My name is Ty Pfeiffer, and I am a young professional with a big idea: the creation of a nonprofit bar in Oklahoma City. At first glance, putting a nonprofit together with a bar seems like an almost laughable combination, but I believe that there is a lot of evidence that shows that this combination is a winner.
The amount of money being donated to nonprofits is steadily increasing. From 2013 to 2015 alone, there was a 5.7 percent increase in the amount of individual contributions to nonprofits (an impressive 258.51 billion dollars). Contributing to a nonprofit has a slew of benefits, and people have a natural desire to contribute to a something bigger than themselves. Contributing to something worthwhile and getting a tasty meal and refreshing drink seems pretty enticing, right?
At its core, The World’s Bar is an idea that was created to positively impact both the immediate community, while simultaneously helping to move the world forward by creating more global citizens. We are currently at the fledgling stages of creating The World’s Bar, but there are few things we hope to create:
A family atmosphere among employees. We hope to pay all staff a competitive salary with full benefits, with all staff being paid a base level of $50,000. Small traditions such was Sunday Staff Dinners and an atmosphere of transparency will surely help develop this feeling, and, in turn, create a positive work environment full of loyal employees. We will not suggest tipping, as we expect to pay our staff a living wage.
Programs will be created to donate profits to the following:
Scholarship Programs – These will consist, for the most part, of scholarships for students traveling abroad. Other prospects include scholarships for staff going to school and students studying international topics.
Donation Programs – This would be the “everything else” avenue for profits (excluding profits used for renovations and/or upgrades to the bar). There are multiple ways to approach this, such as deciding to partner with an organization or letting patrons vote on their favorite. Regardless, we will do a significant amount of research to ensure that donations are used to benefit an organization that works on lasting solutions for issues in less fortunate countries.
A relaxed, inclusive atmosphere. The World’s Bar is not a bar for college students, nor for elderly people, nor for any sort of people. The World’s Bar is a place where anyone can come and enjoy a good meal while supporting a good cause. Will The World’s Bar have loud music and dancing? Probably not. Will The World’s Bar have pool tables? Maybe. But most important is that The World’s Bar have loyal customers who care about its success.
The selection of beers, cocktails, and food will be relatively exotic, with weekly specials that will be unique and intriguing. We expect to hire a professional chef to manage the menu and kitchen.
As you read this, you may think to yourself, “This is a very ambitious plan. How will you generate the amount of revenue necessary to accomplish all that you are suggesting?”
As I said before, there is a large, untapped audience that no one is aware of. Perhaps the audience themselves are not aware of their own hunger. We will be the first in Oklahoma to create a place where people can enjoy good food and good drinks in a “hip” or “trendy” place, while also the added satisfaction of contributing to a nonprofit. The selling point of the nonprofit is key and, if we play our cards right, we can have most of the initial marketing take care of itself. This is something new that people haven’t really seen before. There are three nonprofit bars that I was able to find easily, but none of them are remotely close to Oklahoma. Each is very successful.
