Jay Bouke has a history of building amazing venues. And a vision for Quinn's
An Introduction to Jay Bourke.
by Simon Kelly
It is too difficult to write about yourself, so I have accepted the task here of describing Jay Bourke, and why I believe he is the right person to transform Quinn's. I have known Jay since 2006 when he helped me reimagine some venues in the Thomas Reid Group, and we have stayed as partners and friends ever since then. I know Jay as a unique and often misunderstood person, but I also recognize his ability to spot trends and open great businesses, that deliver profits and become icons of the city.
I believe that Dublin needs creators and inventors like Jay. Venues that excite us with their difference.
In my view, Jay has never been motivated by profits but he generates them through the unique venues that he designs and opens with his team. That's his vision here for Quinn's, and that's the essence of the why....why are we doing this? It's to make something amazing that has never been made in Dublin before. These things need a combination of people and the place and I know Jay is the perfect fit here to reimagine Quinn's for the next 20 years.
Jays Top 10 Venues.....
1. The Globe and Ri Ra - Opened for 160k, and sold (to me!) for €6m
2. Bodega - opened for 500k, and sold for €8.5m
3. Front Lounge - opened for very little, and sold as a leasehold for €2m
4. PYG - opened for very little and sold for as a leasehold for €2.4m
5. The Market Bar - Sold for €1.8m as a leasehold
6. The Savoy, Cork - Opened for very little and sold for €2m
7. Pantubar - opened for very little and sold for €600k
8. Lunisa - Opened for 600k and sold for €1m
9. Cafe, Bar Deli - hugely successful in the early 2000's in over 7 locations
10. All the rest - Bellinter House Hotel, Berlin Bar (yes that one with the Covid Party!)
Jay's properties have sold over €500m worth of food and drink. There is nothing in this business that Jay has not experienced or seen before and all of this experience is now being poured into this project..
The three rules of profitability by Jay Bourke.
1. Be different, be unique.
2. Don't waste money on fit-out.
3. When you get a great offer (see the top 10) - take it!
