So, you've decided to buy a bar or pub and found our page on bars for sale.  Congratulations! This can be a very profitable and exciting business venture. However, there are a few things you need to know before you jump in head first.
 
Bars for Sale can present a great opportunity for a buyer who wants the high profit and growth associated with the industry. America has been described as the primary target market in the world for alcohol consumption. A growing diverse 21+ market creates growing demand for anyone looking at Bars for Sale in any state in the U.S.
 
Now let’s get started!  The first thing you need to do is find the right bar or pub for sale. There are a few things to consider when doing this. First, you need to decide what type of bar or pub you want to buy. Are you looking for a dive bar, sports bar, nightclub with limited food, hookah bar, or full-service restaurant with bar?

Trends in Bars for Sale

The choice of bars for sale ranges widely from the local pub where “everyone knows your name” – this is the neighborhood pub or “Cheers” model to large restaurants and multi-level venues that house hundreds of thirsty patrons at a time. Trends in the industry in recent years include breweries with the craft beer boom. The Beverage and Alcohol Insights group, says customers are "choosing local brews more often than national brands."   

Distilled spirits are also increasing due to a strong interest in craft cocktails.  All of that is good news for buyers focusing on bars for sale, especially if you are willing to source local beers and create unusual cocktails.
 
Bars for sale weather economic downturns and sales volume usually outpaces even strong economies. Even the recent pandemic proved this to be true. When the chips are down, Americans tend to drink away their sorrows. This makes bars and pubs for sale recession-proof type businesses.

Locating Bars and Pubs for Sale

Once you've decided on the type of bar or pub you want to buy, you can start searching for opportunities. All of the bars for sale nationwide offered by the Restaurant Brokers at We Sell Restaurants are shown on this page and inventory is constantly changing. You can also search online marketplaces like BizBuySell.com or Businessbroker.net to see the latest listings in the marketplace. When searching for a bar or pub for sale, it's important to keep your budget in mind.
 
The price of a bar or pub can range anywhere from $50,000 to $500,000 or more. Expect to pay more if the real estate is included. That is a benefit for the buyer since bars for sale with real estate will be financed through an SBA lender for a longer period of time – 20 years, versus ten years for the business only.

Evaluating Bars for Sale

Once you’ve found a few bar or pub for sale listings that fit your criteria, it’s time to start evaluating each opportunity. That is when it is helpful to have the services of a Certified Restaurant Broker. This person will be a specialist in the value of businesses like these and can greatly aid your search. When evaluating a bar or pub for sale, there are a few key things you need to look for.  
 

• Location:  The location of the bar or pub for sale is very important. It should be in a high traffic area with a good mix of residential and commercial businesses nearby.
• Demographics:  The demographics of the area surrounding the bar or pub for sale are also important to consider. You want to make sure there is a population that will patronize your location. With existing bars for sale like the ones featured here, you have historical performance to evaluate.
• Condition of the property:  The condition of the bar or pub for sale is also important. You don't want to buy a fixer upper unless you're prepared to make some major renovations. On the other hand, a fixer upper to convert to your own concept may be exactly what you have in mind.
• Type of Business: As we mentioned before, there are different types of bars and pubs for sale.  Make sure you're buying the type of business that fits your lifestyle. The late hours are not right for everyone so a club open until 4am may not be a fit while a sports bar for sale that closes at midnight may be just right.  

Negotiating the Purchase of a Bar or Pub for Sale

Now that you know what to look for in a bar or pub for sale, let’s talk about how to negotiate the sale price. This can be a tricky process, but with a little preparation, you can get the best deal possible. The first thing you need to do is research the the pricing and market value of similar businesses. That's why a site like We Sell Restaurants with opportunities nationwide can be very helpful. You can easily compare things like gross revenue, gross margin, net income and owner benefit across multiple properties to see the highest performing bars for sale that may fit your requirements for cash flow.
 
One element of bars and pubs for sale that buyers should be aware of is unreported income. Make sure you focus on provable income.  The bar industry is full of those who fail to report all their income, so verifying the numbers is especially important for this category of business for sale. Here are tips on how to buy a bar and evaluating cash flow.
 
Another key part of the negotiation process is to understand the financing situation.  If a bar for sale does not have adequate books and records, you may have to ask the seller to hold a note, commonly referred to as "Owner Financing" and detailed in this article titled, “Buying a Restaurant with no or low money down – 5 Options." For businesses with good books and records, a Certified Restaurant Broker can assist you in meeting a lender who is experienced in in these types of transactions. Having your lending in place gives you the confidence to move forward quickly on a bar or pub for sale that meets your criteria.

Understanding Liquor License Laws When Buying a Bar or Buying a Pub

It is important to be up to speed on the alcohol license laws for individual states. A Certified Restaurant Broker that specializes in the market will be knowledgeable on these aspects. The laws for license transfer vary from state to state and sometimes from city to city. You may even need to hire someone separately to assist with the transfer or issuance of a liquor license. These parties are called liquor license facilitators and are they know how to move the license requirements on a bar or pub for sale through the oversight which could be a local board, state license authority or even a city citizen group that may need to weigh in.
 
In some states alcohol licenses are assumable or transferrable. In others, a new license must be issued each time. There are specific requirements to hold a liquor license so those buying a pub or bar can expect to undergo fingerprinting, background check and sometimes bonding in order to qualify. A detailed article on Getting a Liquor License When Buying a  Bar can be found at this link.
 
You may also be required to undergo specific training in the state to insure you are familiar with the laws regarding the service of alcohol. This includes obtaining a legitimate ID to adhere to age laws and understanding your right to suspend service or “cut someone off” rather than overserve them. This could be a requirement of the state licensing board or your insurance provider.

Preserving Your Earnings when Buying a Bar or Pub

A business serving alcohol can mean higher profit margins but buyers should still implement checks and balances. The high amounts of cash transactions can be tempting without controls in place. Those can include cameras in the bar area and over the register to monitor the cash. In addition there are firms like Beintel, an independent profit control and revenue enhancement services for bars and restaurants. They perform a weekly inventory on liquor products so you can monitor any shortages.
 
Overall, buying one of our bars for sale may put you into a fun and exciting business, but you must cover all the bases to protect yourself against fraud or damages.    

Additional Resources for Buying a Bar or Pub

 If you’re looking for more information on how to buy a bar or pub, be sure to check out our other resources like these articles.
 
- Bars for Sale - 5 Important Tips for Buyers
- Getting a Liquor License and Buying a Restaurant or Bar
- Warning: Bars for Sale indicating "Cash" -- Do You Buy?
 
We also have an extensive video library on our YouTube channel with many videos including this one on how to buy a bar

So, you've decided to buy a bar or pub and found our page on bars for sale.  Congratulations! This can be a very profitable and exciting business venture. However, there are a few things you need to know before you jump in head first.
 
Bars for Sale can present a great opportunity for a buyer who wants the high profit and growth associated with the industry. America has been described as the primary target market in the world for alcohol consumption. A growing diverse 21+ market creates growing demand for anyone looking at Bars for Sale in any state in the U.S.
 
Now let’s get started!  The first thing you need to do is find the right bar or pub for sale. There are a few things to consider when doing this. First, you need to decide what type of bar or pub you want to buy. Are you looking for a dive bar, sports bar, nightclub with limited food, hookah bar, or full-service restaurant with bar?

Trends in Bars for Sale

The choice of bars for sale ranges widely from the local pub where “everyone knows your name” – this is the neighborhood pub or “Cheers” model to large restaurants and multi-level venues that house hundreds of thirsty patrons at a time. Trends in the industry in recent years include breweries with the craft beer boom. The Beverage and Alcohol Insights group, says customers are "choosing local brews more often than national brands."   

Distilled spirits are also increasing due to a strong interest in craft cocktails.  All of that is good news for buyers focusing on bars for sale, especially if you are willing to source local beers and create unusual cocktails.
 
Bars for sale weather economic downturns and sales volume usually outpaces even strong economies. Even the recent pandemic proved this to be true. When the chips are down, Americans tend to drink away their sorrows. This makes bars and pubs for sale recession-proof type businesses.

Locating Bars and Pubs for Sale

Once you've decided on the type of bar or pub you want to buy, you can start searching for opportunities. All of the bars for sale nationwide offered by the Restaurant Brokers at We Sell Restaurants are shown on this page and inventory is constantly changing. You can also search online marketplaces like BizBuySell.com or Businessbroker.net to see the latest listings in the marketplace. When searching for a bar or pub for sale, it's important to keep your budget in mind.
 
The price of a bar or pub can range anywhere from $50,000 to $500,000 or more. Expect to pay more if the real estate is included. That is a benefit for the buyer since bars for sale with real estate will be financed through an SBA lender for a longer period of time – 20 years, versus ten years for the business only.

Evaluating Bars for Sale

Once you’ve found a few bar or pub for sale listings that fit your criteria, it’s time to start evaluating each opportunity. That is when it is helpful to have the services of a Certified Restaurant Broker. This person will be a specialist in the value of businesses like these and can greatly aid your search. When evaluating a bar or pub for sale, there are a few key things you need to look for.  
 

• Location:  The location of the bar or pub for sale is very important. It should be in a high traffic area with a good mix of residential and commercial businesses nearby.
• Demographics:  The demographics of the area surrounding the bar or pub for sale are also important to consider. You want to make sure there is a population that will patronize your location. With existing bars for sale like the ones featured here, you have historical performance to evaluate.
• Condition of the property:  The condition of the bar or pub for sale is also important. You don't want to buy a fixer upper unless you're prepared to make some major renovations. On the other hand, a fixer upper to convert to your own concept may be exactly what you have in mind.
• Type of Business: As we mentioned before, there are different types of bars and pubs for sale.  Make sure you're buying the type of business that fits your lifestyle. The late hours are not right for everyone so a club open until 4am may not be a fit while a sports bar for sale that closes at midnight may be just right.  

Negotiating the Purchase of a Bar or Pub for Sale

Now that you know what to look for in a bar or pub for sale, let’s talk about how to negotiate the sale price. This can be a tricky process, but with a little preparation, you can get the best deal possible. The first thing you need to do is research the the pricing and market value of similar businesses. That's why a site like We Sell Restaurants with opportunities nationwide can be very helpful. You can easily compare things like gross revenue, gross margin, net income and owner benefit across multiple properties to see the highest performing bars for sale that may fit your requirements for cash flow.
 
One element of bars and pubs for sale that buyers should be aware of is unreported income. Make sure you focus on provable income.  The bar industry is full of those who fail to report all their income, so verifying the numbers is especially important for this category of business for sale. Here are tips on how to buy a bar and evaluating cash flow.
 
Another key part of the negotiation process is to understand the financing situation.  If a bar for sale does not have adequate books and records, you may have to ask the seller to hold a note, commonly referred to as "Owner Financing" and detailed in this article titled, “Buying a Restaurant with no or low money down – 5 Options." For businesses with good books and records, a Certified Restaurant Broker can assist you in meeting a lender who is experienced in in these types of transactions. Having your lending in place gives you the confidence to move forward quickly on a bar or pub for sale that meets your criteria. 

Understanding Liquor License Laws When Buying a Bar or Buying a Pub

It is important to be up to speed on the alcohol license laws for individual states. A Certified Restaurant Broker that specializes in the market will be knowledgeable on these aspects. The laws for license transfer vary from state to state and sometimes from city to city. You may even need to hire someone separately to assist with the transfer or issuance of a liquor license. These parties are called liquor license facilitators and are they know how to move the license requirements on a bar or pub for sale through the oversight which could be a local board, state license authority or even a city citizen group that may need to weigh in.
 
In some states alcohol licenses are assumable or transferrable. In others, a new license must be issued each time. There are specific requirements to hold a liquor license so those buying a pub or bar can expect to undergo fingerprinting, background check and sometimes bonding in order to qualify. A detailed article on Getting a Liquor License When Buying a  Bar can be found at this link.
 
You may also be required to undergo specific training in the state to insure you are familiar with the laws regarding the service of alcohol. This includes obtaining a legitimate ID to adhere to age laws and understanding your right to suspend service or “cut someone off” rather than overserve them. This could be a requirement of the state licensing board or your insurance provider.

Preserving Your Earnings when Buying a Bar or Pub

A business serving alcohol can mean higher profit margins but buyers should still implement checks and balances. The high amounts of cash transactions can be tempting without controls in place. Those can include cameras in the bar area and over the register to monitor the cash. In addition there are firms like Beintel, an independent profit control and revenue enhancement services for bars and restaurants. They perform a weekly inventory on liquor products so you can monitor any shortages.
 
Overall, buying one of our bars for sale may put you into a fun and exciting business, but you must cover all the bases to protect yourself against fraud or damages.   

Additional Resources for Buying a Bar or Pub

If you’re looking for more information on how to buy a bar or pub, be sure to check out our other resources like these articles.
 
- Bars for Sale - 5 Important Tips for Buyers
- Getting a Liquor License and Buying a Restaurant or Bar
- Warning: Bars for Sale indicating "Cash" -- Do You Buy?
 
We also have an extensive video library on our We Sell Restaurants YouTube channel - with several videos including this one on turning your bar into a money-making machine or how to get a liquor license when buying a bar. 

When you’re ready to take the next step, we can help. Our Certified Restaurant Brokers are standing by at 404 800 6700 to answer all your questions about bar ownership.
 
Cheers!