Modeled after Miami, nightspot offers velvet-rope allure
After a hard day of work, Fort Worth businesspeople should stay downtown. At least thatÂ’s what Jerrett Joslin, local entrepreneur and owner of the new Bar 9, thinks.
“We want people to come in and relax, not have to worry about a thing. Come in, sit down and we’ll get you what you need. If someone wants a certain kind of drink that we don’t have, we’ll get it for them and have it ready for them the next time they come in,” said Joslin of his newest venture, which is located at 900 Houston St.
Mike Burke has been the general manager of Bar 9 since it opened on June 1, and has worked on different business plans with Joslin over the last five years.
“We’ve come up with lots of concepts, and by far, this is the best one. Comfort and relaxation of the client is our first priority,” said Burke.
Burke and Joslin both say that what makes the bar different is the level of service. Joslin took some ideas from trendy bars and clubs in Las Vegas, Miami Beach and New York. He said Dallas has some similar places, too, but wants “Fort Worth dollars to stay in Fort Worth.”
“We need to keep Tarrant County tax money in Fort Worth. I want to keep them here instead of Dallas. We’re trying to do an urban, upscale feel in Fort Worth. People used to have to go to Dallas to get this kind of place,” said Joslin.
Burke agrees.
“We put out a better service,” he said. “It’s the best alternative downtown.”
The bar doesn’t serve food, but if patrons want food, they can get it. Conveniently, Joslin is the owner of a restaurant, Saporè, located across the street at 907 Houston St. Joslin said that Bar 9 guests can order food from Saporè and have it brought to them.
“It’s just like how we would do a to-go order. It’s boxed and brought over. We take care of the people,” said Joslin. “It’s a VIP experience. Guests don’t have to worry. It’s like leaving reality or daily life as they walk through the door.”
According to Joslin, Bar 9 is the first bar in Fort Worth to offer bottle service. (Guests can select their choice of liquor and the full bottle is presented to the table.) The lounge also caters to professionals by offering high-end wines, martinis, Champagne and cigars; sports and news on all of the five TVs; Wi-Fi Internet access; private booths and meeting rooms, as well as projection equipment for informal meetings or presentations.
Joslin caters to a corporate clientele at Bar 9. That means a more laid-back, mature environment.
“We try to create an atmosphere. We don’t have a bunch of kids coming in here. We’re business-oriented,” Joslin said.
He also said that he works to create that atmosphere by limiting dancing to a small floor in the basement area. The first floor is more relaxed and business-oriented with softer, earthier colors. It has the private meeting rooms, a large, marble bar and a cigar room with leather furniture.
The atmosphere is further controlled by the three different VIP levels of membership.
The gold level is free to the first 300 members who register online, which can be done by going to barninefw.com and filling out the contact sheet. The gold membership includes line priority or no cover at the door, and priority access at Bar 9 events and promotions.
The platinum level is $250 and includes the same benefits as a gold level, but also includes complimentary valet parking, table priority and more exclusivity.
The black level is $1,000, with a $500 credit to be used at Bar 9. In addition to the platinum-level benefits, it also includes priority access to reservations, private lounge areas and VIP rooms, and a personal host or bartender. Members of this level have access to a limo concierge service. Black-level members can also get discounts with the limo service and hotels.
Memberships last one year and are open to Dallas/Fort Worth residents, said Joslin. However, Joslin stresses that the public is welcome.
“It’s a place to be seen and heard,” he said. “We want people to come in and dress nice and be able to relax and have a good time.”
Joslin has a long history in the bar and restaurant industry. The name for Bar 9 comes from the fact that this is JoslinÂ’s ninth business to open in Tarrant County. Previous ventures include hotspots Axis, Bacios and Sol y Luna.
“I enjoy the thrill of opening a new place. It’s an adrenaline rush,” Joslin said.
Joslin is originally from the Northwest. He started working in the nightlife industry 15 years ago while in the Seattle area. He moved to Fort Worth five years ago for a job in golf course sales and marketing. He stayed around to get back into the bar business.
More than a month into business, Burke said that things at Bar 9 are running pretty well, and Joslin is optimistic.
Jeff Moore, 36, works downtown and has made a few visits to Bar 9 after work. He enjoys the cigar room and Bar 9Â’s upscale ambiance.
“It’s kind of like Dallas comes to Fort Worth,” he said.
If you have a small business story idea, contact Nici Sandberg at nsandberg@bizpress.net.
