If you consider your actual bar where the liquor is behind to be a fixed piece of your building, there only a few main pieces of bar furniture that you need to purchase to stock up your place of business. You need your bar stools. You need either tables and chairs or booths to fill out the rest of the bar, and you need some sort of entertainment. Some bars offer adult entertainment, while others offer live bands. Other bars invest their bar furniture fund into items such as pool tables and dart boards.

Finding the right bar furniture is a good investment because your success will hinge on your customers being comfortable and having a good time. Friendly service and quality food and drinks are important, but a comfortable atmosphere is just as important to most customers as well.

To find out more about bar furniture types and styles:

1. Look for bar stools that match the existing decor of your establishment.

2. Move on to booths as your next bar furniture purchase.

3. Invest in entertainment items such as pool tables and dart boards as part of your bar furniture budget.

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Start with adding bar stools as your first bar furniture purchase

You couldn't have a bar without bar stools, so be sure and find something that will match the existing decor of your location, but that will also be comfortable for your patrols. The cushier the seat, the longer they'll stay and drink.

I recommend: Purchase commercial bar stools from One Way Furniture. One Way Furniture also has pub table bar stools and bar tables, so be sure and browse through their selection. Find commercial bar stools from USABarstools.com.

Get booths for your next bar furniture purchase

Buy booth furniture based on size limitations of your establishments, as well as color scheme of your place.

I recommend: Purchase booth seats from commercialfurniturecenter.com. Depending on your floor plan, they can offer you two-siders, single seaters, circle seating or wall benches. Check out what booths the SeatingExpert.com has available. They have three-channel to six-channel seating available. You can also shop by the subcategories of contour booths, upholstered booths or waiting bench.

Add entertainment options to your bar furniture budget

Keep your patrons there long after the meal is done, by adding entertainment options to your bar furniture budget. Let them play pool or electronic darts while the beer keeps on flowing.

I recommend: Check out the coin operated, pub style pool tables from BMI Gaming. You can also purchase them with an optional dollar bill acceptor. Take a look at the commercial grade Arachnid Galaxy II Arcade dart board from Dartboards.com. This dart board features a missed dart detector and has full tournament capabilities.

If you are looking for bar furniture for your business, you know the choices seem infinite. From tables to stools to chairs, it is nearly impossible to see it all. Making matters more complicated, the style of furniture you choose will have a major impact on the atmosphere of your bar, which could potentially affect your bottom line. That's why it is important you choose the right bar furniture the first time.

Before you begin your search for a bar furniture directory, bar furniture list or even bar furniture information, examine your budget and your needs and ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do I have the money to purchase new bar furniture?

2. Would used bar furniture be a better option for my business?

3. Do I have temporary needs for bar furniture?

Action Steps
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Purchase new bar furniture

If you have the budget to buy from a new bar furniture provider, you are in luck. Companies across the country sell chairs, loungers, bar stools, service rails and everything else you will need to furnish your bar. The tough part will be sorting through all the choices to find the right style for your business.

I recommend: Zesco Products is a restaurant supply company based in Indiana. The company's 110,000-square-foot warehouse is stocked with restaurant and bar furniture and supplies, and most items can be shipped in 24 hours. Y2KFurniture is a furniture wholesaler that sells a wide variety of lounge chairs, booth seating, bar chairs and table tops.

Consider used bar furniture

If you don't have the capital to purchase new bar furniture, purchasing used furniture can still be a great option. You won't have a wide variety of pieces to chose from, and you may not be able to find a large quantity of matching furniture, but if your needs are general, buying used furniture can save you a lot of money.

I recommend: AMC Liquidators prides itself on providing high-quality restaurant and bar furniture at attractive prices. Once you make your purchase, the company will ship it anywhere in the world. ACityDiscount Restaurant Equipment & Restaurant Supply has a wide selection of bar furniture available for purchase, either through auction or immediately. The company offers quantity pricing for many of the items it sells.

Find bar furniture that is available for rent

If your needs are seasonal or for a single event or if you just don't have the capital to purchase bar furniture up front, you should consider renting furniture. This can be a great way for your business to save money and keep up with the latest trends in this competitive industry.

I recommend: Designer8* Event Furniture Rental has showrooms across the country. The company also has an in-house design service to help you make sure your bar furniture has the look you want. From the website, select the type of furniture you are looking for to browse the company's inventory. Ronen Bar and Furniture Rental serves the Miami area with a complete line of trendy bar, lounge and restaurant furniture for rent. The company's stylish pieces and accessories are sure to make your business stand out.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider quality over price when purchasing bar furniture. Hopefully, your furniture will get a lot of use, so it is wise to spend a little more money up front to buy furniture that is durable and will last you a long time.

Bar furniture is an important part of your establishment’s decor and presence. In fact, it may be THE most important part of it. Where would your customers sit to enjoy their food and drink if they didn’t have any bar tables and chairs to sit on? Bar furniture pricing and costs depend on things such as the size and style of the furniture and the material it's made of. Be sure to choose pieces that you can afford to have a few extra of in case something gets broken or otherwise damaged.

When you are starting your research on bar furniture pricing and costs, decide which type of furniture you are in the market for before proceeding. Here are some ideas:

1. Purchase wine racks to hold all of your wine bottles when you are purchasing bar furniture.

2. Give customers a comfortable place to sit with quality barstools.

3. Seat customers at classy pub tables that reflect the style and feel of your bar or restaurant.

Action Steps
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Display your special vintages on wine racks

What is a bar without a wine rack? The size of your establishment should dictate what size wine rack you should get. As expected, the larger your bar or restaurant and the more bar furniture you have, the larger the wine rack should be. Prices of this bar furniture depend not only on the size but also on the material. For example, heavy wooden racks tend to cost more than all metal.

I recommend: TheFurniture.com has a number of beautiful wine racks that start at about $225 and go up to over $3,500. Wine Enthusias has a large number of wine racks in many different styles and materials that range from around $200 to around $8,500.

Seat your patrons on comfortable bar furniture

One of the most important pieces of bar furniture is the barstool. How else will your patrons be able to stay and enjoy themselves? The type of stool you purchase should depend on the style of your bar or restaurant. Metal, retro-looking bar furniture tends to be less expensive than heavier wooden barstools.

I recommend: You are sure to find the right bar furniture for your needs at BarStools & BarStools. They have styles in prices that range from about $75 all the way up to about $900 per stool. BarStools.com is a one-stop-shop for barstools. Expect to pay from about $60 up to around $1,100 for stools.

Provide your customers with bar furniture on which to place their food and drinks

Another 'must-have' in bar furniture is bar tables. Bar tables or 'pub tables' come in the typical round style, but there are also different shapes and fancier styles available. The original round ones are less expensive, as they usually come in metal and wood or wood laminate. If you're looking for something high-end, then heavy wooden pub tables are sure to be a classy addition to your business.

I recommend: This particular pub table from All Barstools is a “typical” inexpensive pub table and it will run you around $100. One Way Furniture has a large selection of pub tables in many sizes and styles, ranging in price from around $100 all the way up to about $1,600 per table.

When you're getting ready to open a new cocktail lounge or bar, your mind is probably on making sure you're stocking the right liquors and hiring the right staff. But bar furniture, though it may be low profile, plays a key role in establishing the atmosphere you want and making your customers comfortable. Bar furniture includes everything from the bar itself, which you'll need if you aren't fortunate enough to have one already in the space, to railings and seating options. Keep these bar furniture key terms in mind when making your selections.

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Bars

The bar itself, which gets its name from the wooden bar or counter from behind which drinks are served, is the most important item of bar furniture. Bars are traditionally fashioned from wood, sometimes ornately carved and decorated, though modern bars may be constructed from polished metals or laminates like Corian. The back bar, or gantry, usually a separate item of furniture, serves as storage and display for liquor and may incorporate built-in lighting features and mirrors.

I recommend: See a gallery of custom-designed commercial bars and back bars, including traditional and contemporary styles, at Wallace & Hinz.

Bar rails

Bars can be customized with a number of railing options. Service rails divide the at-bar seating area from the space needed to supply drinks to wait staff serving customers at bar tables or in a restaurant area. Foot rails allow customers seated on tall bar stools to rest their feet. Glass racks, either wall-mounted or suspended overhead, may also be constructed from rails. Most bar railings are made of brass, though other finishes, including wood, can be chosen.

I recommend: See various styles and functions of bar rails at BuyRailings.com.

Bar stools

Bar stools are the traditional seating option for customers drinking or having meals at the bar. The standard bar stool is backless, but options include chairback styles and even upholstered seating with armrests. Bar stools may swivel to allow easy access, and some are available with pneumatic adjustable heights or built-in foot rails.

I recommend: Bar Stools & Barstools features a catalog of various types of at-the-bar seating.

Booths

Booths are stand-alone or built-in seating and table arrangements. For bars and cocktail lounges, booth choices tend to run toward the cozy and intimate 2-top or large-party options like circular or corner booths, rather than the standard restaurant 4-top booth. Booths can be customized to reflect the decor or theme of the bar.

I recommend: Kurt Peterson offers a primer on booth design and selection.

Bistro table, pub tables

Apart from booths and at-the-bar seating, bars and cocktail lounges often feature free-standing tables. The most popular options are the round or square high-rise versions sometimes called pub tables or bistro tables. Bar tables are generally smaller than restaurant tables to allow more informal gathering.

I recommend: ModernLineFurniture illustrates several contemporary options for bar tables. See examples of bistro tables and pub tables at Restaurant Bar Furniture.

Lounge chairs, loungers, club chairs

Seating options at bar tables often include comfortable armchairs upholstered in leather, vinyl or other easy-care fabrics. Known as lounge chairs, loungers or club chairs, these bar furniture choices are available in regular height or high-rise versions that may be used at the bar counter or bistro tables. Club chairs usually feature casters for easy reconfiguring of seating groups.

I recommend: American Chairs illustrates a variety of lounge and club chairs for bar use.