This bar had all the potential in the world, but ended up being an unprofessional let down. \r
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I hosted a party there for my boyfriends’ surprise 40th birthday and here are some of the “highlights”\r
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* Our party didn’t hit the $2,500 party minimum, so we had to pay $1,100 out of pocket. We were happy to make up the difference (we had agreed to do so in advance), but we wanted to make a purchase for the difference and not just give them money for nothing in return. At first the owner said they’d at least give us a $500 gift certificate, but they reneged on that offer for no reason. How nice for them to get $1,100 and not have to dispense an ounce of liquor or give out a single cigar … \r
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* Their communication was awful. I started planning the party 6 months in advance, and thank goodness I did! They took 3 weeks to return every call or e-mail. I had to call and e-mail about a half a dozen times just to get one response. After our party, they were even harder to get a hold of. (Shocking) The owner and the manager were out of the country for two weeks together right after the party, so we couldn’t reach them, and yet they accused us of not being in touch quick enough. We called and e-mailed many, many times while they were out of the country and the months that followed, but our calls and e-mails were not returned. \r
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* We assumed a cigar bar would have some sort of ventilation system. There “system” is opening the back door.\r
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* A friend of mine asked for a Red Bull – because the bartender was drinking one – and the bartender told my friend that these were her “personal stash”. How delightful. \r
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* One of the reasons we had to rent out the entire fascility to begin with (and pay the $2,500 party minimum, as opposed to a smaller minimum) is because the manager told us she wouldn’t be able to track sales of our party versus the rest of the bar. If you don’t have systems in place, perhaps you shouldn’t offer parties. Additionally, the entire time we were planning the party, I was promised that a renovation and expansion project would be done before my party, and it was not. Luckily we fit, but had I had more guests, I guess we just would have been screwed. \r
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I’ve never worked with a venue with such little interest in catering to the needs of their customers. It was such a cute concept (which is why I made my friends and family drive all the way to Sudbury from the North Shore), but they did not deliver. \r
Pros: cigar bars are fun
Cons: unprofessional staff, rude owner, bad communication
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