KISS to open coffee house

[mako_kimura]

Iconic rockers KISS opened their first coffee shop in South Carolina on Wednesday (28JUN06), and promised plenty more are on the way.
Bassist GENE SIMMONS told 2,000 fans who congregated at the Kiss Coffeehouse in Myrtle Beach, "Every army needs
food and drink and the Kiss Army is no exception!" Frontman PAUL STANLEY promised outlets are being planned for Las Vegas and other major US cities.
Drinks on sale include Kiss Frozen Rockuccino, French Kiss Vanilla and Demon Dark Roast

[bueno bob]

Out of business in under a year.

Guaranteed.

[DrMaddVibe]

Originally posted by bueno bob
Out of business in under a year.

Guaranteed.


What business has failed that those 2 dared dream up?

[mako_kimura]

The perfume thing, I think

[DrMaddVibe]

They just announced they were doing that like 2 weeks ago.

If its anything like the casket thing...ask Dimebag Darrell.

If its anything like the condom thing...they're always sold out.

No gentlemen...this will rock n' roll all night and party every day.

Kiss is not Van Halen.

[Steve Savicki]

Originally posted by bueno bob
Out of business in under a year.

Guaranteed.
Why? They have the money to keep it open.

[bueno bob]

Originally posted by DrMaddVibe
What business has failed that those 2 dared dream up?

Kiss.

[bueno bob]

Originally posted by Steve Savicki
Why? They have the money to keep it open.

Maybe, but "celebrity restaurants" don't work as a rule...there are any number of failed celebrity owned/themed restaurants (at least 12 that I can think of right off the top of my head, starting with Planet Hollywood and working on down) because the general public doesn't have interest in such things.

Most of them are closed within six months due to lack of repeat business...after the novelty dies off, so do the profits.

Regardless of track history, I don't see the Kiss Koffeehouse going anywhere at all...

[DrMaddVibe]

Sounds like they're putting them in popular tourist destinations.

[DrMaddVibe]

Originally posted by bueno bob
Kiss.

I'd LOVE to have their failure!!!!

[Unchainme]

Originally posted by bueno bob
Maybe, but "celebrity restaurants" don't work as a rule...there are any number of failed celebrity owned/themed restaurants (at least 12 that I can think of right off the top of my head, starting with Planet Hollywood and working on down) because the general public doesn't have interest in such things.

Most of them are closed within six months due to lack of repeat business...after the novelty dies off, so do the profits.

Regardless of track history, I don't see the Kiss Koffeehouse going anywhere at all...

http://www.alicecooperstown.com/

Alice Cooper has a successful restaurant over in Phoenix & Cleveland that is still open, I'm dying to go eat at it, It's like 50% ESPNZone, 50% Hard Rock Cafe. Despite the fact that is sells Hagar related shit :uck:

[FORD]

I could see one KISS Koffeehouse being successful, especially if they put it in their own hometown. But I don't see a chain making it in the long run.

And as far as the Kiss Koffins go, who else besides Dimebag have you ever heard of buying one?

[bueno bob]

Originally posted by FORD
I could see one KISS Koffeehouse being successful, especially if they put it in their own hometown. But I don't see a chain making it in the long run.

And as far as the Kiss Koffins go, who else besides Dimebag have you ever heard of buying one?

Thank you...

[Unchainme]

It's in Myrtle Beach, I've Been to Myrtle Beach many times on Vacation, It's a tourist town for vacationers who like the beach, It'll probably be in the same area as the nascar cafe (Which has been opened for like 10 years.), I think it'll be open for a while.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrtle_Beach

Shit Theres a lot of stuff thats still open, and I havn't been down there in like 5 years.

[bueno bob]

Originally posted by DrMaddVibe
I'd LOVE to have their failure!!!!

Anything after, oh, 1979 or so...

:D

Seriously, though, I just don't think a chain Kiss Koffehouse has much appeal to the masses in general...I'm sure it'll hit in Detroit, but I can't see much appeal beyond the hometown angle...

[Unchainme]

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WDam6ViIXDA"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WDam6ViIXDA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

Of course, Nothing will be as successful AS STEVIE NICK'S FAJITA ROUNDUP!

[bueno bob]

Stevie Nick's Fajita Roundup is the fucking shit...what you gotta do is smoke a big fucking bowl, get blasted out of your fuckin' mind and hit that shit up!

THANK YOU STEVIE NICKS!

[DrMaddVibe]

Gene Simmons' financial kiss-and-tell
By Larry Getlen • Bankrate.com

KISS began life as a band that scared parents and thrilled a generation by mixing circus-like showmanship and horror-film danger with good ol' '70s power-chord rock 'n' roll. Thirty years later, KISS is nothing less than an American classic. The band has earned more gold records -- 24 -- than any American band in history, and bassist/vocalist/demon Gene Simmons can take much of the credit.


While the drum and lead guitar seats in the band have seen members come and go over the years, Simmons and partner Paul Stanley have been there throughout, and have turned KISS into not just a band, as Simmons likes to say, but a brand. KISS holds more than 2,000 licenses, including everything from comic books and credit cards to condoms and caskets. And while the Israeli-born Simmons, who fell in love with American pop culture as a boy and prides himself on having achieved the American Dream, turned KISS into a business empire, his other ventures have made him a mogul in his own right even beyond his band's achievements.

Simmons' pop culture magazine, Gene Simmons' Tongue, celebrates the rock 'n' roll lifestyle. He has a record label, Simmons Records, and a book imprint, Simmons Books. His first book on that imprint was his own Sex Money Kiss, a book that espouses his virtually Puritan work ethic and business philosophies. He also has a cartoon show about his life as a rock 'n' roll dad called My Dad, the Rock Star, which just debuted on Teletoons, Canada's Cartoon Network.


But right now, Simmons is focusing on the KISS/Aerosmith tour, which he says is shaping up to be one of the year's biggest, and "KISS Symphony: Alive IV," the latest KISS CD and DVD releases. Both formats document KISS' performance with the 60-piece Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, which performed with the band while adorned in full KISS makeup. And, the CD was the first release on KISS Records, the new label the band runs in conjunction with the Sanctuary Records Group.

Bankrate spoke with Simmons, and received some stream-of-consciousness insight into his business philosophies.

Bankrate: How do you decide whether to take on a business venture?

Gene Simmons: The deal has to make sense. The aesthetic should pull the heartstrings. The word "cool" is bandied about often enough. NASCAR and the National Hot Rod Association, the NHRA, are cool, and go to the heart of what America is about. So that's why we have KISS cars, and why I was the grand marshal of both two years in a row. Visa cards, corporate credit cards -- as far as I'm concerned that's about as cool as you can get. Corporate America is cool. People hate to admit it, but what's cooler than Starbucks and Coca-Cola? We buy their products and we love them.

Bankrate: With all your businesses, is there anything you turn down?

Gene Simmons: Cigarettes and hard booze. Those are two products I don't personally use, and that's something we can't have on our conscience -- somebody's health problems. But other than that, I'm happy to put KISS on almost anything. We even have KISS Kaskets.

Bankrate: Because we all have to die?

Gene Simmons: Well, we prefer you buy it while you're alive, because they're moisture-proof, and you can use them as a cooler. You watch the ballgame Sunday, and you can grab a cold one from inside the KISS Kasket. How cool is that?

Bankrate: Of all your business ventures, which is the most profitable for you?

Gene Simmons: In a short period of time, there's nothing as profitable as touring. We're in the middle of the KISS/Aerosmith tour, and at this rate, there's no reason why this shouldn't be a $100 million or more grossing tour. So just in terms of the numbers that come in every night, you walk away with a million dollars a night. That's not a bad days work.

Bankrate: $1 million a night for the whole band, gross, or $1 million for yourself, in your pocket?

Gene Simmons: Myself in my pocket? No. Well, if the audience is big enough, sure. If you do the arithmetic, $100 a ticket, and if you've got 50,000 people, that's a $5 million gross. And after expenses, you might put one large in your pocket, sure.

Bankrate: With all your success, how much are you worth?

Gene Simmons: A lot. An awful lot. But numbers aren't indicative of anything except how well you're doing in life. What I mean is, it's like judges holding up numbers to an Olympic athlete. This is how well you did this. I'm comfortable. I've heard people say money is the root of all evil, but of course they're nuts. Lack of money is the root of all evil. If I don't have a dime in my pocket, I might hold up a 7-Eleven. If I have $100 million in the bank, why would I want to grab a gun and hold up a 7-Eleven? People are very uncomfortable talking about money, but I'm happy to. Money is good. Anyone who tells you it's not ... How about buying your mom the hip operation she needs, or buying your child the food he needs. Love, unfortunately, is not the most powerful force in the universe. Love, despite what they tell you, is not going to put food in your mouth no matter how many times you say, "I love myself and I love my child." Only money can do that. And how much is enough? I believe that's a loser's game. I believe it's never enough. I like to think that Bill Gates, who has quite a bit more than I do, gets up an hour earlier, and works harder and tries to make more. Because more is what America's about. "When is enough?" is limiting. It's like a world champion. If you're the fastest runner that ever existed, what does that mean, does that mean you quit, or you get up the next day and try to break your own record? I'd like to think you get up the next morning and try to break your own record, because being alive means "I want more." When is enough? When they stick you 6 feet underground.

Bankrate: In your KISS Kasket.

Gene Simmons: I might not go that way. I can't make a profit if I buy my own product.

Bankrate: What is your investment strategy? Are you big in the market?

Gene Simmons: I do dillydally in the market, I have real estate, but I invest in the business that I know best. I'm pretty conservative when it comes to investments. Maybe 10 to 20 percent is aggressive, the rest is pretty conservative, blue chip kind of stuff. But I invest. If there is a penny to throw at something, I'd rather throw it into somebody that I trust. I'd rather throw money at someone who's going to work harder than anyone I know, who doesn't take holidays and has a blue-collar work ethic, and gee, I know a guy like that. His name is Gene Simmons. And, I know a guy who's a winner who won't take no for an answer, and refuses to be second best, which is why Gene Simmons Tongue is doing very well, and Simmons Books, with "Sex, Money, KISS," climbing the charts, and Simmons Records, which will debut a Simmons solo record and be signing other artists. There are an awful lot of other ventures I'm getting started with, but investing in Gene Simmons is a good business strategy.


Larry Getlen is a freelance writer based in New York.

-- Posted: Sept. 22, 2003
More Fame & Fortune stories







The guy is more than a rockstar.

[Sarge's Little Helper]

Gene Simmons' financial kiss-and-tell
By Larry Getlen • Bankrate.com

KISS began life as a band that scared parents and thrilled a generation by mixing circus-like showmanship and horror-film danger with good ol' '70s power-chord rock 'n' roll. Thirty years later, KISS is nothing less than an American classic. The band has earned more gold records -- 24 -- than any American band in history, and bassist/vocalist/demon Gene Simmons can take much of the credit.


While the drum and lead guitar seats in the band have seen members come and go over the years, Simmons and partner Paul Stanley have been there throughout, and have turned KISS into not just a band, as Simmons likes to say, but a brand. KISS holds more than 2,000 licenses, including everything from comic books and credit cards to condoms and caskets. And while the Israeli-born Simmons, who fell in love with American pop culture as a boy and prides himself on having achieved the American Dream, turned KISS into a business empire, his other ventures have made him a mogul in his own right even beyond his band's achievements.

Simmons' pop culture magazine, Gene Simmons' Tongue, celebrates the rock 'n' roll lifestyle. He has a record label, Simmons Records, and a book imprint, Simmons Books. His first book on that imprint was his own Sex Money Kiss, a book that espouses his virtually Puritan work ethic and business philosophies. He also has a cartoon show about his life as a rock 'n' roll dad called My Dad, the Rock Star, which just debuted on Teletoons, Canada's Cartoon Network.


But right now, Simmons is focusing on the KISS/Aerosmith tour, which he says is shaping up to be one of the year's biggest, and "KISS Symphony: Alive IV," the latest KISS CD and DVD releases. Both formats document KISS' performance with the 60-piece Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, which performed with the band while adorned in full KISS makeup. And, the CD was the first release on KISS Records, the new label the band runs in conjunction with the Sanctuary Records Group.

Bankrate spoke with Simmons, and received some stream-of-consciousness insight into his business philosophies.

Bankrate: How do you decide whether to take on a business venture?

Gene Simmons: The deal has to make sense. The aesthetic should pull the heartstrings. The word "cool" is bandied about often enough. NASCAR and the National Hot Rod Association, the NHRA, are cool, and go to the heart of what America is about. So that's why we have KISS cars, and why I was the grand marshal of both two years in a row. Visa cards, corporate credit cards -- as far as I'm concerned that's about as cool as you can get. Corporate America is cool. People hate to admit it, but what's cooler than Starbucks and Coca-Cola? We buy their products and we love them.

Bankrate: With all your businesses, is there anything you turn down?

Gene Simmons: Cigarettes and hard booze. Those are two products I don't personally use, and that's something we can't have on our conscience -- somebody's health problems. But other than that, I'm happy to put KISS on almost anything. We even have KISS Kaskets.

Bankrate: Because we all have to die?

Gene Simmons: Well, we prefer you buy it while you're alive, because they're moisture-proof, and you can use them as a cooler. You watch the ballgame Sunday, and you can grab a cold one from inside the KISS Kasket. How cool is that?

Bankrate: Of all your business ventures, which is the most profitable for you?

Gene Simmons: In a short period of time, there's nothing as profitable as touring. We're in the middle of the KISS/Aerosmith tour, and at this rate, there's no reason why this shouldn't be a $100 million or more grossing tour. So just in terms of the numbers that come in every night, you walk away with a million dollars a night. That's not a bad days work.

Bankrate: $1 million a night for the whole band, gross, or $1 million for yourself, in your pocket?

Gene Simmons: Myself in my pocket? No. Well, if the audience is big enough, sure. If you do the arithmetic, $100 a ticket, and if you've got 50,000 people, that's a $5 million gross. And after expenses, you might put one large in your pocket, sure.

Bankrate: With all your success, how much are you worth?

Gene Simmons: A lot. An awful lot. But numbers aren't indicative of anything except how well you're doing in life. What I mean is, it's like judges holding up numbers to an Olympic athlete. This is how well you did this. I'm comfortable. I've heard people say money is the root of all evil, but of course they're nuts. Lack of money is the root of all evil. If I don't have a dime in my pocket, I might hold up a 7-Eleven. If I have $100 million in the bank, why would I want to grab a gun and hold up a 7-Eleven? People are very uncomfortable talking about money, but I'm happy to. Money is good. Anyone who tells you it's not ... How about buying your mom the hip operation she needs, or buying your child the food he needs. Love, unfortunately, is not the most powerful force in the universe. Love, despite what they tell you, is not going to put food in your mouth no matter how many times you say, "I love myself and I love my child." Only money can do that. And how much is enough? I believe that's a loser's game. I believe it's never enough. I like to think that Bill Gates, who has quite a bit more than I do, gets up an hour earlier, and works harder and tries to make more. Because more is what America's about. "When is enough?" is limiting. It's like a world champion. If you're the fastest runner that ever existed, what does that mean, does that mean you quit, or you get up the next day and try to break your own record? I'd like to think you get up the next morning and try to break your own record, because being alive means "I want more." When is enough? When they stick you 6 feet underground.

Bankrate: In your KISS Kasket.

Gene Simmons: I might not go that way. I can't make a profit if I buy my own product.

Bankrate: What is your investment strategy? Are you big in the market?

Gene Simmons: I do dillydally in the market, I have real estate, but I invest in the business that I know best. I'm pretty conservative when it comes to investments. Maybe 10 to 20 percent is aggressive, the rest is pretty conservative, blue chip kind of stuff. But I invest. If there is a penny to throw at something, I'd rather throw it into somebody that I trust. I'd rather throw money at someone who's going to work harder than anyone I know, who doesn't take holidays and has a blue-collar work ethic, and gee, I know a guy like that. His name is Gene Simmons. And, I know a guy who's a winner who won't take no for an answer, and refuses to be second best, which is why Gene Simmons Tongue is doing very well, and Simmons Books, with "Sex, Money, KISS," climbing the charts, and Simmons Records, which will debut a Simmons solo record and be signing other artists. There are an awful lot of other ventures I'm getting started with, but investing in Gene Simmons is a good business strategy.


Larry Getlen is a freelance writer based in New York.

-- Posted: Sept. 22, 2003
More Fame & Fortune stories







The guy is more than a rockstar.

Oops. I wasn't paying attention. Tell me again what is going on.

[guwapo_rocker]

I'll take a medium Christine Sixteen........ta go!!!

[bueno bob]

Cold Gin Latte?

[DrMaddVibe]

You'll get the Love Gun Venti and like it.

[bueno bob]

Originally posted by DrMaddVibe
You'll get the Love Gun Venti and like it.

Damn your eyes, Gene Simmons!!! Why must you treat me so badly?!?!?

What's next, Tommy Thayer getting me a refill?!?!?!?!?

:mad:

[Unchainme]

Originally posted by bueno bob
Stevie Nick's Fajita Roundup is the fucking shit...what you gotta do is smoke a big fucking bowl, get blasted out of your fuckin' mind and hit that shit up!

THANK YOU STEVIE NICKS!

I like a lot of stevie nicks and fleetwood mac for some wierd fucking reason,

Yes indeed THANK YOU STEVIE NICKS YOU BLEW MY MIND 69 TIMES!

[bueno bob]

Originally posted by Unchainme
I like a lot of stevie nicks and fleetwood mac for some wierd fucking reason,

Yes indeed THANK YOU STEVIE NICKS YOU BLEW MY MIND 69 TIMES!

You can go your own way to the silver springs.

Sky's the limit.

[DrMaddVibe]

Originally posted by bueno bob
Damn your eyes, Gene Simmons!!! Why must you treat me so badly?!?!?

What's next, Tommy Thayer getting me a refill?!?!?!?!?

:mad:

Thayer...Kulick...depends what day and time you show up...weekend shift we even throw in St. Holmes and Vincent!

Get it while it's hot...at the Firehouse!

WOO-HOOOO!

[bueno bob]

ROFL!!

Grate stuff...

[Terry]

Planet Hollywood is still around...still sucks, too.

It's almost silly to get pissed at Gene for this, because merchandising the KISS name has been as integral a part of what drives the group as the music is. Has been since about 1977.

I guess I have to give Gene credit for looking at what happened to the Beatles, who basically gave Brian Epstein the okay to sign off on the Beatles name with whatever merchandisers came around when Beatlemania was at its peak from 1964 to 1967. The Beatles got shafted and never got the lion's share of the earnings for all those Beatle products. Gene and KISS didn't fall into the same trap.

Plus, Gene only cares what 'the fans' think, and to him, the only 'fans' that matter are the ones still coming to concerts and still buying KISS stuff. He's made it clear that he just doesn't care what anyone else has to say about it, including longtime fans of the group who are now unhappy with the way the band is putting other players onstage in the makeup and the way the band logo is overexposed on every product under the sun.

Gene doesn't give a shit about what we have to say about it, and we don't have to buy it/see it/listen to it, so what-the-fuck-ever.

Kinda applies to Van Halen Du Jour too, when you think about it. Disheartening, but c'est la vie.

[Vinnie Velvet]

Originally posted by DrMaddVibe
Thayer...Kulick...depends what day and time you show up...weekend shift we even throw in St. Holmes and Vincent!

Get it while it's hot...at the Firehouse!

WOO-HOOOO!

Uh, you mean ST. JOHN (as in Mark St. John), not St. Holmes.

[DrMaddVibe]

Originally posted by Vinnie Velvet
Uh, you mean ST. JOHN (as in Mark St. John), not St. Holmes.

Yeah, whatever. Just make sure to tell him to keep his hands out of the espresso machines!

[Tiki-Tom]

I live in Myrtle and was there yesterday. It's tiny. There's only room for four little tables inside and a handful outside. Exactly one week after the grand opening, there were a total of five customers at a peak time when there were hundreds of people out and about in the surrounding businesses. Contrary to what you might think, the prices weren't all that ridiculous. I don't know how it will survive. It's the busiest week of the year in Myrtle Beach, and winter here is pretty dead. I don't know how it'll turn a profit. And we all know Gene is all about making money, not losing it. Remember Gene Simmons Tongue magazine? That didn't stick around long enough to fulfill the subscriptions.

[bueno bob]

Might pick up during the winter, though...in the middle of summer, I can see why there'd be a small demand for steaming hot lattes and whatnot...?

But...who knows...

[Tiki-Tom]

Trust me, if you know the area it's in, it won't pick up in the winter. By day it's an outdoor shopping mall. By night, it's a barhoppers paradise. All the shops close at 6 in the cooler months. Even places like the Hard Rock Cafe don't do much in the winter. However they do enough in spring and summer to make up for it. Plus, the parking isn't very close.
Seasons aside, Margaritaville just a two minute walk from Kiss Coffeehouse has a two to three hour wait while there's almost nobody having an after dinner coffee at Gene's place.

[Casemeister]

I think their KISSWORLD (or something) store here in Melbourne, Australia went out of business in record time.

[WARF]

Good.. i'm kickin' KISS out of rock n' roll officially.

[bueno bob]

They did that themselves 20 odd years ago...

[MERRYKISSMASS2U]

They never had good enough music to make it on their own without their merchandise.

[Vinnie Velvet]

Originally posted by MERRYKISSMASS2U
They never had good enough music to make it on their own without their merchandise.

KISS have tons of great songs.

But, they were always designed to be the ultimate package -- not just a band, but a "brand".

Those who like it, buy the merchandise. Those who don't, don't buy anything.

The last thing I ever bought were the initial McFarlane action figures, back in '97.


KISS did suffer because of horrible music at points in time (1980, 1981, 1985, 1987) -- they HAD to have good music in order for merchandise to sell as well.

They couldn't have done without music (in the beginning anyway).