STRANGE THAT WE CALL THIS PLANET EARTH, GIVEN THAT IT IS PRINCIPALLY COVERED IN WATER
Welcome
Water is a miraculous element in itself. All life springs from water and up until this day there has not been found a substitute for. But did you know that this planet consists of water for 70%, yet that only 1% can be used for consumption? … That every 15 seconds a child dies due to a lack of drinking water, polluted water or bad sanitation? … That worldwide 1,2 billion people don’t have access to clean drinking water?
If you didn’t, we apologize for not sparing you these inconvenient details. But, we promise that in what follows, we will only look at the bright side of these horrible facts: that we can make a difference together! This is why we started the water bar initiative
Bar O pays a tribute to water - water as source of life and provider of energy and vitality.
If you didn’t, we apologize for not sparing you these inconvenient details. But, we promise that in what follows, we will only look at the bright side of these horrible facts: that we can make a difference together! This is why we started the water bar initiative
Bar O pays a tribute to water - water as source of life and provider of energy and vitality.
Foundation O
Foundation O is an Amsterdam based not-for-profit organization founded in 2008. By setting up a global chain of water bars, the foundation asks attention for water-problems worldwide.
Bar O caters three requirements:
1. it brings a unique bar experience that contributes to an exciting and energetic life and is sustainable in concept and execution
2. it raises awareness on the global water crisis on a personal, positive, lighthearted manner
3. it the first bar worldwide that leaves no waterfootprint on this planet. How? By investing in a long term partnership with a waterproject in a developing country.
Bar O caters three requirements:
1. it brings a unique bar experience that contributes to an exciting and energetic life and is sustainable in concept and execution
2. it raises awareness on the global water crisis on a personal, positive, lighthearted manner
3. it the first bar worldwide that leaves no waterfootprint on this planet. How? By investing in a long term partnership with a waterproject in a developing country.
Water Bar
Ice cream, bread, watermelon, carrot cake, a fresh orange juice, soup, vodka, beer, yourself… What do all of these have in common? The simple answer to this question is WATER! Water is everywhere, it is in almost everything and everybody needs its, so why not enjoy it? And why not at the same time enable others to enjoy water as well?
You can do so in Bar O - the one and only bar that does not leave a water footprint on this planet. No modern philanthropy, but social entrepreneurship lies at the heart of this unique bar! In short, Bar O is a well-balanced blend of a great experience, sustainable & healthy consuming and supporting waterprojects globally. It is different & inspiring in concept, mission and ambition: doing good by celebrating life!
You can do so in Bar O - the one and only bar that does not leave a water footprint on this planet. No modern philanthropy, but social entrepreneurship lies at the heart of this unique bar! In short, Bar O is a well-balanced blend of a great experience, sustainable & healthy consuming and supporting waterprojects globally. It is different & inspiring in concept, mission and ambition: doing good by celebrating life!
Water Philosophy
Our water bar is a tribute to water - to water as the source of life, as an energizer, as a valuable contributor to our health, and above all to water as a beautiful and fashionable element that connects people, ideas and cultures all over the world. In Bar O you can enjoy all water has to offer you - which is luckily a lot. We use it to energize and vitalize you, to let you celebrate life to the fullest, while leaving only a positive and supportive footprint on this planet! Whether you are having a beautiful cappuccino while reading your favorite magazine in one of its large couches, drinking a highly-earned-thank-god-its-Friday cold beer or sparkling wine with your colleagues at the bar, or experiencing a romantic finger-food-dinner a deux…
Bar formula
It is a bar? Is it a lounge? Is it a restaurant? It is a place to reload and to celebrate life! Bar O is not about watching and being watched, but about engagement, interconnection and communication - with your own friends, family and colleagues, but also with other Bar O visitors worldwide. This way, Bar O becomes a meeting point for people that are curious about the world, that want to enjoy life and consume life on a fashionable, conscious and exciting way. This philosophy makes Bar O a perfect venue for day and night - a place to temporarily step out of your daily life into the water world of Bar O to be energized, to connect and to be inspired.
Food & Drinks
We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again: Bar O is all about water as a source of life and energy - and so are its foods & drinks.
Besides cold beer, beautiful wines and refreshing soft drinks, Bar O presents a surprising water menu. Also, everything on our foods menu contains heaps of water - think of soups, salads, seafood and grainy food. The Bar O kitchen loves to work with fair, biological and seasonal ingredients, with fresh vegetables & fruit from the local market and with foods with a high energy level. All in all, Bar O offers its guests a healthy, conscious and pure cuisine with lots of passion and love added to it.
Besides cold beer, beautiful wines and refreshing soft drinks, Bar O presents a surprising water menu. Also, everything on our foods menu contains heaps of water - think of soups, salads, seafood and grainy food. The Bar O kitchen loves to work with fair, biological and seasonal ingredients, with fresh vegetables & fruit from the local market and with foods with a high energy level. All in all, Bar O offers its guests a healthy, conscious and pure cuisine with lots of passion and love added to it.
AMBITION
Foundation O combines long-term ambitions with a short-term approach. It is our ambition to create a global community of Water Bars. In ten years there will not only be O Schiphol, O Amsterdam and O Rotterdam, but also think of O Paris, O New York and O Bombay or O Buenos Aires.
But right now, we start off with a pilot project in Amsterdam. This way we can actually work on setting up O Amsterdam, while thinking years ahead…
But right now, we start off with a pilot project in Amsterdam. This way we can actually work on setting up O Amsterdam, while thinking years ahead…
WHAT ARE WE WORKING ON?
We got the idea to the set up Bar O almost half a year ago. Already, we turned the idea into a complete bar formula that rests upon an exiting sustainability concept: Bar O promises to be the first bar in the wold leaving no water footprint and communicates on a positive and non-pedantic manner about the world wide water crisis.
In the months to come we will work out the concept even further into an actual franchisable concept. Here you can read all about our activities, ideas and achievements!
November 4th, 2008 A perfect face
Last time I gave you an update, I just started working on the franchise manual. Three weeks, a vivid relationship with google and many teas and waters later, I find myself looking at a 45-page document - a small book that only presents the basic elements of the bar formula and the story behind it. And I wonder: how thick will the eventual manual be? And when will I be able to finish it?
Sometimes I wish I was more creative. That I could convert an idea into something tangible within a few hours. That I could draw something and that everyone would be so enthusiastic about this, that - without even blinking their eyes - they would consider it the one and only truth.
A week ago, this is exactly what I did, when our amazing design studio presented to us his idea for a logo for Bar O: It was perfect - exactly what Bar O should look like. Without a doubt, this was the face of Bar O. What he draw in a few hours, took me months... and I'm still not done. Fortunately for you, you won't have to wait for me as we will soon reveal Bar O's perfect face on this blog! So stay tuned.
October 15, 2008 From business plan to franchise manual
This week is the beginning of a whole new episode for the Water Bar: I started writing the Bar O Franchise Manual. And I have to admit, this is quit different from designing the bar formula or sustainability concept. Writing a handbook is like writing a manual to set up a bar. All processes and every little detail about the bar needs to be described. From the outfits of the personnel to the routing of the bar and from the opening routine to alcohol and terrace licensees. But I looking forward to this entire process. This way the Bar O starts to live a life of its own more than ever!
In the months to come we will work out the concept even further into an actual franchisable concept. Here you can read all about our activities, ideas and achievements!
November 4th, 2008 A perfect face
Last time I gave you an update, I just started working on the franchise manual. Three weeks, a vivid relationship with google and many teas and waters later, I find myself looking at a 45-page document - a small book that only presents the basic elements of the bar formula and the story behind it. And I wonder: how thick will the eventual manual be? And when will I be able to finish it?
Sometimes I wish I was more creative. That I could convert an idea into something tangible within a few hours. That I could draw something and that everyone would be so enthusiastic about this, that - without even blinking their eyes - they would consider it the one and only truth.
A week ago, this is exactly what I did, when our amazing design studio presented to us his idea for a logo for Bar O: It was perfect - exactly what Bar O should look like. Without a doubt, this was the face of Bar O. What he draw in a few hours, took me months... and I'm still not done. Fortunately for you, you won't have to wait for me as we will soon reveal Bar O's perfect face on this blog! So stay tuned.
October 15, 2008 From business plan to franchise manual
This week is the beginning of a whole new episode for the Water Bar: I started writing the Bar O Franchise Manual. And I have to admit, this is quit different from designing the bar formula or sustainability concept. Writing a handbook is like writing a manual to set up a bar. All processes and every little detail about the bar needs to be described. From the outfits of the personnel to the routing of the bar and from the opening routine to alcohol and terrace licensees. But I looking forward to this entire process. This way the Bar O starts to live a life of its own more than ever!