Hookahs originally appeared in Turkey several centuries ago, but today they are very popular around the world. There is even a whole culture of smoking. Many restaurants, bars and other entertainment venues provide the opportunity to smoke a hookah with friends and have fun. Consumers are also in high demand for it, so many entrepreneurs are thinking about getting their own smoking establishment.
However, this type of activity is quite specific and has many nuances that stop many newcomers to the business world. As a result of this, they lose a good opportunity to make decent money, since there is nothing complicated about it. Let's figure out what you need to know when opening a hookah, so that the investment will fully pay off and create a stable source of income.
Business benefits
Let's dwell on this in more detail. Any niche has certain pros and cons that should be considered when planning and implementing a project. Therefore, before talking about what you need to open a hookah, let's first look at the benefits of a business.
Among the main ones, the following can be distinguished:
- good scalability;
- relatively small starting investments;
- stable demand independent of seasonality;
- availability.
Hookahs are very popular among representatives of various sectors of society, which makes them very promising for investing money. Therefore, it is not surprising that many beginners and experienced businessmen choose this direction for their activities.
Business disadvantages
Despite the large number of pluses, unfortunately, it also could not do without minuses. The main ones are:
- severe restrictions on activities;
- high level of competition;
- the need for expensive room decoration;
- limited clientele.
The last drawback is one of the most significant. Not all people want to harm their health, so they do not use tobacco products, which include hookah. Nevertheless, there are enough smokers, therefore, despite the narrow focus of the business, you can consistently earn and receive high income.
Business prospects
So, what do you need to open a hookah? First of all, it is necessary to conduct a marketing research of the market, which will assess the level of competition and the feasibility of investing financial resources for the implementation of the project. However, this is not enough for a successful business. If you want it to bring a steady and stable income, you need to carefully consider a marketing campaign. To attract visitors, you can use the following tools:
- interesting promotions;
- prize draws;
- discount system;
- discounts on taxis and food delivery;
- free internet access.
In addition to all of the above, you can hang up a large TV in the institution and broadcast films or interesting programs on it. Also, a good solution would be to create a recreation area in which guests can play a game console or sing karaoke.
Legislative aspects
The government is making enormous efforts to combat smoking, with the aim of which various bills are passed and restrictions are introduced. To date, smoking is prohibited in public places, including in public catering establishments, so many entrepreneurs have a question about whether a license to open a hookah is needed. The answer is unequivocal: needed. If you work illegally, then sooner or later law enforcement agencies will come to you, which is fraught with the payment of a fine of an impressive size or even the closure of an institution. You should especially be careful if you want to open a hookah room, for example, in a restaurant, where not only smokers come, but also ardent opponents of this hobby.
If you are determined to provide a similar service in your cafe, then you need to decide on the format of doing business in advance. Two options are available today:
- Equip a special room with a separate entrance. However, in this case, you can simultaneously sell only tea and coffee. The sale of food and alcoholic beverages is prohibited by law.
- The provision of services directly in the restaurant. What is needed to open a hookah in this case? Nothing special, except that they will have to be refilled with special herbal mixtures that do not contain substances harmful to health. But such a format is far from satisfying, so the first option is more preferable.
But when choosing a format for doing business, one should also consider not only the preferences of consumers, but also many other nuances. If they are not taken into account, then it will not work to make good money. What you need to open a hookah from scratch so that it stably brings high income will be described in detail below.
The first steps
Any business, regardless of type of activity, begins with registration with the tax office. Unlike other types of activities, opening an IP will not be the best option, since you will have to purchase equipment, supplies and raw materials, but it is better to do this by bank transfer. Therefore, immediately issue an LLC in order to avoid many problems in the future. It is also worth immediately thinking about getting a license to sell alcohol, and it is issued only to legal entities, which should also be taken into account at the planning stage of the project.
What do you need to open a hookah from scratch? Also, you should immediately determine the tax system. To do this, select the appropriate OKVED. If you want to open a smoking room in the restaurant itself, then you need to specify the code 56.10.11 and 93.29. If it will be in a separate room, then we can limit ourselves only to the latter.
Legal formalities
What do you need to open a hookah? Documents are the next important step that should be given special attention. The thing is that such establishments belong to the category of public, so you will be checked by many different authorities.
In order not to have any problems with them, prepare the following documents in advance:
- certificate of registration of IP or LLC;
- receipt of state duty;
- a document from the fire and sanitary-epidemiological service certifying compliance of the premises with all requirements;
- license for the sale of tobacco products and alcohol, if necessary;
- rental agreement;
- conclusion for the removal and disposal of garbage;
- contract for the disinfection of an institution from insects and rodents.
Now you know what documents are needed to open a hookah. But you must understand that collecting all the certificates will take a lot of time, so you should start to deal with it in advance.
Room requirements
This aspect should be given special attention. This is the most difficult stage in the opening of the hookah, since finding a building that perfectly meets all the requirements is very problematic. And we are talking not only about the area, the availability of a good access for transport, as well as a powerful ventilation system, but also about compliance with all legislative standards and requirements. At the first stages of work, you will not have too much influx of visitors, so you need enough space with an area of about 80-100 square meters. It is best that the institution is located in the city center or in a place with a lot of traffic. This will significantly reduce advertising costs.
For a comfortable stay, guests will need at least 4-5 zones, separated from each other. Each of them should be about 10 squares so that a company of several people can fit in the room. Also, the building must have a bathroom, utility rooms, a warehouse and a bar if you are planning to engage in the sale of alcohol along the way.
Logistics Equipment
Let's dwell on this in more detail. Many people, having completed all the necessary documents and renting a suitable room, are wondering what is needed to open a hookah. Equipment is a very important aspect in the functioning of any business, therefore, its purchase should be approached with the utmost seriousness.
For normal operation you will need the following:
- hookahs;
- related tools and accessories;
- smoking mixes and tobacco;
- coals;
- various fillers;
- furniture;
- decor elements.
In addition, it is recommended to buy tea and coffee so that visitors can not only smoke, but also drink hot drinks. If you sell alcohol at the same time, you will need to buy them, as well as utensils for presentable serving. All of the above answers the question of what is needed to open a hookah room without a kitchen. However, some entrepreneurs jointly open a restaurant with a smoker. In this case, you will need kitchen appliances and furniture for cooking. These are very high costs, so it is better to start with a small institution, and then gradually expand.
A few words about the interior
So what do you need to know about this? Answering the question about what is needed to open a hookah room, you need to pay a little attention to the design of the room. For a comfortable stay, an appropriate atmosphere should be created in it, so you should not save on the interior. There are many options for its design, so that you have complete freedom of action.
But, so that everything works out as it should, it is recommended to adhere to the following tips:
- Furniture should be upholstered and maximize relaxation. It is also advisable to lay pillows on sofas and armchairs.
- In the center of the recreation area should be a wooden table, decorated with beautiful carved elements.
- To create an oriental atmosphere, the floor in the room can be covered with chic rugs.
- Lighting should not be too bright. The ideal option is a soft dim light.
- The institution must have musical accompaniment, so the presence of an acoustic system is one of the key requirements.
If you fulfill all of the above requirements, then your hookah business will flourish, and all competitors will be left behind.
Staff search
What kind of specialists will be needed for normal work depends on the business format you have chosen. As a rule, the staff of most institutions of this type consists of:
- Admin
- 1-2 hookah workers;
- 2-3 waiters;
- bartender;
- cashier;
- cleaners;
- the guard.
These employees will be quite enough at the first stages of work to cope with the influx and provide quality service to visitors.
Financial investments
So what do you need to know about this? Many businessmen, especially beginners, are interested in what budget is needed to open a hookah room. It should be noted right away that this type of activity cannot be called one of the most affordable, since the initial investment is quite high. The main items of expenses are:
- paperwork and business registration - 100 000 rubles .;
- room rental - 40 000 rubles .;
- Interior design - 300 000 rubles .;
- purchase of equipment and furniture - 350 000 rubles .;
- marketing - 50,000 rubles.
Thus, to start you will need at least 850 thousand rubles. But you must understand that this amount is approximate. It all depends on the specific region.
Profitability
Despite the impressive investment, the hookah business is very attractive. Demand for such establishments is quite high, therefore, even with fierce competition, reaching the breakeven level is from 6 months to one year. According to statistics, one smoking establishment is able to generate monthly income at the level of 200-250 thousand rubles.
Conclusion
Perhaps, for newcomers who have absolutely no business experience, it is better to abandon the idea of opening a smoking establishment, since this area has many pitfalls. However, experienced entrepreneurs who are versed in all legislative aspects will be able to make good money on this. Therefore, if you already have your own business, but you are looking for where else you can profitably invest money, turn your eyes to this niche - the hookah is great for this. Try it and you will see for yourself.