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§ Pillar 02 · Cluster B1 — Free Working Spreadsheet

Bar Startup Cost
Spreadsheet.

A working financial model for bar startup costs. Seven categories broken into editable line items, with industry-standard ranges pre-populated. Update assumptions for your venue and watch totals recalculate.
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Ryan Dahlstrom
By the Author
Ryan Dahlstrom
Author, Hospitality Industry Authority, and Expert Witness · Last updated: November 2025
A working spreadsheet model for bar startup costs. Seven categories broken into editable line items. Industry-standard ranges pre-populated. Formulas update totals as you customize for your specific venue. Free download via the form above.
§ 01 — What Is in the Spreadsheet

Nine sheets,
fully wired.

The workbook is structured as a summary dashboard plus the seven cost-category sheets, plus a concept-comparison sheet. Edit any category, the dashboard updates.
Sheet 01
Summary Dashboard
The dashboard pulls from all seven category sheets. Edit a line item anywhere, the dashboard recalculates instantly.
  • · Total startup capital requirement
  • · Category subtotals
  • · Working capital cushion calculation
  • · Contingency calculation
  • · Funding gap analysis
§ Sheets 02–08 · The Seven Cost Categories
Each category has its own sheet with line-item detail and pre-populated industry ranges.
Sheet 02
Location costs
Sheet 03
Build-out and construction
Sheet 04
Equipment and furniture
Sheet 05
Licensing and permits
Sheet 06
Opening inventory
Sheet 07
Pre-opening operations
Sheet 08
Working capital cushion
Sheet 09
Concept Comparison
Side-by-side comparison of startup costs across concept types — neighborhood bar, bar and grill, sports bar, cocktail lounge, nightclub. Useful for evaluating which concept best matches your capital position.
§ 02 — How to Use the Spreadsheet

Three ways
to put it to work.

№ 01
For Early Planning
Use the pre-populated industry ranges. Plug in rough numbers for your venue size and concept. Output gives you an order-of-magnitude capital requirement to anchor early conversations.
№ 02
For Detailed Planning
Get actual quotes from contractors, equipment dealers, and service providers. Replace pre-populated ranges with specific quotes. Output becomes the basis for your business plan’s financial section.
№ 03
For Funding Conversations
Present the detailed spreadsheet to lenders or investors as supporting documentation for your capital request. Line-item-level detail builds confidence in the funding ask.
Want every line explained?
The Breakdown page covers each item.
View the Detailed Breakdown
§ 03 — Industry-Standard Ranges Pre-Populated

Not blank.
Realistic from open.

The spreadsheet is not blank. Each line item has industry-standard range estimates so you can immediately see realistic numbers, then customize.
  • · Equipment ranges from used to premium new
  • · Construction ranges from existing-bar-space to ground-up
  • · Licensing ranges by state cost tier
  • · Inventory ranges by menu breadth
  • · Working capital ranges by ramp-up assumption
§ 04 — Plugs Into the Business Plan

Same seven categories
as the plan.

The spreadsheet integrates with the Bar Business Plan. The seven cost categories match the plan’s Pre-Opening Costs and Funding Request sections. If you customize the spreadsheet for your venue, the numbers feed directly into the business plan’s financial projections.
For the complete plan with this spreadsheet integrated, see the Bar Business Plan.
Get the Bar Business Plan
View Detailed Breakdown
§ Free Download
Bar Startup Cost Spreadsheet
Working financial model with seven categories of editable line items. Industry-standard ranges pre-populated.
§ The Flagship
The Bar Business Plan
The complete document. Ten sections, integrated financial model, customizable for any concept.
View the Plan →
§ Cross-Network
№ Earlier in the process?
The Open a Bar
founder framework
For the complete process of opening a bar — concept through operations.
Visit opena.bar →
§ Spreadsheet Plus Plan

Spreadsheet feeds
the business plan.

Customize the spreadsheet for your venue, then drop the numbers into the Bar Business Plan’s Pre-Opening Costs and Funding Request sections. Same seven-category structure across both.
Get the Bar Business Plan
View Costs Pillar