How do I get a family restaurant and music venue in Abbott, TX licensed and registered?

Joseph wrote: “Jimmy Jamz is a restaurant, family fun center, and live music venue. It will operate in Bastrop, Texas, serving American comfort foods such as burgers, fries, and nachos.”

Hi Joseph, Jimmy Jamz is off to a smart start by getting the paperwork right first. Comfort food, family games, and live music under one roof make your place a weekend destination for the whole family. Below we walk through the three things every new business in Texas sorts out (structure, tax IDs, and licenses) and then sum it all up.

Combining a restaurant, family fun center, and live music venue in Bastrop means a longer permit list than a typical burger joint. The kitchen needs a food establishment permit and a certified food manager, arcade games and other coin-operated amusement machines need Texas registration and a decal on each machine, and live music in a venue needs licenses from the performing rights organizations that cover the songs performed. If you plan to serve beer or wine, apply for a Texas alcohol permit early, since it can take longer than everything else.

What Jimmy Jamz needs

1. LLC (business structure) – An LLC keeps business debts and lawsuits separate from your personal home and savings. When a concertgoer trips over a speaker cable, the business carries the lawsuit, and your personal property stays out of the picture.
2. Texas assumed name certificate – If you operate as a sole proprietor, or under a name different from your LLC's exact legal name, registering "Jimmy Jamz" lets you use it on signs, invoices, and your business bank account.
3. EIN (federal tax ID number) – You plan on 4 employees, so the federal tax ID number (EIN) is required for payroll, and you will also use it for the business bank account and supplier accounts.
4. Texas sales and use tax permit – You will be selling taxable goods, so register to collect sales tax before your first sale. It also lets you buy inventory for resale without paying tax on it.
5. Texas employer ID – With 4 employees, you need a state employer account number for unemployment insurance. Texas has no state income tax on wages, so there is no withholding account to open, which is one less form to file.
6. Business license – Most places require a local business license to operate, including home-based businesses. Check the rules where Jimmy Jamz will operate in Abbott, and ask about home occupation and zoning rules if you work from home.
7. Food service permit – Restaurants need a food permit and regular inspections.
8. Liquor license – Serving alcohol requires a liquor license where required.
9. Music licensing – Playing live or recorded music in public generally requires licenses from music rights organizations.

By the numbers: Banks, insurers, and tax forms will ask for your industry code. For a family restaurant and music venue it is NAICS 722511 (Full-Service Restaurants). With 4 employees planned, you are already creating jobs in Abbott. That makes 9 items on your list.

Tip: Get liability coverage that includes live entertainment, alcohol, and family attractions.

To recap: Jimmy Jamz in Abbott, TX needs an LLC, a DBA, an EIN, a sales tax permit, a state employer ID, a business license, food service permit, liquor license, and music licensing. Handle these early and the business starts on solid ground.

BusinessNameUSA can prepare and file these registrations for you: start your order.