{"id":74852,"date":"2013-01-30T11:33:19","date_gmt":"2013-01-30T02:33:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fukuoka-now.com\/?post_type=feature&p=32498"},"modified":"2017-06-13T12:34:36","modified_gmt":"2017-06-13T03:34:36","slug":"jody-archer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/en\/jody-archer\/","title":{"rendered":"Jody Archer"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>
\nJody Archer
\nHometown: Great Missenden, UK
\nIn Japan: 12 years
\nIdentity: Bar Owner, FUBAR <\/p>\n

It\u2019s the place where everybody knows your name \u2013 Jody Archer\u2019s FUBAR on Oyafuko-dori. During his early days in Fukuoka, working as an ALT on the JET program, British-born Jody came to know the ins and outs of the city\u2019s nightlife scene. When the chance came up years later to purchase the \u201cCrazy Cock\u201d bar where he had worked part-time, Jody jumped at the opportunity and renamed it FUBAR. Jody realizes the relationships between his staff and the patrons are crucial to creating a place that people want to come back to again and again. There\u2019s an emphasis on communication and newcomers are always welcome. The recent crackdown on bars and clubs in Fukuoka forced Jody to change the bar\u2019s license. The result being patrons can once again enjoy DJs and dancing until 1 am, after which it reopens as restaurant bar. Although Jody loves to work behind bar himself he says he\u2019s got bigger plans in the pipeline. Stay tuned! Meanwhile, mention you read this article and Jody offers our readers their first drink for half price or a free shot on weekends (one per person until Feb. 28). <\/p>\n

\u2013\u2013\u2013\u2013\u2013\u2013\u2013\u2013\u2013
\nFukuoka Now publisher Nick Szasz pulled up a barstool at FUBAR for a chat with Jody about how he came to own the bar, the state of Fukuoka’s nightlife scene and how recent police clampdowns have affected bars and clubs in the city.<\/em><\/p>\n

So Jody, how did you come to own and operate a bar here in Fukuoka?<\/strong>
\nWell originally I went to University in Kitakyushu, in Kokura, as an exchange student for one year in 1999. I spent 6 months at Kitakyushu University, and 3 months in Ohashi, on a work experience program at Panasonic. That was the first time I came to Fukuoka. I liked it, so when I applied for the JET Programme, I applied for Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Ken and Kitakyushu City – luckily I got Fukuoka City. I came to Fukuoka on the JET program as an ALT and I did that for 3 years. And while I was an ALT I occasionally helped out at a few bars around town.<\/p>\n

My mother is Japanese so I\u2019d been to Japan many times, but for some reason Fukuoka seemed like home. After I finished as an ALT I went back to England and I didn\u2019t really find anything I wanted to do there. Then I got a phonecall from one of my friends in Fukuoka saying that one of the bars I used to work at was being sold, so I thought… why not? And I came about 8 months later, and I bought this place 7 and a half years ago.<\/p>\n

What year was that?<\/strong>
\nGolden Week of 2005. So, it\u2019s been Fukuoka ever since.<\/p>\n

You mentioned your mother is Japanese. She\u2019s from Kyushu?<\/strong>
\nShe\u2019s from Hokkaido. It\u2019s probably the furthest place in Japan you can get from Kyushu! I didn\u2019t do it on purpose, it was just because of the great experience I had out here when I was with Panasonic. <\/p>\n

All of my friends – there were maybe 14 to start with – stayed in Kokura. I was the only one who came up to Fukuoka. I was living in a dormitory with 30 other Japanese guys who\u2019d just joined the company, so I was pretty much by myself which forced me to go out and explore the city. I didn\u2019t know anyone or anything. And in those 3 months I came to know the city. Then when I came back as a JET, I originally planned to only stay for a year – but the job, and the city and the people were so good that I ended up staying for 3 years and I think that was it. At that point thought \u201cI\u2019m going to be here for awhile\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

So you were working part-time at some bars during the time of the JET program? <\/strong>
\nYeah, that was during JET. I mean, we weren\u2019t supposed to do any other part-time work, but I used to help out at the Happy Cock, and FUBAR, which used to be the \u201cCrazy Cock\u201d. I knew the staff, I knew the manager, the owner. When the old owner Jack planned on leaving he actually offered me both the bars – the Happy Cock and the Crazy Cock- asking if I wanted to buy either. The Happy Cock was more expensive, and I liked the atmosphere here at the Crazy Cock so I took it. <\/p>\n

So FUBAR started in 2005. What\u2019s the FUBAR concept?<\/strong>
\nI wouldn\u2019t call us a club, and we\u2019re a little bit more than a bar, so we\u2019re that \u201cin between\u201d level. We\u2019ve got a smaller scale than a lot of the other clubs in Fukuoka, so we have a friendly atmosphere. That\u2019s what we try and aim for. The fact that we can\u2019t hold as many customers gives us the opportunity to have more interaction with them, and I think that\u2019s important. The customers enjoy it and it makes the staff\u2019s job more fun. So FUBAR is more of a friendly club\/exciting bar atmosphere. <\/p>\n

It seems to me that you have many aspects of the bar quite systemised. Is that something that you started yourself or you\u2019ve seen elsewhere? You have, for example, lots of clear promotions (nomihoudai times etc.) and so forth…<\/strong>
\nI think most places are quite systemised, everywhere has to have it\u2019s rules, especially nowadays, with the police being a lot stricter. The rules provide a safe atmosphere. The nomihoudai was something we took over from the Happy Cock, and it\u2019s one of those very Japanese things. You\u2019d never find it in England or America, but it serves it\u2019s purpose. It keeps people in the bar, and it\u2019s a slightly cheaper alternative to other places in town. I think we get a lot of the younger crowd (people coming out to clubs for the first time etc.) because of these specials. In Fukuoka, for some reason, clubs have quite a dark and seedy image, which they haven\u2019t managed to shake off for the last 10 years. I think that we\u2019re welcoming to students who are turning 20, coming out for the first time. It\u2019s a good stepping stone for that demographic to come into the nightlife scene.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Who are your customers?<\/strong>
\nWe get a lot of the younger crowd- first time nightlife goers, and we get a lot of students. We still get quite a lot of foreigners, but not as many as when we first opened. The crowd we get here is not the main crowd you see in Fukuoka\u2019s bars. I think we have a lot more regular, everyday people. Less of the Nakasu nightlife crowd. <\/p>\n

How do you keep them coming back?<\/strong>
\nAs I said, I think it\u2019s the relationship between the staff and the customers. Because this relationship is so close, I think the kind of customers keep coming back for interaction. Elsewhere in town, you get a lot of people that just want to be seen – they don\u2019t really care who the staff are, they just care that it\u2019s busy. <\/p>\n

The kind of customers we get at FUBAR are the type that like it if you remember their name or their face or what they drink. And when you get those customers together in a room, they usually make friends with each other. So I think it\u2019s the interaction between the staff and the customers, but also between the customers themselves. You can come to FUBAR alone and pretty much guarantee you\u2019ll see someone you\u2019ve met before.<\/p>\n

What if it\u2019s your first time?<\/strong>
\nUsually if it\u2019s your first time, you\u2019ll come with someone, and they introduce you to everyone else. I try and make it a point that the staff introduce the customers to each other. The staff have their job to do, so if they can introduce the customers to each other, they\u2019ll have a better chance to work!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

What\u2019s unique about your bar?<\/strong>
\nI would say it\u2019s that interaction. A lot of the other places are too busy to do it. A lot of the customers who come here say \u201c We go to other bars and clubs but we don\u2019t feel we know anyone, or they know us\u201d. They like it, so they keep coming back. That atmosphere is FUBAR\u2019S unique selling point. <\/p>\n

As a foreigner what, if any, challenges have you faced as a bar owner? <\/strong>
\nLuckily in the bar business, there aren\u2019t many restrictions that come with being a foreigner. I think being a bar owner or an English teacher are the only two industries in Japan that are very accessible to foreigners. Which is lucky for me. <\/p>\n

So being a foreigner is an asset, perhaps?<\/strong>
\nYeah. I mean a lot of people come in here wanting to practice their English a little bit, or wanting to meet a foreigner. So I would say it\u2019s an asset to some degree. <\/p>\n

The only problem I\u2019ve run into is to do the police crackdowns of late. As a foreigner you don\u2019t have as much access or knowledge to all the ins and outs of the law. Japanese owned bars have more access to information. <\/p>\n

You recently changed the licence for your bar. Why?<\/strong>
\nThat was purely down to the police. When you open a bar in Fukuoka, you know the law: your patrons are only allowed to dance ’til 1am. But in the 10 years since I\u2019ve been in Fukuoka, the police have never really enforced that law. So it\u2019s always been there, but only ever used by the police as a final straw. Then maybe a year and a half ago, the police starting clamping down – originally on Nishi-dori, and then they came over here to Oyafuko. They came in and said \u201cBasically, you\u2019re breaking the law. If you continue allowing the dancing til 5am, we\u2019ll arrest you.\u201d I want to obey the law, so we stopped our customers dancing for a period of three months, and then we changed the bar\u2019s license. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

What\u2019s changed?<\/strong>
\nOur patrons are now able to dance until 1am, and then after 1am we re-open as a restaurant – no dancing, no DJs.<\/p>\n

In our case the changes have happened, but the problem with the police in Japan is that they don\u2019t stick to their guns… they run with something for a while but they never see it to the end. So a couple of places have changed, some haven\u2019t, and nothing seems to be moving on. A lot of places are changing back to the way it was before the clampdown. So it will be interesting to see what the police will do: whether they\u2019ll clamp down again, or whether the whole industry will just go back to the way it was. I think either way, everyone should be on the same playing field. <\/p>\n

How have these changes affected the bar, the customers and your business?<\/strong>
\nWe lost a lot of customers because they couldn’t dance. Then when our license changed, a lot of those customers came back. I think the biggest change we had was that we picked up a lot of customers before the police came – people came over from Nishi-dori when the police first clamped down over there- and they weren\u2019t our regular customers, so they were a bit louder and more boisterous. So even though our numbers have gone down now, I\u2019d say the fact that we lost some of those customers is a good thing. Now we\u2019re back to the customers and atmosphere that fits the FUBAR concept again.<\/p>\n

Dancing has always been a big part of FUBAR. Now that your license has changed, are people starting to dance earlier?<\/strong>
\nWell we only changed the license maybe 2 months ago, so I still think the word\u2019s getting out. Slowly but surely the customers that used to come are coming back. We\u2019re doing a few promotions to help them come back. Hopefully by February people will be coming earlier – that\u2019s the plan. At the moment, people start coming 10:00 or 10:30, but we\u2019d like to get that to 9:00, 9:30.<\/p>\n

How are things on Oyafuko these days?<\/strong>
\nA lot better than they were 4 years ago, but not as good as they were a year ago. I think the problem is that customers are really confused about what\u2019s happening. There are places like FUBAR and Club X that are trying to obey the law and promote a new style of going out: to dance until 1am, then head to a bar or something. We actually did an event to promote that on Sunday, with FUBAR, Club X, Infinity, and some smaller bars. All participating bars actually closed at 1am, forcing the customers to go out to bars. So we\u2019re promoting that pattern of nightlife. But there are still places that aren\u2019t obeying the law, letting customers dance after 1am. It\u2019s hard to explain these inconsistencies to customers.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

How do see Oyafuko developing?<\/strong>
\nIt seems a strange thing to say, but I think it needs the police to be stricter. If they came down and made everyone obey the same law, I think the nightlife would improve because the customers could go out, knowing that they\u2019re obeying the law, and the club is obeying the law. Then, they could learn to start coming out earlier. If that system was put in place, I\u2019d give it maybe 6 months to a year and I think all the clubs would be busy until 1am, and the bars would be busy after 1am. I think that\u2019s what is needed to improve the nightlife here. Either that, or for things to go back the way they were. At the moment there\u2019s a lot of tension between the different venues. Until now Fukuoka was one of the only places in Japan where the clubs are pretty friendly and on good relations with each other. That makes the job a lot more interesting and gives the opportunity to make more events. <\/p>\n

What are your favorite events at Fubar?<\/strong>
\nI always like the fancy dress ones. It\u2019s in the Japanese nature to like dressing up and being wacky occasionally. I love Halloween- it\u2019s always a great party. We\u2019ve also done masquerade nights, school uniform nights… those events are fun, they\u2019re different. <\/p>\n

Any advice for other foreigners interested in opening a bar in Japan?<\/strong>
\nI would say you need to get to know the industry in your city, and the people that are going out in your city, before you open anywhere. It\u2019s very hard to just walk into a city and open up. You need to have a slight following or have a group of friends that are there to help and support you. In Japan it\u2019s more about the customer service than the place you have. Unless you\u2019re opening a multi-million dollar, huge place in tokyo. If you\u2019re in a city the size of Fukuoka it\u2019s more about the staff, the people you\u2019re working with and the people they know. If you\u2019ve got that base behind you, and you\u2019re friendly and amicable, it helps. It pays to meet people, other bartenders, bar staff.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the most rewarding thing about running the bar?<\/strong>
\nI think it\u2019s the fact that you\u2019ve got customers coming back week-in, week-out, month-in, month-out, year-in, year-out. And over time they become your friends. And things like customers who have met each other at FUBAR ending up getting married. Staff getting married to customers… stuff like that is quite rewarding.<\/p>\n

What are your hours?<\/strong>
\nAt the moment I\u2019m trying to cut back on my hours. I used to be here everyday, open to close. Now I stay on the bar from when we open to close on weekends. Weekdays I come in 11~2. I\u2019m trying to find someone a little bit younger to put behind the bar. <\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always been impressed that you\u2019re a bar owner that\u2019s behind the bar…<\/strong>
\nYeah, that\u2019s the reason I opened this place. Because I love working behind the bar. You get to interact with so many different people. I still enjoy it but I think there\u2019s other things and projects I\u2019d like to do. So I want to try and cut back a little. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

If you weren\u2019t running FUBAR what would like to be doing?<\/strong>
\nIf I\u2019d have stayed in England, I\u2019d probably be working at a bank, or a foreign investor\u2019s office or something. That\u2019s what all my friends from University and my class are doing. So I\u2019d probably be doing the same thing. If I was in Japan and I wasn\u2019t in FUBAR I think I\u2019d either be working in a bar, or being an English teacher and working in a bar.<\/p>\n

Any ideas for a new venture?<\/strong>
\nI\u2019d like to open up a slightly bigger place. And I\u2019d like to also open up like a sports pub, but I\u2019m sort of contemplating which to do first. The bar would be slightly different concept, as the industry in Fukuoka is very two sided: the \u201cevents\u201d side and the \u201cregular\u201d side. The regular side seems to be based on hip hop music. Which has been so popular in Fukuoka for so long. And then the events side seems to be based on house music, and electric music and stuff like that. So what I\u2019d like to do is open up a club with maybe two sides – so for the one fee you can get both sides. Up until now I don\u2019t think there\u2019s been a club with that system so that\u2019s why I\u2019d like to try it. You need 2 dancefloors, 2 bars…but that\u2019s what I\u2019d like to do. And I think people would accept it more than they would have four years ago.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the capacity of FUBAR?<\/strong>
\nI\u2019d say maybe 120~130. On our busiest night we did 470, in and out. But at one time, maybe 120.<\/p>\n

How many staff on your roster?<\/strong>
\nMaybe, including myself, eight staff. And 6 or 7 DJS.<\/p>\n

If people mention they read this interview – any special deal at the bar?<\/strong>
\nI would love to do a special, that\u2019s what FUBAR is famous for. Anyone who mentions they read this article can have their first drink for half price or a free shot on weekends (one per person until Feb. 28). <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Anything else you\u2019d like readers to know about yourself, the bar, Fukuoka?<\/strong>
\nI think Fukuoka hasn\u2019t got managed to get rid of the idea that clubs are a little scary. I\u2019d like people to know that you should come, check us out, check all the other bars out. Everywhere is pretty friendly. Of course you get the occasional troublemaker, but you should be courageous and come check out a bar or a club. I can pretty much guarantee people will have a good time. Just give it a try. <\/p>\n

Originally published in Fukuoka Now Magazine (fn170<\/a>, Feb. 2013)<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s the place where everybody knows your name \u2013 Jody Archer\u2019s FUBAR on Oyafuko-dori. During his early days in Fukuoka, working as an ALT on the JET program, British-born Jody came to know the ins and outs of the city\u2019s nightlife scene. When the chance came up years later to purchase the \u201cCrazy Cock\u201d bar where he had worked part-time, Jody jumped at the opportunity and renamed it FUBAR. Jody realizes the relationships between his staff and the patrons are crucial to creating a place that people want to come back to again and again. There\u2019s an emphasis on communication and newcomers are always welcome. The recent crackdown on bars and clubs in Fukuoka forced Jody to change the bar\u2019s license. The result being patrons can once again enjoy DJs and dancing until 1 am, after which it reopens as restaurant bar. Although Jody loves to work behind bar himself he says he\u2019s got bigger plans in the pipeline. Stay tuned! Meanwhile, mention you read this article and Jody offers our readers their first drink for half price or a free shot on weekends (one per person until Feb. 28).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32500,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"32498","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4911],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-74852","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","location-tenjin","en-US"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/fn170-in-fuk-116-e1365140390230.jpg?fit=638%2C616&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74852","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74852"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74852\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":98372,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74852\/revisions\/98372"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32500"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74852"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74852"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74852"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}