Small live music room and bar

Local music fans pay at the door or for tickets and buy drinks. Bands may rent the room for their own shows, and private groups may hire it for events.

Door and ticket income (often split with the artists), bar and food sales, room hire for private events, and sometimes sponsorship or merchandise cuts.

• Booking and managing performers
• Running a bar or hiring people who can
• Promoting shows through social media and local networks
• Budgeting and cash flow

• A liquor licence from your provincial regulator (for example AGCO in Ontario or the LCRB in BC) can take months and has its own rules, so check early
• Zoning, noise bylaws, occupancy limits and fire safety rules vary by municipality, so check before signing a lease
• Music licensing: check whether you need licences from SOCAN and Re:Sound for playing or hosting music
• Commercial general liability insurance, and liquor liability cover if you serve alcohol
• Margins are tight and slow nights are common, so plan for months of low income
• WCB/WSIB coverage and staffing rules apply once you hire people, and these differ by province

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $50,000 to $250,000, depending on the premises, stage and sound equipment, bar fit-out and licensing. Understand your lease fully before signing and plan for slow months.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $12,000 to $60,000, depending on capacity, how many nights you run shows and drink sales. Margins can be tight and slow nights are common, so plan your cash flow carefully.

Check early with your provincial regulator about a liquor licence, which can take months. Also check zoning, noise bylaws, occupancy and fire rules, SOCAN and Re:Sound music licensing, insurance including liquor liability, and WCB/WSIB rules for staff.