Downtown Vancouver holds fewer than 400 operating liquor-primary establishments — every one of them protected by a license the Province cannot simply reissue. When a downtown bar comes to market, the competition is immediate and aggressive. We work with buyers who are serious, pre-qualified, and ready to move.
Established bar in a prime downtown Vancouver entertainment corridor. Full liquor primary license, operating management team in place, and strong recurring revenue from regulars and private events. This asset is not publicly listed — contact Ali Sedighi directly for a confidential package.
or call (604) 632-4959
Each neighbourhood carries its own licence density, customer profile, and deal economics. Understanding the district is as important as understanding the P&L.
Historic district, tourism-heavy foot traffic, craft cocktail culture. Premium leases; strong acquisition multiples driven by brand and location.
Affluent neighbourhood, patio culture, corporate clientele and private events. Cocktail lounges and wine bars command the highest SDE multiples.
High-volume late-night with a dominant nightlife customer base. Sports bars, dance clubs, and high-capacity venues. Strong MRR but complex operations.
LGBTQ+ entertainment corridor with a loyal, year-round customer base. Lower multiples than Gastown/Yaletown; high community retention value.
Tourism-driven patio season revenue; hotel-adjacent foot traffic. Seasonal peaks mean SDE analysis must account for Q4 softness.
British Columbia’s Liquor Control and Licensing Branch issues licenses by category, capacity, and location. A Liquor Primary license (LP) — the type held by most bars and lounges — cannot be manufactured. It is transferred, not issued, when a business sells.
The license itself has standalone market value: in core Vancouver neighbourhoods, LP licenses routinely transact at $80,000 to $300,000 as a line item inside the deal. For buyers, this creates floor value that survives a bad operator. For sellers, it often justifies a premium over raw earnings multiples.
$80K – $300K+
LP license standalone value (core Vancouver)
< 400
Liquor-primary licenses in downtown Vancouver
Loyal regulars, weekly trivia/live music events, and recurring private bookings create predictable weekly revenue that survives ownership transitions.
The LP license is collateral. Lenders recognize it; buyers can refinance against it. It does not depreciate the way equipment does.
Long-term leases with renewal rights in Yaletown or Gastown are worth six figures in goodwill alone — rarely available when a tenancy simply expires.
Bar acquisitions carry unique diligence requirements that standard business brokers routinely miss. We cover six critical areas before any LOI is signed.
BizBuy.ca operates on a Reverse Lehman success-fee model — we earn our fee when you close. A $7,500 non-refundable engagement fee covers mandate setup and deal-flow activation. The success fee is tiered: 10% on the first $1M, 8% on $1M–$2M, 6% on $2M–$3M, 4% above $3M. Minimum success fee $25,000.
10%
First $1M
8%
$1M – $2M tranche
6%
$2M – $3M tranche
4%
Above $3M
We maintain a shortlist of pre-market and quietly listed downtown bar assets. If you have a budget, a preferred neighbourhood, and a clear acquisition thesis, book a call — we can show you what is not on the open market.
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