The right concept in the wrong market struggles; a solid concept in the right market thrives. Before you sign a lease or commit to a build-out, spend real time studying the area where you plan to open. This framework will help you evaluate a nightlife market with clear eyes.
Start with people, not buildings
Look at who lives, works and visits nearby. Are there universities, hotels, office districts, arenas or convention centers? Each brings a different crowd on different nights.
Population density matters because nightlife depends on volume. SHOTS sets each territory by population density and market potential for exactly this reason: a territory needs enough people to support a high-energy venue.
Walk the area at night
Visit the district on the nights you plan to be busiest, and on the nights you expect to be slow. Count lines outside venues, note when crowds arrive and leave, and watch how people move between spots.
Talk to rideshare drivers, door staff and neighboring business owners. They know which blocks are active and which ones empty out early.
Map the competition
List every bar, club and lounge nearby and note their concept, price positioning and busiest nights. Competition isn’t always bad: a cluster of venues can create a destination district.
Look for gaps. If the area is full of quiet cocktail lounges, a fun, celebratory shots bar may stand out. If it’s dominated by clubs, a venue that’s lively but accessible could fill a need.
Check the rules early
Zoning, liquor licensing, occupancy limits, noise ordinances and hours restrictions vary by city and county. Some rules can make or break a concept that depends on late-night business.
Talk to your local licensing authority and an attorney before committing. Understanding the timeline and requirements up front avoids expensive surprises.
Evaluate the space itself
Look at visibility, parking or transit access, capacity, restrooms, existing bar infrastructure and ventilation. A former bar may save significant build-out work.
Consider how the space supports the experience you want: room for a long bar, a stage or DJ booth, bottle-service seating and clear sightlines for staff.
Pressure-test your assumptions
Write down your expected traffic and spending, then ask what happens if reality comes in lower. A good plan survives conservative numbers.
When you are ready, tell us about your market. SHOTS territories are set by population density and market potential, so you have room to grow without competition from other SHOTS licensees.
Turning observations into a decision
After a few weeks of research, you’ll have a lot of notes. Turn them into a simple scorecard. Rate each candidate area from one to five on guest fit, nighttime activity, competition gaps, regulatory ease, access and available spaces. Weight the categories by importance to your concept: for a high-energy celebration venue, nighttime activity and guest fit may count double.
Then sanity-check the top score with people who know the area. A commercial real estate broker who specializes in hospitality can tell you about upcoming developments, vacancies and lease norms. Local hospitality operators, if willing to talk, can share what they wish they had known. Look for future changes too: new residential towers, transit lines, arenas or hotels can transform a district, while major construction can disrupt it for a long stretch. Finally, document your reasoning. A written summary of why you chose a market will help you explain the plan to lenders, partners and the SHOTS licensing team, and it gives you something to measure against after opening.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Visiting only on a busy Saturday and assuming every night looks like that.
- Falling for a space before confirming zoning and licensing.
- Ignoring how guests get home: parking, transit and rideshare access matter late at night.
- Counting competitors without understanding their concepts and crowds.
Quick checklist
- Write a one-paragraph target guest profile.
- Map activity centers and nightlife clusters.
- Walk the area on at least one busy and one slow night.
- Confirm zoning and licensing requirements early.
- Score each area and shortlist the best two or three.
Frequently asked questions
How are SHOTS territories decided?
Each territory is set by population density and market potential, so licensees have room to grow without competition from other SHOTS licensees.
Should I open near other bars?
Often, yes. Clusters create destination districts. What matters is having a distinct concept within the cluster.
Can SHOTS help me pick a location?
For foreign investors, SHOTS can help find suitable locations as an additional service. Every inquiry starts with telling us your market.
The bottom line
Good market research won’t make decisions for you, but it will make them much better. Spend the time before you spend the money.
Where SHOTS fits
SHOTS is a nightlife brand built over more than a decade on quality, ambiance and unforgettable experiences. Through brand licensing, one one-time payment gives you permanent rights to the SHOTS brand, recipes, menus and other brand assets, with no royalties, no terms and no renewals. Pay once, yours for good. Licensees operate independently and keep 100% of the profits. Every SHOTS location is unique. We strive to save startup costs for owners wherever possible, without ever sacrificing the SHOTS experience.
The SHOTS rights include:
- The right to use the SHOTS brand name in your territory.
- Access to the proven SHOTS recipes and menus.
- Digital media rights and more than a decade of SHOTS digital materials.
- Rights to produce branded merchandise.
- A location page on shotsbar.com/.
Ready to talk about your market? Request licensing info and our licensing team will reach out. Each licensing deal is tailored to fit your territory, so the first conversation is about your market, your plans and how SHOTS could work there.
