Dale 1891 before Bar Rescue
Dale 1891 in Tampa, Florida, was opened in 2011 courtesy of movie theater owners Gonen Minuskin and Howard Edelman. The pair expanded their business by purchasing the bar and another movie theater in the same shopping mall. The bar was named in honor of Dale Mabry, a World War I aviator and local historical figure. Howard then brought in his son Scott to manage the bar who also invested $80 grand in the business. Now with a trio of owners running Dale 1891, the bar enjoyed massive success and raked in a huge amount of cash. Seeing that the establishment was doing very well, Gonen and Howard realigned their focus back to their theaters while Scott and his wife Stephanie ran the bar.
It only took a year for Scott to falter no thanks to the absence of his two co-owners. Taxes and bills fell upon him like an avalanche, and his inexperience in running a bar just made matters worse. Bartenders complained about the lack of equipment to make drinks and the inconsistent décor in the interior. As the bar failed to make income, the movie theater of Howard and Gonen had to shoulder the expenses. This led to friction between the three owners, and Howard couldn’t take the strain between him and his son.
Dale 1891 bled $5,000 a month and was on the verge of closing down for good. The three owners had no other choice but to call for Jon Taffer and Bar Rescue for help.
Dale 1891 on Bar Rescue
Taffer and his experts namely chef Kevin Bludso and mixologist Daniel Ponsky observe the bar from inside the theater of Howard and Gonen. Taffer indicates that the tiki bar outside the premises didn’t fit the establishment’s theme. Also, the bar’s name lacked branding and did not click to those who weren’t familiar with the aviator. The interior had very confusing décor which consisted of a motorcycle, a picture of a zeppelin, and a grenade.
The recon spies were served overpoured cocktails, and their food order was picked up from the theater’s kitchen as the bar’s own cooking area was unused for some reason. Strangely, the tiki bar served hotdogs and burgers for free. The owners also did not hesitate to argue with each other even though there were a lot of customers in the premises.  Taffer went in and was surprised that none of the owners knew anything about the bar’s expenses. He ordered them to gather all of their accounts tomorrow to see if they were still worth saving.
The Bar Rescue host returned the following day and was shocked upon seeing the bar’s expenses presented by Howard which consisted of golf clubs, country club dinners, and rental cars. Scott defended himself by saying that he and his wife weren’t taking any paycheck for four years, thus arousing suspicion that he was taking money from somewhere in order to survive. Taffer demanded that Scott humble up and prove himself in the stress test tonight. To prepare for the big night, Ponsky taught the bartenders how to make a strawberry mojito while Bludso guided Stephanie how to whip out a sandwich.
Tragedy already struck at the start of the test. One of the bartenders broke several drinking glasses on the ice box. The food orders remained unserved much to the frustration of the customers. Scott was not functioning well as a manager, forcing Taffer to move him to bartender duties. In this new position, Scott humbled up and made proper mojitos, and he also expressed that he wanted to be friends again with his co-owners.
The following day, Taffer sat with the trio and learned that Scott is a completely changed man. Now with the three owners on the same page, it was time to prepare for the bar’s new theme. Ponsky created rum-based cocktails like Scott’s Getaway and Jumping the Shark. In the kitchen, Bludso made dishes that appealed to the locals like chicken and shrimp skewers.
After the renovation, Dale 1891 was transformed into Cayman Cove. The walls were given a fresh coat of orange and blue to make it look like an island bar that can catch everyone’s attention. Taffer focused on the tiki bar outside in the creation of the theme so it will be consistent. The interior was also given a tropical makeover with tiki décor, thatched roofs, new furniture, and bamboo walls behind the bar area. Two POS systems ensured that the bartenders will be faster than ever.
Dale 1891 Now in 2018 – The After Bar Rescue Update
Cayman Cove is still open this year.
Their Yelp page had a few reviews which were mostly negative. The positive feedback praised the atmosphere, Scott’s attentiveness, and the food items. The negative comments were aimed at the loud music and inconsistent opening schedules. Their Facebook page had a lot of positive feedback that mostly praised the food, friendly staff, and atmosphere.
Cayman Cove features events for certain days of the week like Darts Tuesday, Wine Down Wednesdays, and Tribal Thursdays. They also appear to be very happy with the changes done by Bar Rescue as they frequently use the show’s logo and Taffer’s pictures for their promotions.
The bar maintains a very active page where they post their specials and upcoming events. Click here to visit it. You can also check out their official website at http://caymancove.bar/.
