A barstool is a barstool, right? Well, bar stools for residential versus commercial applications have many subtle differences. Why do you need to understand these differences? Well, knowledge of these differences can increase your revenue. Below are the 3 key areas you need to consider and understand to increase your income from commercial bar stools.
1. Price
As with every type of purchase, it seems the first consideration is always price. This is very understandable, but do not consider price only. It would seem the more expensive the barstool, the better the quality of the barstool. This is not necessarily the case. For example, an expensive upholstered barstool with a cotton fabric design may wear out quickly if used in a busy restaurant. Wear from customers getting in and out of the bar stool, and stains on the fabric will limit the life of this type of bar stool. Choosing an elaborate barstool style with carved wood or specialty coatings can be expensive because of the difficulty in manufacturing.
Many times, wood bar stools manufactured for home use are taken through a multistep staining process which adds considerably to the cost. In this process there may be several staining steps followed by a sealer coat of lacquer that is sanded, then two or three coats of top coat lacquer that are wet sanded in between coats. All this work and expensive may be valuable to a homeowner, but does not offer value to most restaurants. A true commercial bar stool will offer the basics needed for customer comfort, durability and aesthetic appeal, but eliminate irrelevant extras. So pay for what you need and toss the rest.
2. Maintenance
“Do it right the first time,” is an old expression, and applies directly to purchasing commercial bar stools. By purchasing the right commercial quality bar stools from the beginning, you can save a lot of money on maintenance and replacement costs down the road. You should know that commercial quality barstool fabrics are tested by machine rubbing them to see how many rubs it takes to wear through a fabric or vinyl. It’s important to know this as you cannot tell how durable a fabric or vinyl is by looking. To find out more on the durability and testing of commercial fabrics, see www.contracttextiles.org. For commercial wood barstools, make sure the finish is not what is typically on residential furniture, which is a lacquer finish. A better commercial quality finish will be at least a conversion varnish, or ideally, two part polyurethane. Like fabrics and vinyl, you cannot tell the quality of the finish applied just by looking. You will know soon after purchase, though, if a cheaper finish like lacquer was used, as the finish will turn gummy very quickly.
There are many other details to review when purchasing and here are just a few of the most important items to look for or ask about when considering commercial bar stools. Are the joints of the bar stool welded joints versus a nut and bolt? Does the particular bar stool you are interested in have glides that can they be replaced easily when they become worn? Is the bar stool’s seat removable so vinyl or fabrics can be changed out easily? Foot rests, and the strength of various joints where all the parts come together, are other bar stool items that are just as important to review. All this research and investigation is work, but it is like flossing teeth. Do you want to have long lasting, low maintenance bar stools or replace them sooner at an added cost?
3. Comfort
Comfort is defined differently to various people as it all depends on your target customer. For a trendy bar, that has mostly younger people, comfort may not be as important as the look and feel of the bar stool. For older folks, comfort may be more significant, where adequate foot rests, wider seats and bar stools with backs are necessary. You can achieve the comfort level required by simply asking your target audience to test out several styles you have selected.
What is the right bar stool for your commercial establishment? The right one is the one that attracts customers, seats them comfortably, and has low maintenance. Ask yourself this question when looking at a particular bar stool, “will this commercial bar stool help increase my sales and keep my expense minimal?” Now you have some good information to increase your revenue through selecting the right bar stool for your application.
