Angels Sports Bar Before Bar Rescue
Prior to its appearance on Bar Rescue, Angels Sports Bar was the hottest spot in town to go in and watch any game of any sport; owner Renee Vicary estimates that the bar was bringing in approximately $85,000 up to $90,000 per month.
However, the large interior is now host to stray customers; Renee explains that they are barely holding on and doing whatever they can to bring in customers, which includes activities such as karaoke. Renee has stepped back to allow general manager Wayne to run the business. However, Wayne is very apathetic, as he himself explains that the bar is falling apart but they just let things go instead of repairing it.
Then, a shocking fact is revealed about Angels Sports Bar; it is now losing $4,000 a month and can barely make the weekly payroll for their workers. How will Angels Sports Bar fair on Bar Rescue? Read on more to find out.
Angels Sports Bar on Bar Rescue
Angels Sports Bar rests in Corona, California, which is around 50 miles south of Los Angeles. Angels Sports Bar was opened in 1992, at the height of the blue collar boom in California. They cashed in by catering to the town’s blue collar demographic, but now the bar is a shell of itself.
Renee Vicary reached out to Bar Rescue host Jon Taffer to help their business, and both Jon and his wife are performing reconnaissance. The first thing Jn points out is that there is no separation between the strip club and the bar, explaining that the customer does not know which entrance to go in.
Jon’s wife, Nicole, starts to read some of the Yelp reviews, and none of them are positive -”dank, stank, and carpet smells” pretty much sums up the experience of Angels Sports Bar. Jon and Nicole then step in to order food; the employees do not know what either of them look like yet. Nicole points out that her martini is strong, and Jon examines the general disrepair in Angels Sports Bar. Nicole wonders if the bar is going to turn into a strip club is connected to it, then explains that she feels like she is in a strip club due to the elevated stage.
Nicole then points out that the general manager, Wayne, is on break, shooting pool and drinking. The Taffers’ food then comes, and although it is advertised as “fresh pizza,” the food is served on the cardboard tray. When Jon goes to pay, their waitress says that the credit card machine is broken, although they do have an ATM machine with a $6 fee. At the front of the bar, there are numerous motorcycles parked – if there are 3 or more bikes, 34% of women will not enter. If there are 6 or more bikes, 88% of women will not enter.
Jon introduces himself to Nicole, and explains that the bar is a “s**thole.” Nicole then says that she is in business and she needs to make money for her family. Nicole then says that it was the managers’ decision to make the sports bar look like a strip club, although Jon says that this is a classic situation of the blind leading the blind.
Jon brings in Michael Tipps to help train the barmaids on how to serve drinks and properly treat customers, and Michael starts by ordering a rum and coke – the pour is absolutely sophomoric, and he estimates that there is barely an ounce of alcohol in there. Michael then asks about the type of gin they carry, but the barmaid cannot answer. Michael asks for a martini glass, and the barmaids hand him a glass and ask, “is this a martini glass?” Even Michael agrees that the bar is a total craphole.
Deborah Maguire is then brought in as an expert in customer service to help refresh the image of the female servers. The first thing she points out is that the women come to work in skimpy tops – the importance of a consistent uniform is so that the customers can easily identify an employee. Deborah points out that this is the sports bar and not the strip club; any time you are in customer service, you must have a good presentation. Deborah asks the employee which has been working the longest if they look forward to coming out; Karissa says that she started walking out with $500 in tips, but now it is usually around $25 to $50.
Jon and his two experts come together to form a
plan of attack, and he starts by explaining that they need to change the name since it shares a name with the strip club next door. He starts by recommending that it should be rebranded as a whiskey bar, which Michael agrees with. Michael, Jon and Deborah begin to go back and retrain all of the employees. Jon himself is working with the management; he points out that any two employees don’t know the same recipes. There is also no excuse for Christmas decorations on the wall, and staples placed in the wall that the management walks by every single day.
Jon meets with Renee to explain more of the science details about Angels Sports Bar; more than 17,000 cars drive by the sports bar every day. Those people that drive by the building every day are not stopping, which is why Jon feels that they need to revitalize the front of the building. When the new MGM Grand was built in Las Vegas, you had to walk through the mouth of the lion; Chinese gamblers would not walk through it due to the idea of doing so being bad luck, but after removing the decoration, more and more Chinese gamblers started to come into the MGM Grand.
As the revitalization process begins, Jon and Renee meet and discuss the reality of Wayne as the general manager; Jon explains that Renee needs to fire Wayne. Jon offers to show Renee how to release an employee, and Wayne does not ask for a second chance or a chance to explain himself. This shows that Wayne was truly never interested in his job.
Angels Sports Bar Now in 2024 – The After Bar Rescue Update
Angels Sports Bar, a California-based establishment, gained national attention when it was featured on the popular reality television series, “Bar Rescue.” But what happened to Angels Sports Bar after Bar Rescue?
At the time of filming, the bar was facing considerable financial challenges due to a lack of effective management and a declining customer base. After a comprehensive revamp by Taffer and his team, including a complete overhaul of the interior and an updated menu, the bar initially reported a significant increase in sales and positive customer feedback.
However, the transformation of Angels Sports Bar after Bar Rescue was not sustained in the long term. Despite the initial success and renewed interest from patrons, the bar gradually slipped back into its old ways. This included reverting to its original name from “Racks Billiards and Bourbon” – the name suggested by Taffer during the show – back to Angels Sports Bar.
That’s not all, reports also began to surface about poor customer service and substandard hygiene standards. The bar’s online reviews took a nosedive, with many customers expressing disappointment over the deteriorating conditions. This led to a significant decline in footfall, further exacerbating the bar’s financial struggles.
Sadly, in 2017, four years after their appearance on “Bar Rescue,” Angels Sports Bar permanently shut its doors. The failure to sustain the improvements made during the show ultimately led to its closure. While “Bar Rescue” provided an initial boost, it was not enough to overcome deep-rooted management issues and a dwindling customer base in the long run.
As of 2024, the building at their old location appears to have been demolished.
If anything, Angels Sports Bar’s journey serves as a cautionary tale for other establishments seeking similar transformations. It underscores the importance of maintaining consistent quality standards and strong management practices to ensure long-term business viability.
Despite the best efforts of external interventions like “Bar Rescue,” ultimately, the onus falls on the business owners and managers to implement and sustain these changes for continued success.
