Churchill Develops Appetizing Happy Hour App

When I spent more time sitting on a stool at J.G. Melon's in Manhattan than I did sitting in the chair at my editor's desk, happy hours were formidable events of social engagement. Many used them for preliminary scouting for future engagement. And, although my hours are happier now with J.G only a memory, I am sure the happiest of hours for many still exist between 4:00 in the afternoon and 6:00 or 7:00 in the evening.

Noel Churchill is banking on it. Churchill has recently developed an iPhone application (app) that helps restaurant owners restock the stools that have become increasingly emptier during hours that were designated happier.

"I got the idea for the app a few years ago, before theiPhone was even available" claimed Churchill.  "A friend and I were debating if we should go grab a drink at a happy hour, but we weren't sure what time it ended.  At the time I wished there was a number you could text and it would return a text with local happy hour info. Recently my friend reminded me of that idea, I thought it over for a few days, and decided to go for it and had the app made, "said the San Diego entrepreneur.

The process is simple enough:

It's called Power Happy Hour, and Churchill built a very basic website for it at power happy hour app. 

When you launch the app ( pictured here),  it uses the phone's GPS to find the user's current location. It then queries Churchill's happy hour database for the nearest 100 happy hours, or fewer if there aren't that many in your area. Currently there are over 7000 happy hours in his database. Are you listed? 

 When using the app the user can suggest a new happy hour if one is missing from the database, or if an existing happy hour has changed or the business has closed, it can be marked as outdated.

 Churchill plans to continually maintain and update the database, and hopes to build a very extensive list of as many happy hours as possible. If users hunger for happy hours in a location other than where they are, they can enter the city name or zip code and view the happy hours for other geographical locations.

Initially the app will be available as a free download through the app store as a "beta" period, but eventually Churchill plans on charging the user a minimal stipend for the initial download. Churchill would like to support his happy hour quest, I am sure.

Currently the app is going through Apple's review process, and should be available for download any day now, once Apple finally approves it.

There are benefits here that many restaurant owners may not realize.

First, you are able to take advantage of this by simply going to the website and logging on. It's free advertising for restaurant owners.

Secondly, if you get rid of that sign in front of your restaurant that hinders sidewalk enthusiasts your insurance rates may decrease along with the potential lawsuit when Mrs. Johnson falls and rips her nylon stockings on the sandwich board sign that is probably illegal, anyway.

And finally, every college aged individual in the country will be using this to find a happy hour in their geographic location within the next year. If you are not in the data base, you might as well put a sign out front that reads "Unhappy Hour Specials."

Yes, time has changed. Take advantage of a great thing. Get in touch with Churchill. He'll help you get in touch with customers thinking about future engagements.

Have a great weekend. I think there's an empty stool at Melon's.