This article was originally published in October 2021. we're reposting it now, as it was one of our most popular articles of the year.
After more than a year of lock downs, studies are showing that bars and restaurants need to deliver exceptional experiences to get customers off their couches and into your venue. Bar and restaurant operators need to be more creative than ever to woo back their clientele and keep them interested. Immersive experiences are proving hugely successful, and one bar in Austin, Texas seems to have mastered it.
Nickel City is known as Austin’s neighborhood dive bar, and we even named it ‘Neighborhood Bar of the Year’ in 2020. Once described as “Rust Belt chic but with a Texas twist,” it has a red and green checkered floor, historic wooden bar and retro elements, like neon signs and a pin ball machine.
But when October rolls around, everything changes.
Nickel City transforms into The Simpsons’ Moe’s Tavern. And it’s not just the bar – their on-site food truck, Delray Café becomes Krusty’s Burger, and the neighboring liquor shop becomes the local Kwik-E-Mart. The attention to detail is next level, even their website has been transformed into Moe’s Tavern, where a banner ad proudly proclaims, “Home of the Flaming Moe!”. Their usual “Cold Beer, Mixed Drinks” slogan has been replaced by “Cold Duff, Mixed Drinks, etc. etc.” and the menu is full of Easter eggs for die hard fans. They’ve even teamed up with another Austin institution, Foreign & Domestic to create Homer’s beloved frosted donut with sprinkles.
Bar & Restaurant spoke with owner Travis Tober to find out more about how his team pulls off the pop-up of the year, which takes in about $14,000 in revenue a day.
Nickel City has been doing Moe’s Tavern since 2019 – where did the idea come from?
It was sometime around September 2018, and I think we had been open for about a year. We were talking and decided we should do a Halloween theme for the staff, and this part-time bartender we had said, “You should make this place Moe’s Tavern!” The picture he pulled up on his phone was the same angle of our bar. It was such a good idea.
How did the idea come to life, what was the process?
We have a buddy who is a set designer for South by Southwest, and I hit him up and asked if he could do it. He loved the idea and was in 100%. The first year was so haphazard. It looked great, but the drinks were terrible – I think I finished the menu that day. We dropped it on the Friday, because we were afraid of a cease and desist, and it was almost immediately the most trending thing on Reddit. The next day I got a phone call from Fox News, not in Austin – but in New York. That was huge. Five minutes later, it was CNN. Fox and CNN agreeing on a story? That was crazy. The whole thing blew up.
Read More: Get to Know Nickel City: Neighborhood Bar of the Year
How has Moe's Tavern evolved over the years?
The next year we did it way more refined. The cocktails were more refined, and they were fantastic. This year I think we have 13 different cocktails, and they’re really well thought out. In 2020 we had ‘Pandemic Moe’s’. I think this year might be last one. I think the theme might be overdone now. I’m not sure what we’ll do next, but we’ll find something else. We want to do something fresh and new and make it rad.
Some unsanctioned pop-ups get shut down quick, did you ever have any licensing trouble?
I don’t know if it was because we blew up so fast or what, but we never had a problem. For some reason Fox seems to be a-okay with the pop-up. With The Simpsons, which is one of the top shows of all time, it keeps the brand fresh. And, it’s free advertising. The first year we did it one of the main writers re-tweeted it, that was pretty cool. I’m a huge fan. I’m an 80s kid, I’m that era – we’re all grown up now and we all love nostalgia.
Let’s talk cost. How much does it take to make this type of pop-up happen?
The first year, I’d say we spent about $5,000-$6,000 in the redecoration. A lot of that was in redesign, like redoing the menu, and in the labor. This year, we’re probably spending about $10,000 or $11,000. We work with Arts & Recreation in Austin, they’re our design firm for everything.
What’s your return like on that kind of investment?
We make up the cost the first day we’re open, 100%. We average probably $13,000-$14,000 a day for the ten days we’re open. Our October numbers are insane. Halloween is our busiest day by far, and we don’t raise our prices. The first year, you could do a beer and a shot for like $5. I hate price gauging.
Watch Now: Austin Evolve: Travis Tober on All Things Marketing and Social Media
You do a few other pop ups throughout the year, what are some of the lessons you’ve learned?
We do the Miracle Pop Up, and Sippin’ Santa, and this year I’m going to do my own thing at Old Pal. I like Miracle, I think they’re fantastic – but you get back what you put into it. Make sure you’re taking advantage of all the resources they have, especially the PR.
What advice do you have for bar and restaurant operators who want to try an immersive pop-up experience?
Start planning three months out, at least. Time is not your friend. We started planning Moe’s in July this year. You have to plan way out in advance. That’s the most crucial thing I’ve learned as an operator – timing is everything. You have to think six months out. I’m planning December in June. And honestly, if you don’t commit to the bit with these pop ups, there’s no point in doing it. You make your money back when you make it an immersive experience, from the costumes to the playlists and the menus. You don’t want it to just feel like your normal bar with a sign out front.
Read More: How Marketing Helped Nickel City Survive COVID-19
What’s one thing operators can focus on to maximize their profit?
I wouldn’t raise your prices, for one thing. I’d rather have people stay for two $12 cocktails than one $18 one. And it’s really all about marketing. When press gets behind something, you’re going to have people coming. And probably 60% of those people are going to be first time customers, so make sure you give them a reason to get a second drink and come back again. Social media is free and easy. Get your staff behind you – get them to like and share on their own pages. If you have a staff of 15 you can easily hit 6,000 people. Just pound it out on social media for a few days and the media will pick on it. Have good photos, too. That’s so important. We took photos a week before, and sent them out to media the Friday we opened. [Editor’s note: if you can get your images earlier, do it. Publications schedule their content at least four weeks out, and you might miss their deadline if you leave it until the last minute.]
Any last pieces of advice for bar and restaurant operators who are about to do an immersive experience?
Get in it to win it, commit to the bit, and trust yourself.
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