Murphy’s Law before Bar Rescue
In 2011, retired airline pilot Gary Telfer, along with girlfriend Maria Bedient, decided to fly into a different career and bought Murphy’s Law using his retirement money. An additional $25 grand was invested into the bar’s downpayment courtesy of friend Mark “Nellie” Nelson who then became a co-owner. Telfer and Bedient owned 40% of the bar (and in Bedient’s case, she didn’t give even a cent), while Nellie had a 20%, and in 2014 they opened the doors to Murphy’s Law.
The bar enjoyed success during its first few weeks. However, Telfer and Bedient’s relationship deteriorated until they called it quits. Bedient was still around Murphy’s Law, but she leeched the bar’s profits, and Telfer couldn’t stop her as he was still in love with the lady. Nellie was not fond of Bedient’s actions and Telfer’s complacency, and he was the only one working behind the bar while the two co-owners just sat and drank. Telfer continuously dumped money into the bar every month, even taking some from his personal account, but his efforts were to no avail.
Murphy’s Law was on a nosedive, and Telfer’s money was flying out of the windows. Before his plane crashes, Telfer has decided to send a distress call to Jon Taffer & Bar Rescue.
Murphy’s Law on Bar Rescue
From the outside, Murphy’s Law featured a conflicting signage as it had an Italian flag despite being an Irish pub. The interior had nothing Irish on it, with a wide space that was underutilized. Taffer’s spies entered the bar and were served awful drinks by Nellie as he actually didn’t know how to mix a cocktail properly. The kitchen was a fire hazard thanks to the exposed wooden walls which could absorb grease and trigger an inferno. Bedient was busy drinking on the bar with Telfer always by her side like a lovesick puppy. The two didn’t even lift a finger to help Nellie while the latter was overburdened with work. Nellie walked out of the bar and Telfer followed, the two throwing profanities at each other, until Taffer arrived to interfere. He ordered the trio to talk to each other and set things straight.
The Bar Rescue host returned the following morning and talked to Telfer, who revealed that he only bought the bar because he was blinded by love before. Taffer made him realize that Bedient was the worst thing in Murphy’s Law as she literally contributed nothing for the bar. Taffer then sat with Bedient and told her that Telfer lacked the courage to axe her. Bedient walked out of the bar and Telfer accepted the decision, much to the agreement of the staff.
Taffer’s experts, namely mixologist Gerry Graham and chef Nick Liberato, began the training. The kitchen first had to be installed with fire-resistant paneling so the staff can safely cook in there. Liberato trained the bar’s cook James how to properly make a chili dog using the kitchen’s incomplete equipment, while Graham and Taffer had the bartenders practice mixing with repetitive actions to enhance their muscle memory.
For the stress test, Taffer issued a challenge to Telfer. If the manager successfully gets five business cards from five random clients, then the kitchen will get new equipment. Nellie was pressured by the growing number of orders, while the lack of a runner ensured that the food orders weren’t delivered. Seeing that Nellie had no talent behind the bar, Taffer tossed the drinks he was preparing and had the bar closed prematurely. Telfer successfully got the business cards which showed that he was more sociable and was more involved in the bar unlike before.
Taffer and the experts returned the next day and surprised the Murphy’s Law staff with new kitchen equipment and a larger storage space. For the new theme, Taffer wanted the bar to have a post-Prohibition Era concept with an old-school steak and eggs dish, and 1930’s style cocktails like The Royal Flush and The Vesper. Telfer exhibited a massive improvement compared to when Bedient was in the bar, and Taffer gave him a comprehensive checklist that will help him in managing Murphy’s Law.
After the renovation, Murphy’s Law was turned to Money Bar. The signage, plus the call to action messages on the windows, gave the place an identity and made it noticeable to the thousands of cars passing by every day. The interior now featured 60 bar stools compared to the previous 27, décor that showcased 1930s Nevada, four POS terminals, and a new heating system. Taffer also gave the bar the “world’s rarest cocktail concoction” with an elaborate backstory to draw customer interest.
Murphy’s Law Now in 2018 – The After Bar Rescue Update
Money Bar didn’t last long and the name Murphy’s Law was reinstalled even before the Bar Rescue episode aired. Also, some have noted that Bedient was again back in the bar.
The bar accumulated conflicting reviews on Yelp. People criticized the loud karaoke, the drunk managers, smoke filling in the air, warm beer, and broken furniture. Some praise went to the remodeling of the bar.
On August 2016 the bar announced through its Facebook page that they will be closed temporarily to make way for a new owner. Three months later Bedient posted another message saying that Murphy’s Law was officially done.
Now a branch of Jimmy B’s Bar & Grill took over the Murphy’s Law space.
