with buddies after the Corps and opening a club, but that's a mere pipedream, so let me share with you our ideas so that you can put them to some good use. Better somebody than nobody, right? As far as dress code, it has to be vital. One guy in jeans and T-Shirt will ruin it all. The trick is this. For three or four dollars, they can rent cheap suits for the night. You meet them at the door, and make it a reservations preferred place. Outside the doors, you can put some big beefy looking bouncers that are most definitely packing. Basically, make it intimidating.
Now, as far as that meeting them goes, since you know their names, you just have somebody come out and grab them and say "Hey, (So and So), whaddaya doin' out here in the cold like you're some kinda schmuck? Get in here, have a seat." And then have them drag him (not literally) of course to the table.

Have some craps tables and hire up actors to sit there and play them, some guys that are obviously not on the up and up hanging around, and a few mob guys just for good taste. Every few nights, you can have a shamus bust in and start a "fight", maybe even a gun battle with the bad guys. Have the cops raid it every once in a while (not the real ones of course), and have them cart all the craps players off in a paddy wagon. Live bands are definitely a must, as you already stated. Vegas area would be better than Cali, though. One thing that you MUST remember about the period:
EVERYBODY SMOKED. A bar/lounge/restaurant would not be what it is without smoking inside. Banishing smokers to the outside would put them on the street, where they could hear rap music and see '07 Beamers driving by. That's a nogo. Also, it might be a good idea to park a goodly number of classic cars in the lot, and make all the "other" cars valet, where they'll be parked out of sight. That'll also bring you in a bit more money, if you have the valet done by your own employees. Plus, it'll emphasize that red carpet treatment. If you must do this in California, ensure that you have an inner courtyard, where smokers can go without hearing the sounds and seeing the sights of the modern world. And make sure your bar is out there. The valet guys in the valet hut should be listening to an old zenith or something that's belting out Tommy Dorsey. It's little stuff that completes an image. Nothing spoils a night like hearing apolice siren in the distance, or walking past a guard listening to his ipod, and hearing Eminem clashing with Glenn Miller.

I think we should do our best to feed this man ideas, as it's one of the best I've seen so far. I know I'm certainly excited by the prospect.

 

[John in Covina]

Isolate the customer from the real world and have some tempting allusion to what is inside.

 

[LaMedicine]

Password to the second floor office...
"You must remember this"
"A kiss is still a kiss."

 

[cookie]

a friend and i have been talking about opening up a nightclub/restaurant that closely follows the style of Rick's Cafe Amercain in "Casablanca" for years...

we both love the movie and the whole style, and think it would be a smash if we could open it...have a live jazz/swing band everynight...folks like you all would love it im sure...

what you all think? opinions are wanted...yay or nay, its opening someday anyway

also, any creative names you think up, drop em in, something that has the slight ring of "Casablanca"...The Moroccan, etc. you get the idea

ps, i love this site!!!! ppl are so great here!!


disclaimer - steal my idea and you they'll pickin' lead outta your liver :rage:

"The Mammoulia" is a hotel in Marrakesh right?

Tangiers

Gibraltar

The Riffs

 

[dashiell]

I had had thoughts of getting together with buddies after the Corps and opening a club, but that's a mere pipedream, so let me share with you our ideas so that you can put them to some good use. Better somebody than nobody, right? As far as dress code, it has to be vital. One guy in jeans and T-Shirt will ruin it all. The trick is this. For three or four dollars, they can rent cheap suits for the night. You meet them at the door, and make it a reservations preferred place. Outside the doors, you can put some big beefy looking bouncers that are most definitely packing. Basically, make it intimidating.
Now, as far as that meeting them goes, since you know their names, you just have somebody come out and grab them and say "Hey, (So and So), whaddaya doin' out here in the cold like you're some kinda schmuck? Get in here, have a seat." And then have them drag him (not literally) of course to the table.

Have some craps tables and hire up actors to sit there and play them, some guys that are obviously not on the up and up hanging around, and a few mob guys just for good taste. Every few nights, you can have a shamus bust in and start a "fight", maybe even a gun battle with the bad guys. Have the cops raid it every once in a while (not the real ones of course), and have them cart all the craps players off in a paddy wagon. Live bands are definitely a must, as you already stated. Vegas area would be better than Cali, though. One thing that you MUST remember about the period:
EVERYBODY SMOKED. A bar/lounge/restaurant would not be what it is without smoking inside. Banishing smokers to the outside would put them on the street, where they could hear rap music and see '07 Beamers driving by. That's a nogo. Also, it might be a good idea to park a goodly number of classic cars in the lot, and make all the "other" cars valet, where they'll be parked out of sight. That'll also bring you in a bit more money, if you have the valet done by your own employees. Plus, it'll emphasize that red carpet treatment. If you must do this in California, ensure that you have an inner courtyard, where smokers can go without hearing the sounds and seeing the sights of the modern world. And make sure your bar is out there. The valet guys in the valet hut should be listening to an old zenith or something that's belting out Tommy Dorsey. It's little stuff that completes an image. Nothing spoils a night like hearing apolice siren in the distance, or walking past a guard listening to his ipod, and hearing Eminem clashing with Glenn Miller.

I think we should do our best to feed this man ideas, as it's one of the best I've seen so far. I know I'm certainly excited by the prospect.

:eusa_clap

That, I call attention to detail! Now I really want to visit! I rather thought Los Angeles a good place, but I've never been to Las Vegas, and so didn't even consider the things you mentioned. For my part, I don't like the idea of faux gun fights in so uncontrolled a public place; I'm one of those antsy Iraq vets who get a bit flighty when I see a civ with a weapon. That's a personal consideration, but I imagine there are others who would agree that faux gunplay belongs in a much more controlled setting. Still, *I* get nervous when a car pulls up next to me sometimes, so I doubt I see things objectively. A few barroom brawls sound like fun!

 

[SamMarlowPI]

hey this is great! glad there is so much support...

 

[Ecuador Jim]

Heck of an idea!

After seeing Casablanca, I (and probably many others) fell in love with the idea of being some sort of ex-pat, and having a successful bar with all the colorful characters that go along with it.

I agree with the previous posts that longevity will be in your menu; if you don't become memorable for the food, then your chance for success is limited. People will go check out the ambiance, but will return for good food and drink.

Something to consider would be theme nights. Sponsor a vintage evening, where folks dressed in vintage clothing get some sort of deal. In the Seattle area, we have the Washington Dinner train, that sponsors murder mysteries, using actors from a local community theater, and they tend to involve the passengers on the train.

A cigar bar would be a great idea, but if you do this in Oregon, I think they have some pretty restrictive tobacco laws. In Washington, they don't allow any smoking in public venues. Last I heard, El Gaucho pays the daily fine to keep their cigar lounge open.

You could also set room themes in your restaurant as well; a Morroccan theme in one place, and a gumshoe theme in another. If you had a decent dance floor, you could invite a dance instructor in to teach folks how to Swing dance...and charge for that option, during non-peak days.

Just tossin' ideas!

 

[Undertow]

My 2 cents, for what it's worth

You know, I think this sounds great too, but I would hesitate with some of the more fantastic ideas. You want the average guy to be able to walk in and enjoy himself as much as the well-dressed one. In other words, you want to MAKE business, not turn it away.

Like J in C said, it's tough to open and run a restaurant; so stick to some basics to start:

Serve really good food, spend the extra money to hire some great chefs. Serve mid range to high end alcohols only (no Budweiser, no UV vodka, etc); you may get some grumbles, but it’s a subtle way of keeping classy patronage. In fact, it will eventually keep the lower echelon out.

Like everyone else has suggested, pay attention to detail on the interior. However, I recommend not getting too gimmicky. If you run a tight ship that’s era-specific, people will love the charm, but some folks want a nice night out, not a ton of bells and whistles to get in the way of good conversation.

Dress codes are fine, but don’t go overboard. Shirt and tie sounds good, but suits? Yeah, there are places like that, but you might consider a theme night, as has been suggested, where suited fellows receive a small discount, or a free gin & tonic, etc., so as not to simply turn people out. In fact, you could hold a black tie gala once a month, serve hours douvres, get a jazz band, charge a little extra, etc.

Unless you know a band really well, or unless you draw up a killer contract, having a jazz/swing band every night will instantly become cumbersome and overbearing. There’s a bar here in a suburb of Des Moines, called Tini’s. It’s an awesome jazz club and when they opened, they tried to get jazz bands to play every night. That came to a screeching halt after the first week because they couldn’t afford to keep the place open and pay a jazz band, given that they could even find a jazz band willing to play nightly. Consider having a band Fridays and Saturdays, when you’ll have the most clientele. On the other nights, play satellite radio over some speakers.

I think offering dance lessons would actually be a good thing; any way to get your name out and to promote your era-specific dining. People that come for dance lessons during the day would instantly want to come back on the weekend for dinner and drinks.

I think after a few years of good business, you can start considering adding other touches but just try to stay solid. Going overboard with gimmicks will just cost you in the long run, overcomplicate things and even if all falls into place, the gimmicks may push patrons away.