Double Shot and BC Bars Gone

[Daleinpattaya]

My favorite was always FUNNY BOYS in Boyz Town … then Mama Rose left!!

[aussie]

Double Shot in Jomtien Complex will re-open later this year under new ownership and renovation began earlier this week. Whether it will be a bar similar to before, restaurant or another hotel is unknown at this stage.

[Jun]

While I agree with Dodger that’s it’s about providing sexy boys to attract customers, I disagree about M bar. I hope it’s changed but it never had any more customers than any other bar. It always appeared dead to me.

Well that's two of us.

I'm sure we would all like a bar stuffed full of cute lads to be popular, but count the customers and it's not doing any better than some of the bars that just sell drinks. What we like doesn't always happen.

I quite liked M-Bar in 2023. The boys were dispersed through the bar. I invited one cute slim lad to sit with me. He was delightful, slim, playful and capable of good conversation.

In early 2024, they had the boys in the outside part, usually occupying all the seats. The customers sat inside. That doesn't work as well, but to rescue this, the management would bring a selection of 4 boys in for each customer to check. I preferred the old way.
The ones I did sit with had to resort to the phone for translation. Bar boys easily can make up for weak conversation in other ways, typically a gorgeous smile, less clothing and close physical interaction. They didn't try any of those methods either.

Observations from being in or close to the bar might differ from those made 20 miles away. So I do encourage more people to visit the bar to see for themselves. M Bar may well have evolved the formula in the 3 months since I was last there.

Double Shot in Jomtien Complex will re-open later this year under new ownership and renovation began earlier this week. Whether it will be a bar similar to before, restaurant or another hotel is unknown at this stage.

All I hope for is something that doesn't play loud music and ruin the experience for customers across the street. The top end of the soi has not suffered from loud music on a regular basis. I hope it stays that way.

[Dodger]

In early 2024, they had the boys in the outside part, usually occupying all the seats. The customers sat inside. That doesn't work as well, but to rescue this, the management would bring a selection of 4 boys in for each customer to check. I preferred the old way.

Who cares as long as there's BOYS?

Never bothered me in the least where the boys were seated at any bar - because within 5 minutes of my arrival the boy I liked was sitting exactly where I wanted him...no problem there.

I think Em is wise to display the boys she has on staff up near the front of the bar to attract customers. The one improvement I would make which pertains to ALL boy bars is that I would not allow smartphones to be in use when the boys are working...PERIOD! Their job is to smile and greet customers. If they want to ignore them they can do it on their apps when they're back sitting in their looms.

[Gaybutton]

The top end of the soi has not suffered from loud music on a regular basis.

I wonder how much the excessively loud music in some of those bars, the noise of which carries over to other bars, plays a significant part of the reason for the decline of customer numbers. I, for one, don't enjoy going home with my ears still throbbing an hour later,

Maybe some of the bars experiencing a lack of customer numbers ought to start asking themselves why the customers aren't coming. It may be low season, but there are still plenty of gay holiday makers and expats in Pattaya to fill those bars.

Among the reasons I don't go to the bars anymore is that loud music and that there really is nothing going on that attracts me. For me it's all "same old same old".

I think Dodger is absolutely right about the mobile phones. Even while I was still regularly going to the bars, I too often ended up sitting by myself while the boys were paying zero attention to the customers and all were busy playing with their phones. There were times when it was difficult to even get a drink. I don't know why bar owners and managers put up with it, but apparently that still goes on. That certainly does nothing to attract me, but it does a great job of keeping me away.

By the way, has anyone noticed that the boys who say they have no money to eat and/or have no money to pay their room rent - but they all have smartphones?

In my opinion the bars that are failing - it's their own fault. They have no one to blame except themselves. When are they finally going to wake up to the fact that the way things worked well twenty years ago simply don't work now?

[Jun]

Two of the closed bars are at the top of the soi, which is quieter, so I doubt the noise was a factor there.
I have occasionally left Divarium due to the din from The Palace, next door. I thought The Palace were becoming slightly more considerate this high season.

As for mobile phones, many of us will agree it's a problem.
Fortunately, some bars still have boys wandering around.
At other bars, the boys will look up from the phones when customers arrive. If they're not immediately selected, they're back on their phones.

Who cares as long as there's BOYS?

To judge if a bar format works, count the customers.
At least two members who have been customers of this and nearby bars have reported M Bar is often rather quiet.

You're fortunate to have a boyfriend, who sounds delightful & hence you don't visit the bar.
Just remember everyone else can also either find boys on Grindr, at other good bars or even have their own boyfriend.

Being popular with the kind of customer who doesn't visit the bar does not pay the bills.

I would also rate the M Bar as above average, but we can't get away from the fact that customers tend to go elsewhere.

[Dodger]

At least two members who have been customers of this and nearby bars have reported M Bar is often rather quiet.

I'm not trying to belabor this but isn't it true that many, if not most of the JC bars, are often rather quiet?

Regardless if I still hit the bars or not I still enjoy offering my opinions from time-to-time based on the knowledge gained by just living here and interfacing with the punters, bar owners and working boys I know as frequently as I do.

All things considered I still give M Bar pretty good odds of being successful based on Em's skills in the trade and what I know about what the average punter wants.

I mentioned the possibility of me opening a boy bar in Pattaya to Jai once. He just looked at me with one eye opened and one eye closed...never a good sign...

[Dodger]

It's not easy for Baby Boomers to forecast the future of a Gen Z bar scene to begin with. Too many variables, but one thing's for sure, technology will play a big part in the direction things are headed, i.e., advanced dating apps, on-line sex/AI, etc., painting a not-so-pretty picture for the bar loving Baby Boomers.

Hey...wouldn't a great name for a gay bar in Thailand be "Baby Boomers"? I think it's perfect for Thailand with its dual meaning.

It seems that most agree that the sheer number of bars in JC will probably decline over time to better align with the volume of customers. Just makes sense. No money - no honey.

My vision of the perfect Boy Bar:

Dimly lit...soft music...no smart phones...a dozen super HOT cute/slim/femboys (sorry only twinks, no jocks, tattoo's, mustaches, or muscled manly men)...snug short pants or briefs with cheeks exposed... plenty of dark corners to grope and fondle...and a few short time rooms upstairs. Bring back any memories??? A fitting name: "Rim My Bootie" - "Where Guys are Dolls".

[Jun]

Regardless if I still hit the bars or not I still enjoy offering my opinions from time-to-time based

Please continue to do so. It gives us something to talk about & debate
I also like your idea of a perfect bar. I'd just refine it to have a well lit stage for the boys to show off and dark corners for play

[aussie]

Renovation is well underway in the previous Double Shot bar in Jomtien Complex. The signage for East Lounge went up today with the new owners being from the East Suites accommodation in the next soi at Jomtien Complex.