I'm a bar owner.

I see some truths and some falsehoods both in your statement, for sure.

My business partners at the time and I started our bar for under 30k. It was an existing bar, but a terrible one--day drunks, no regular customers had a job, and the two taps were Busch and Busch. But it had a big unused area we wanted to get up and running, which we did quickly. But to be clear, we were rank novices. I was 26 and had never had a sip of alcohol. My family had zero entrepreneurs. I did not have a runway, I was all-in.

We worked our asses off, working behind our own bar for 100% of the shifts. Not only did we not have a GM, we didn't even have bartenders! Kept our own books, did our own taxes. Ran our own pool tournaments. Everything. For over a year, I think, before we finally hired one bartender a couple of nights per week.

I've since bought out my partners, and I make a good living at the bar, but still no GM. I have a "manager" I trust who mostly deals with scheduling the staff and ordering product. She's a bartender who spends about 8 hours per week on managerial duties. I still do the books & taxes, and make all the higher-level decisions. On a given night, if I'm not there, the bartender is the boss. Cooks and security guys answer to them.

Our state issues liquor licenses to basically everyone, very cheap. There's not a limited supply like other places. We think we made it through perseverance. The first few years were not good money. We're 10.5 years in now, and I've had other positions in that time, including being a remote web developer for five years.

I don't think I'd recommend it for most people, but I do think you can will your way through the rough times into a profitable business. Staying power is worth something in this industry.

Also, if anyone ever reads this, here's my best lessons distilled down. At least it's what makes my place work well.

1) Hire honest people. It's very easy to steal at a bar, so an honest person who can't make a drink is a much better hire than a dishonest bottle-flipping whiz kid. You can train (almost) anyone. 1a) Don't be afraid to let go of someone you need to. There's always a fear you'll piss off your regulars; it's highly unlikely and worth it regardless.

2) Stay open as late as possible, and never close early. People have to know, beyond a doubt, that you will be open if they drive to wherever you are.

3) Have a flat top and a fryer, and base a whole menu on that. Make good food, it's not difficult.

4) Own your own machines. Pool tables, juke boxes, etc. They pay for themselves very quickly. If you can have cherry machines and pay cash (probably a gray area at best), definitely do that. We can't, but maybe you can.

5) We went cash only about a year ago. Our sales continued increasing until covid, and by placing an ATM with no fee, nobody is disgruntled. Saves me countless thousands per year in credit card percentage fees, although I have to manage keeping the ATM stocked.

6) Ban people who are a problem, and ban them permanently. A guy who starts a fight once will always start a fight again. Cultivate a respectful environment where nobody (including single women) feels harassed or awkward or whatever.

I personally think that's a decent recipe for a can't-lose bar, as long as your lease payment is small enough. For reference, ours is $1610/mo for a 6,000 sqft building. Business can't lose, but your personal life and finances could if you aren't making any tips behind your own bar. Definitely worth thinking about.