self-serve cocktails

Read about this cool concept from Springwise, which sends newsletters on the most innovative business ideas around the world. Minibar recently opened in Amsterdam, and the concept is so genius that you'll wanna smack your forehead and say, "Why didn't I think of that?"

So here's the deal. Minibar's walls are lined with, you guessed it, minibars. Each party gets a key to their own personal minibar so they never have to worry about service or complain that the bartender is watering their drinks down. The minibars contain spirits like Johnny Black and Red, Baileys, and a couple of kinds of vodka and gin. There's also beer, wine (no red though, which is weird), bubbly, and sodas and juices you can use as mixers (or if you're on the wagon, I guess). There's also a special menu if you have pickier tastes when it comes to beer (how can people live without Doggy Style, after all) and champagne.

From a business standpoint, I love it. Less labor costs and more alcohol served since customers will likely have a heavy hand. As a drinker though, this would just be a novelty place for me to go to. I mean, if I have to make my own drinks, we might as well drink in my apartment, right? And now that I've been introduced to bars where mixology is an art form, I'm not THAT content with my sloppily made vodka-cran. But hey, I like fresh ideas, especially when they concern booze.

If you're in Amsterdam, Minibar is located at Prinsengracht 478, Amsterdam.