Please help me with a business decision!!

[Desnik]

Since you guys helped me so much last time with a name for my business, I thought I would ask for some more help/advice. I am in need of advice so please bear with me cause this is going to be long!

The original idea for my business was/is a children's birthday party facility where we provide everything, you provide your child. We set up, clean up, all paper goods, activities, games, craft, invitations, goody bags, pizza, drinks, cake, ice cream sundaes. All in our facility, private parties one at a time 90 mins. long. We would do pirate parties, pop star, luau, and other themes. We found a facility we loved and were all ready to go and everyone here helped me with a great name for the business, "Happy Birthdays".

Then when we went to get the approval of the town to have that business in that building and we were told we couldn't do that there. Something about the specific uses for businesses in that building. So, for the past week we have been back and forth with the town, and the landlord has been helping us fight for the right to have that business there. We didn't sign the lease yet. So, we searched other options for a facility. This got me rethinking everything.....then I came up with another idea that I really love and now the town has given us the approval and I am not sure I want to go with my original idea.

The new idea would be for girls only. Now I know this cuts my demographic and that does worry me. I have this vision in my head of what the place would look like and it really excites me. The original idea I think is great and would do well, but since I had a business like this 8 years ago, I am not as enthusiastic about it. Mainly because I know the overhead is high because of all the different theme options I would have to keep in stock. Also, I wanted to go a little higher end. When looking at the past parties I did, 95% of them were for little girls.

I have to sign the lease today and I don't want to do it and not be sure which direction I am going in!

Would you have your daughters party at a place like this:
A princess tea party room. Decorated with a crystal chandelier, round tables with linen and lace, covered chairs with bows, and every princess dress available, with tiaras, gloves, boas, wands, jewelry, etc... The girls will get to play dress up,(there will be private dressing rooms, I would tell each girl to come wearing a bathing suit or leotard) have a fashion show, pose for pictures they can take home, then have a real tea party with finger sandwiches, and fruit, cookies, cupcakes and other treats.(no real tea, just pink lemonade, apple juice) Real tea cups and tea pots. There could be parties where a craft is added, ones that can include their favorite doll or teddy bear. We could do custom invitations, add mini make overs, goody bags. Then I could have a small retail space where I could sell tutus(there is a dance school in the building I will be renting in) tiaras, wands, princess dresses.

I would have to focus on one business or the other because of the layout and the decor of each one would be completely different.

So what should I do? Take a chance on something new that only focuses on girls, or stick to my original idea?

Thanks for any help!!!

 

[JimmyPicker]

Personally, as a business owner, I wouldn't do anything to cut my demographic any further.

Already, you are only catering to a customer once a year (maybe 2 or 3 times if they have multiple children). Would you want to eliminate some of those customers altogether because they have boys?

Not only would you be unable to host parties for boys, you'd also basically be un-inviting any boys to the parties you do host. Is the cost you're charging a flat rate for the party, or per child attending the party?

Your idea for the tea party is a good one, but extremely limited. If you could offer that in addition, that would be great. But to put yourself in a position that it's the only thing you could offer is scary.

Best of luck on your adventure!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I think both ideas are good ones.

But personally, I like your first idea better. You can grow with it more. When new movies and such come out, you can include those. For instance, I imagine that Avatar parties might be popular right now - probably for both boys and girls. And your age groups would be varied that way, too.

I think your Princess parties would be pretty popular, too, especially for younger girls, but how many times could you do that? I wonder about the "BTDT" factor - not only will party girls have their party there once or twice, but they'll also be attending their friends parties there as well. After a while, they'll probably want to do something different.

As opposed to doing a different theme at a familiar place.

Have you thought about including a video game room for your party place? Those seem to be pretty popular for kids' parties.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[mjkacmom]

There is a business here in town, who did parties, all kinds, in a very small space. She also did movie nights, craft nights, etc., working every demographic. After about 7 years, she still could no longer afford to rent the space, so now she's still doing parties, but has them at local halls, because it's cheaper for her to rent the space for a party, rather than pay rent.

Now, this is a very high COL area, rents are crazy-high. However, I still think you want to offer up as much as possible - even dd7 is over princesses, and kids don't start having parties here until ages 3- 4, and many not until 5 - 6.

 

[*pixie*dust*]

Defintely stick with the original idea. While the second idea sounds good it really, really narrows your business from boys and girls of various ages to girls of about 4-7. Not sure what area you are living in but with the economy the way it is the wider your demographic for parties the better.

 

[RadioFanatic]

I agree that the original idea is better. I am wondering though, why are they okay with the second idea but not the first? They seem very similar in concept.

 

[Desnik]

Thank you all so much!!! Great points! I needed to hear them! I agree with the sentiment that the original idea is the way to go!

To answer some questions: I am in NY, about and hour out of NYC. People around here have bday parties for their kids all the time. Most parents I know spend in the $300 range for their kids parties. This is at places that have multiple parties at a time and have inflatables, or arcades. We would have neither. We were very successful before with doing games, activities and crafts with the kids. Mixed in with some dancing on our dance floor. I had kids leaving my parties hugging me! They had such a great time. Parents loved the individual attention and the good old fashioned time thier kids were having.

The rent in the space we are in is very reasonable and the building is beautiful and in a beautiful setting. It's about 1000 sq. ft. Once we sign the lease I'll post pictures!

I think I can still add the tea party to the original idea, just in a different way.

I welcome any and all advice!! Thank you all so much!!

 

[si-am]

I agree with everyone else. Stick with the original idea and maybe add a tea party/dress up option.

The tea party only idea just cuts your demographic to practically nothing. Not all girls like to be princesses and it will only work for a certain age group, too.

 

[Desnik]

I agree that the original idea is better. I am wondering though, why are they okay with the second idea but not the first? They seem very similar in concept.

They weren't ok with either idea because they thought I was making food on the premises and the building isn't zoned for restaurants. I came up with the 2nd idea when looking at other rentals. Now they approved it because I will not have an oven there or have any cooking going on. Any food products are store bought, prepackaged except the pizza which is from a local pizza parlor.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Girls only places can do very well where I am in the Lehigh Valley Pa as long as the prices aren't too high.

As an extra thought, many places like this do lots of mother-daughter teas & brunches and even girl friend PJ night parties where the place is the host and the individual parents pay a fee for each child they send.

We have a pottery place nearby here my DF and I discovered yesterday while we were out shopping. Will be taking our girls DD11 & DDBFF12 on May 1 for $40 per pair to paint our tea sets, they will come back to us glazed and fired. Very cool!

 

[suejai]

I think your second idea would make a lovely theme in your overall repertoire, but to make it the main focus of your business would be too limiting.


ETA: As the mother of sons, I would be a bit miffed to find a place like this only to discover that it was just for girls. Just as a general comment I wonder what the outcry would be if someone made a place like this that was only for boys.

 

[jensen]

I think you are really narrowing your audience. Unless you live in a hugely populated area, you are going to burn through your customer base pretty quickly because most people are only going to do that birthday party one or maybe two times. I'm not sure people will come back year after year to do the same princess tea party-type thing.

Sorry... didn't read any of the other responses before I started typing... basically I agree with the others...

 

[golfgal]

I would also stick with your original idea and have some props available to do different themes, tea party or what ever. Not only are you limiting your party place to girls, you are limiting it to young girls and only those that would like a tea party-basically you are guaranteeing yourself NO repeat business. I would keep your options flexible AND have a traveling service associated with your business so if someone wants a party in their home but doesn't want to deal with the mess, etc. you could come in and do that as well-or have the party in a park, ice rink, whatever.

I would also be careful about starting a business that depends on discretionary money in a bad economy. Keep your prices reasonable to start or you won't be in business long.

 

[golfgal]

I think your second idea would make a lovely theme in your overall repertoire, but to make it the main focus of your business would be too limiting.


ETA: As the mother of sons, I would be a bit miffed to find a place like this only to discover that it was just for girls. Just as a general comment I wonder what the outcry would be if someone made a place like this that was only for boys.

Really, why???? Sorry, I have boys and girls and I would have no issue what so ever if there was a birthday place just for boys or just for girls. Sorry but it is a silly thing to get upset about.

 

[allison443]

ETA: As the mother of sons, I would be a bit miffed to find a place like this only to discover that it was just for girls. Just as a general comment I wonder what the outcry would be if someone made a place like this that was only for boys.

Don't ever look up the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique at wdw! Eta, I guess boys can go there too, but it's really girl/princess focused.

 

[mjkacmom]

Really, why???? Sorry, I have boys and girls and I would have no issue what so ever if there was a birthday place just for boys or just for girls. Sorry but it is a silly thing to get upset about.

I have both, too, and there are places here that only have hair/nail/makeup parties. I can't tell you how many times dd7 has been invited to them, and not ds7, obviously.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

There are a couple of tea rooms in the Denver area that cater to little girls, and I think they do pretty well. In addition to birthday parties, young girl scout troops will go for a fun trip, or to "learn etiquette".

If you are in a well populated area, I think a tea party room is fine, as long as it's well publicized. But the first idea is probably safer.

 

[allison443]

IMO I would go with your first idea, of offering different themes.

I think this is the kind of business that will depend a lot on positive "word of mouth"-moms talking to each other and saying what a great party they had at your place. But if you only offer the tea party theme, you are eliminating people who don't want tea parties, don't have girls, or have already been to a tea party there and want to do something different.

Good luck!

 

[golfgal]

There are a couple of tea rooms in the Denver area that cater to little girls, and I think they do pretty well. In addition to birthday parties, young girl scout troops will go for a fun trip, or to "learn etiquette".

If you are in a well populated area, I think a tea party room is fine, as long as it's well publicized. But the first idea is probably safer.

We have some tea rooms around here but they are all in Bed and Breakfast's, none that are free standing. The problem is that it is a one shot deal. Once you have a tea party, you most likely aren't going to have another one.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

We have some tea rooms around here but they are all in Bed and Breakfast's, none that are free standing. The problem is that it is a one shot deal. Once you have a tea party, you most likely aren't going to have another one.

That's not what I've seen. Even though most girls won't have more than one tea party birthday party, the tea rooms are used for more than just birthday parties. In addition to Girl Scout troops, people will go just for a mother/daughter outing. I even know of one adult who used the place for a bridesmaid's tea.

Of course, if it's tea parties only, the OP should choose a different name, that doesn't limit itself to just birthday parties.

One idea excludes everything but birthday parties, the other idea excludes those who don't want to "have tea". Either idea can be successful if done the right way.