Standing at a distance from us, besides a giant resting samurai, in the 25,000sq ft, expansive b-bar, Kunal Lalani, the co-owner, strikes an impressive, ‘I mean business’ stance. He greets us with a firm hand and walks us through the glamorous central atrium to a quiet corner. Even though he means business, he can’t help hide his excitement as b-bar completed a year in the city recently and Lalani, along with his partners, has been partying since then. “This is the busiest yet the happiest time of the year for the four of us. It’s also a time to say a big thank you to everybody who ever came to the property and contributed in making it a success,” says Lalani.
The bar launched a year ago to mixed reactions. Some said it was too elitist and others found nothing wrong with that. “We must say that we were overwhelmed with the initial response from our well-travelled patrons, who have been looking forward to a premium concept restaurant like Buddha Bar in India too. So, especially for them, we will be presenting a special night with legendary DJ Ravin—the creator of Buddha Bar sound—who will enthrall our guests with his unique mixes, blended with the sounds of percussionist, Damien, this month. Personally, we will celebrate with our closest friends who have made our dream possible.”
For any new venture, especially if it’s imported, it is most likely to be accompanied by its fair share of rumours that tend to question its very existence. But the rumours surrounding b-bar shutting shop soon have not perturbed any of the owners, especially Dambhir Chaddha who remains totally unfazed. “It usually takes time for a venture like this to settle down. From the very beginning, the response we received for b-bar was encouraging. The feedback has always helped us fine-tune our operations and offerings for the better, and are pleased that the business has been growing steadily, despite the rumours,” he says.
Even though working in partnership has brought its share of difficulties like several important discussions and decisions getting delayed, the best part according to Lalani is that the four of them are never short of fresh ideas. Four friends who were business associates for decades before they started the bar are well travelled individuals who say they have picked up a lot from their trips to other countries. In fact, it was during their multiple leisure and business visits to Buddha Bars of Dubai, Paris, and London that they were inspired to get the brand home. “India’s economy was in an overdrive at that time. So during one of our vacations together, we hatched the idea of bringing Buddha Bar to the country and the effort was totally worth it,” says J S s, the fourth partner.
The business has found its footing in the past one year and now the focus has shifted towards making it an exceptional business model. “Just being good is not good enough. Catering to market needs, capturing the imagination of its customers and fulfilling the aspirations of our guests are paramount. Two things worked have always worked in our favour—the economic environment in India and the vast number of Indians travelling abroad which has given greater visibility to our brand and we hope we can take it to other cities too,” says Lalani.
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