Open ConceptIf there’s one way to encourage binge-drinking, it’s to sell drinks by the hour rather than by the glass – which is exactly what a bar in Missouri has decided to do.
The idea is certainly a questionable one from a more sensible standpoint, but if you’re looking for a cheaper way to get your hands on numerous drinks – and I think most of us are – then this is definitely the place for you.
The bar, named Open Concept, opened in South City, St Louis on Friday (October 4). The idea behind the establishment is similar to that of an open bar – which is probably all the information needed to get patrons through the door – though there is some cost included in your visit.
Rather than paying for each drink you buy, Open Concept sells time during which visitors can drink as much as they legally can, though preferably without passing out or throwing up in the process.
Customers can pay $10 per hour for premium drinks or $20 per hour for top shelf liquor, then it’s up to you to get your money’s worth, WKRC News reports.
The Open Concept website explains:
At Open Concept all of the drinks are on us, although you pay per hour to access the space. At our bar we don’t sell drinks, we sell time.
That means for an average price of $10 per hour you can drink as much as you can handle.
PexelsExplaining the idea behind the innovative bar, owner Michael Butler said:
We decided to mix technology with that open bar concept. To where you can pay per hour and you can stay in the space as long as you want.
This place is different because you’re buying time instead of the drinks. Open Concept is the first of its kind in the region and the state of Missouri.
If you’re a fast drinker, Open Concept could be the cause of some very hazy nights, however the staff have come up with a way to keep tabs on their customers’ intake to make sure no one gets in trouble.
Butler explained visitors are required to sign into the bar using mobile phones, after which Open Concept uses technology to track all consumption and keep the bar in compliance with legal limits.
Of course, if you’re the kind of person to nurse one drink all night then the bar probably isn’t the place for you – unless you’re willing to have a very expensive, relatively sober night out, which just doesn’t sound like that much fun.
It’s certainly an interesting idea though, and I’m sure a lot of people will be interested in seeing how many drinks they mange to get through in the allotted time!
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.