Circus Bar etc. up for sale, and is Gay Soi 4 going soon?

[Olddaddy]

On 6/3/2026 at 3:51 AM, Patanawet said:

Why do you post utter tosh?

At least I'm born in Australia unlike some !! 

Oh it's ok I have empathy for you ☺️ 

[Patanawet]

1 minute ago, Olddaddy said:

At least I'm born in Australia unlike some !! 

Oh it's ok I have empathy for you ☺️ 

Q.E.D.

[Olddaddy]

Just now, Patanawet said:

Q.E.D.

As a matter of interest do you take your walking stick with you when your walking the Sois?.👴👴

[PeterRS]

6 hours ago, zoomomancs said:

But might the doubt about the future of the Soi account for the price drop?

The doubt about the Soi's future is well over a year old. Perhaps it could be a result of the major successful redevelopment on the other side of Silom on the corner with Soi Convent leading the owners to realise Soi 4 now has significant unrealised profit potential. Merely a sad guess!

[macaroni21]

Yet another thought came to mind: why does the owner of Circus need to sell? And it's almost a fire sale too.

I think it's a safe assumption that leases on Soi 4 will not be renewed. That doesn't mean a business must be sold even if the owner does not want to invest in a new location. He can simply run the business till the last day and then close it. After all, it was implied (though not explicitly stated) in the sale notice that the business is profitable.

What I reckon the problem is is that there may be about 4 million baht in an outstanding bank loan. Perhaps the 14 million paid to purchase the business 5 years ago was borrowed, and only 10 million of that has been discharged. 

If that's the case, then closing the business when the lease runs out will leave the owners with a balance sheet liability of 4 million in bank loan, and no operating business to generate future revenue.

Now, I am just making an educated guess. I have no inside information.

But what this means is that a buyer must be careful what he is buying. Will it include a loan liability?

Frankly I can see no reason to buy the business at all. If someone is interested in getting into the gay bar/ restaurant trade, then set up a new one at wherever is the new location most likely to get traffic. The only possible value is the brand-name/trademark and the goodwill that may come with the Circus name though even that might not be worth much. Circus as a name has only been around for 5 years. Before that, it was Telephone Bar for decades. Yet when a new location near Moonlight opened and began trading under the Telephone Bar name, the crowd didn't migrate there. That should be a salutary example for any new entrepreneur.

 

[Patanawet]

2 hours ago, PeterRS said:

The doubt about the Soi's future is well over a year old. Perhaps it could be a result of the major successful redevelopment on the other side of Silom on the corner with Soi Convent leading the owners to realise Soi 4 now has significant unrealised profit potential. Merely a sad guess!

Well, as I said, "I've been hearing this annually for at least the last 15 or so years BUT this time Peter you might have something.

[Patanawet]

9 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

As a matter of interest do you take your walking stick with you when your walking the Sois?.👴👴

No O.D., I leave my  Burmese Army Trekking Stick in my hut.

[PeterRS]

21 hours ago, macaroni21 said:

The only possible value is the brand-name/trademark and the goodwill that may come with the Circus name though even that might not be worth much. Circus as a name has only been around for 5 years. Before that, it was Telephone Bar for decades. Yet when a new location near Moonlight opened and began trading under the Telephone Bar name, the crowd didn't migrate there. That should be a salutary example for any new entrepreneur.

I honestly cannot see there is any brand name value in 'Circus'. Even today I have friends (admittedly older ones) who refer to that bar as Telephone. Given the major covid fall off in customers, there must be massive numbers who attended the original Telephone Bar and therefore fondly remember it but for whom 'Circus' fails to register much. I always found it a strange name to choose for that location - but that is no doubt just me. There was a very clear and specific reason at the outset for choosing 'Telephone' as the bar's original name. I wonder what value if any 'circus' brought to the location.

[hank75]

On 6/4/2026 at 12:14 PM, macaroni21 said:

Yet when a new location near Moonlight opened and began trading under the Telephone Bar name, the crowd didn't migrate there. That should be a salutary example for any new entrepreneur.

I mentioned this in a different post. Apart from the name, new Telephone has no similarities to the old one, which was a farang friendly pub-restaurant with prominent Soi 4 frontage. It was an iconic spot for gay cruising and people watching. The new Telephone is targeted at Thai customers in the after hours, chose a tucked away locale and made their frontage as non-descript as possible, an IYKYK spot. Apart from the name there is nothing in common. There isn’t even a telephone in sight. Circus was tipped to inherit the Telephone mantle which they more or less appeared to have done (I have my doubts about the effectiveness of running a cabaret-type show, having queens drag you in)

[Patanawet]

Rumours abounded in the soi last night!
Circus  already SOLD to a Thai, well known in the soi.   Circus NOT sold because so many interested that the price has shot up.
Pride sold.    Pride not sold.

Take your pick.

Must be very worrying for the staff.
As to the future of the soi, at least three bars have changed hands (and a new one opened a couple of doors further into the soi from Circus) recently, so maybe these people know more than we.

Last night (low season remember) Balcony Pub  was full to the brim with an Issan Party.
A troupe of about 11 performers with a continuous show of about 3 hours. Real party atmosphere.
A bit reminiscent of 'the old days' when Balcony used to have drag shows.

Oh, as a P.S. The glass semi wall between the main Balcony and the ex-Vietnamese restaurant has been removed making Balcony one huge area with room for another pool table (whatever that is).
 

Edited June 6 by Patanawet
Typo blame the cats

[Patanawet]

On 6/5/2026 at 1:25 PM, hank75 said:

 The new Telephone is targeted at Thai customers in the after hours, chose a tucked away locale and made their frontage as non-descript as possible, an IYKYK spot. Apart from the name there is nothing in common. There isn’t even a telephone in sight.

Yes Hank, in another post somewhere, it was said "Telephone Pub moved".  It did not.
The ex-manager/partner and the name Telephone moved. Not the bar or any similarities.

[jason1975]

1 hour ago, Patanawet said:

Rumours abounded in the soi last night!
Circus  already SOLD to a Thai, well known in the soi.   Circus NOT sold because so many interested that the price has shot up.
Pride sold.    Pride not sold.

Take your pick.

Must be very worrying for the staff.
As to the future of the soi, at least three bars have changed hands (and a new one opened a couple of doors further into the soi from Circus) recently, so maybe these people know more than we.

Last night (low season remember) Balcony Pub  was full to the brim with an Issan Party.
A troupe of about 11 performers with a continuous show of about 3 hours. Real party atmosphere.
A bit reminiscent of 'the old days' when Balcony used to have drag shows.

Oh, as a P.S. The glass semi wall between the main Balcony and the ex-Vietnamese restaurant has been removed making Balcony one huge area with room for another pool table (whatever that is).
 

Drats. I missed the Isaan party. I was in soi 4 at Rainbow unicorn karaoke upstairs room for an hour with my guy. I didn't walk further into soi 4 otherwise I would have seen the party at Balcony.

[Patanawet]

2 hours ago, jason1975 said:

Drats. I missed the Isaan party. I was in soi 4 at Rainbow unicorn karaoke upstairs room for an hour with my guy. I didn't walk further into soi 4 otherwise I would have seen the party at Balcony.

It was so successful that I'm sure there will be another soon.
I've suggested to the owners that they video it live (as does their regular singer, Gob, on YouTube or Facebook (not sure) and on the TV monitors outside.

[jason1975]

4 hours ago, Patanawet said:

It was so successful that I'm sure there will be another soon.
I've suggested to the owners that they video it live (as does their regular singer, Gob, on YouTube or Facebook (not sure) and on the TV monitors outside.

I just went to Balcony and spoke to one of the waiters. The Isaan show is once a month. The next time they will have the show is 3 July.

[Patanawet]

10 hours ago, jason1975 said:

Drats. I missed the Isaan party. I was in soi 4 at Rainbow unicorn karaoke upstairs room for an hour with my guy. I didn't walk further into soi 4 otherwise I would have seen the party at Balcony.

So near yet so far.
Today's message from Balcony is that they will now be doing it on the first (or is it the last) Friday of each month.

[spoon]

9 hours ago, Patanawet said:

So near yet so far.
Today's message from Balcony is that they will now be doing it on the first (or is it the last) Friday of each month.

First friday of next month is 3rd of July

[Patanawet]

On 6/4/2026 at 11:14 AM, macaroni21 said:

I think it's a safe assumption that leases on Soi 4 will not be renewed.

 

I have been hearing that every year for at least 15 years at his time of year. Let's hope that this year it doesn't come to pass.

[vinapu]

Just now, Patanawet said:

I have been hearing that every year for at least 15 years at his time of year. Let's hope that this year it doesn't come to pass.

Amen. 

[jason1975]

I walked into soi 4 the past 3 nights with friends and I saw that Balcony was always filled with customers but Circus had empty tables and chairs. Perhaps the red colour lighting in Circus has an effect?

[daydreamer]

Perhaps the ladyboy show has an effect.

[hank75]

Happy to be corrected. It felt to me like Circus (and also Pride) never quite clicked with the audience. They had the formula of what should be a successful bar: prime location, unique concepts, catchy on-trend names and logos, entertainers, food alongside drinks. Yet somehow they didn’t become establishments in the soi. I personally never went inside Circus, all the red gave me a headache. I went to Pride once because I heard they hired one of Jupiter’s best singers (a power move). However it felt cold, sterile and when I went, mostly empty.

My understanding is the owner is a very smart guy with multiple businesses. Perhaps he outsmarted himself with Circus and Pride which over delivered on what the Soi 4 crowd actually wanted. 

[Patanawet]

On 6/4/2026 at 1:38 AM, Olddaddy said:

At least I'm born in Australia unlike some !! 

Oh it's ok I have empathy for you ☺️ 

"Unlike some" --- but more like 8.7 Billion -- your point being?

[macaroni21]

On 6/9/2026 at 9:37 AM, jason1975 said:

I walked into soi 4 the past 3 nights with friends and I saw that Balcony was always filled with customers but Circus had empty tables and chairs. 

I have noticed that too, sort of. Circus' outdoor tables can look fully occupied but I have noticed that inside tends to be distinctly emptier.

I have also wondered -- and it's not just in the case of Circus but the other places on Soi 4 too - whether fully occupied tables might overstate the health of the businesses. That's a Soi where people like to sit and people-watch. Are customers sitting too long at tables nursing a drink or two?

In this business, it's important to get the balance between tab value and table turnover right. I don't know what the true situation is, but I have wondered -- while my friends and I were sitting way too long at a table ourselves 😅

11 hours ago, hank75 said:

 I personally never went inside Circus, all the red gave me a headache. 

Reminds me of a haircut I had yesterday. Silly me chose a shop in the touristy area of Saigon. Overpriced..., but fell for a cute barber who was beckoning me to go in and avail of his skills.

Anyway, it's not about him

 It's the shampoo girl who performed a lengthy head and scalp massage while doing the wash. It would otherwise be nice ( though would have been better if I had a shampoo boy) but for the house music played at some volume in the back/shampoo room. Trying to be contemporary, they played dance bar music with heavy beats, giving me a headache that she tried to massage away, in vain.

[Keithambrose]

7 hours ago, macaroni21 said:

for a cute barber who was beckoning me to go in and avail of his skills.

Did he demonstrate his skills, or stay clothed? See recent post about an enthusiastic  barber.......