The only way I've been able to do this is if I bought a lot as restaurants, but I don't place one of the required objects. So it counts as "general". You can visit/return the same way you go to business and you can still party, hangout, everything. You also can buy it as retails but all item will have "Set for Sell", or Vets but I prefer restaurants.
The catch :
1. Usually sims won't leave the lot as soon as the event (parties,hangouts) ends.
2. You need to have at least one controllable sim on the lot or you're going to travel a lot. (You can use send home/switch control to sim system)
Also IIRC you just have to pay the bills for your original lot.