THE PHUKET BREWERY has closed, with question marks hanging over the island's ability to sustain a large performance venue. With the closure went 200 jobs.
The landmark auditorium enjoyed a second chance by reopening on January 29 as Whisky and Moonlight (Long Lao Sang Chan) but failed to meet the expectations of a second entrepreneur and closed on May 20, with little prospect of a third opportunity.
The problem seems to be, according to experienced venue manager Vitoon Janboonkeaw, the difficulty in attracting an audience that could consistently fill the 2000-seat venue on Phuket. ''Not enough customers, the place is too big,'' Khun Vitoon said.
It's a property with many advantages but a boutique brewery attached to the auditorium was an extra drain on outgoings. The place was marketed strongly, with free whisky in the first month.
''I've opened many places and if they do not work within the first few months, they are unlikely to work,'' Khun Vitoon said.
The Phuket Brewery is centrally located opposite Tesco-Lotus supermarket, on the bypass road in Phuket City. It has the capacity to hold 2000 people on two levels, all at dining tables, and with a good view of the large stage.
Khun Vitoon runs 13 other venues, mostly in Bangkok, and some of similar size that do good business. While Phuket people seem to appreciate Carabao and other Thai folk-rock bands, they do not appear to share a love of a good night out often enough to sustain a business of this scale.
What seemed to be a good idea when the Phuket Brewery first opened in November 2008 has now suffered two strikes.
''Phuket may not be big enough just yet,'' Khun Vitoon said. ''And the place itself? It is too big.''
Phuket Brewery Venue Reopens With Free WhiskyThe landmark auditorium enjoyed a second chance by reopening on January 29 as Whisky and Moonlight (Long Lao Sang Chan) but failed to meet the expectations of a second entrepreneur and closed on May 20, with little prospect of a third opportunity.
The problem seems to be, according to experienced venue manager Vitoon Janboonkeaw, the difficulty in attracting an audience that could consistently fill the 2000-seat venue on Phuket. ''Not enough customers, the place is too big,'' Khun Vitoon said.
It's a property with many advantages but a boutique brewery attached to the auditorium was an extra drain on outgoings. The place was marketed strongly, with free whisky in the first month.
''I've opened many places and if they do not work within the first few months, they are unlikely to work,'' Khun Vitoon said.
The Phuket Brewery is centrally located opposite Tesco-Lotus supermarket, on the bypass road in Phuket City. It has the capacity to hold 2000 people on two levels, all at dining tables, and with a good view of the large stage.
Khun Vitoon runs 13 other venues, mostly in Bangkok, and some of similar size that do good business. While Phuket people seem to appreciate Carabao and other Thai folk-rock bands, they do not appear to share a love of a good night out often enough to sustain a business of this scale.
What seemed to be a good idea when the Phuket Brewery first opened in November 2008 has now suffered two strikes.
''Phuket may not be big enough just yet,'' Khun Vitoon said. ''And the place itself? It is too big.''
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> "And the place itself? It is too big."
Which says it all. Sometimes things start too big instead of checking out the opportunities and possibly expanding later...
Posted by Fritz Pinguin on May 31, 2010 00:43