Authentic oriental bar in the heart of Mostar – a must-go for all tourists
Haris Mićijević and Denis Ćorić, two friends, opened the oriental bar named ‘Bastan’ in April this year. The bar is located in the yard of the famous Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque, the Old Town of Mostar. The bar is primarily for the tourists who want to get familiar with the rich history and culture of Mostar.
The biggest problem they encountered in starting up the business was to find and adapt the premises. After a long search, they found desolate premises near the town centre. Despite a high rent and poor condition of the premises, Denis and Haris decided to rent it mostly because of its attractive location. They invested a lot of money and time to reconstruct the premises. They designed the visual appearance, painted and made drawings in the oriental style. They opened the bar during the peak tourist season and, a bit unexpectedly, had a lot of work so they hired one more person to work in the bar.
The training their received in the YEP Business Idea Incubator meant a lot to them as that was the first time they took part in a programme of such kind, through which they acquired skills necessary to create a business plan as well as motivation provided by the presenters and other participants who recognised the full potential of their idea. The financial support they received within YEP Incubator was also very important, and they used it to additionally furnish the bar and buy souvenirs. The knowledge they acquired on administrative affairs was also of significant use because, as they admit, that was their weak point.
Their message for all visitors to Mostar and Bastan bar is: ‘Make sure you drop by and have a rest, as for your heart and soul this is the best’.
