New iPhone App Making it Easier to Plan a Night Out in Massachusetts

“Whether it’s menu specials, karaoke, live music, trivia, or a special event, anyone who has the app can open it up and see these events listed at any city they choose,” says MassNightly creator Andrew Melchiorri. “We just really wanted to keep it simple and straight-forward as a one-stop shop for nightlife.”

Melchiorri, now 24, came up with the concept of the app just before his 21st birthday and says he has always wanted to start up a project like this. “ I always had a passion for entrepreneurship and at that point I had literally 10-15 failed businesses (I use the term “business” loosely), but I thought this was a good concept so I just told myself this was going to be the thing I was going to go all-in on and see through to the end.”

The process of creating the app was a long one. In the beginning, Melchiorri says he spent a lot of his time chasing down Boston area bar owners and getting all their bar specials and events noted. Every bar incorporated in the app can edit their specials as well.

“On the desktop version of our app there is a back-end that allows any bar to make their own log-in and update their events,” Melchiorri says. “We do edit everything on our end to make sure the information is constantly accurate but we insert most specials and events just by being in touch with the bars and restaurants themselves.”

After that it was time to spread the word about the app.

“We just really are shameless promoters; word of mouth is the best advertising and I think people appreciate talking to you about your product rather than seeing it on a flyer somewhere,” says Melchiorri. “We also host events and parties at a few different places in Boston but I think the most pure and honest way to advertise is for people to like your product and want to share it with their friends, and that is what we have been getting.”

Once in the app, users are able to pick a city or town of their choice and see events and specials at bars in the area. There is also a “favorites” tab and a way for you to see whose going to these events.

MassNightly has now had over 2,000 downloads and continues to make improvements. At the moment the app is very Boston-oriented, but Melchiorri assures us that it will not be like that for long.

“We absolutely want to integrate the whole state and I actually think that is one of the best parts about the app- that it doesn’t just focus on the major cities. I want to have every townie bar in every small town in the state included in the app. The company is based in Boston so we did focus there first but we are actively reaching out right now to include other places.”
And good news to those who are interested in the app-  according to Melchiorri it will always be free. “If I don’t see the word ‘FREE’ written next to it in the app store I don’t download it, so I wouldn’t expect you guys to either.”Anyone can create an app, but they are warned that it is not a simple task. “I just don’t think in the beginning I realized how much time is required to build and maintain an app. I have absolutely no patience whatsoever so the most difficult part for me in creating the app was just how long it takes to actually put it together,” Melchiorri says.

Along with beginning to incorporate more of Western Mass in the app, MassNightly is also working towards spreading into the Droid app market in the near future.