The Hooch Before Bar Rescue
In 2003, husband and wife Ron and Chandra Phillips opened The Hooch. It was always Chandra’s dream to own a bar, so the second she saw the advertisement in the newspaper, she knew that the two of them were going to buy it. The crowd started cool and everyone knew each other; for the first 5 years, business was rolling in the fastlane with over $20,000 revenue each month.
Around 2008 or 2009, the economy started getting bad and people started leaving the neighborhood, causing the bar to quickly decline in quality. Chandra was left scrambling and borrowing money to make ends meet, and the bar is around $350,000 in debt. Ron had to take on a second job signing up with an iron working union, and about 75% of his paycheck goes back into the bar. Ron is reaching his breaking point.
In a video shown, Chandra is asking Ron for money, and Ron explains that his paycheck is only around $1,000. With Chandra running out of options, her drive to turn the business around is burning out; employees are saying that Chandra just does not care anymore. To make matters worse, Chandra calls her employees every nasty name in the book, but she insists that it’s a form of endearment.
The more that she does it, the less it should irritate her staff when someone else does that. As Chandra’s obnoxious behavior got worse, the staff’s attitude also got worse towards their jobs. The people they looked up to stopped caring, so it makes it hard for the staff to care. Jon Taffer has been called in to try and rescue The Hooch from declining behavior, and declining profits. To make matters worse, a video is shown of the fryers overloading with oil and the grill catching on fire, which is an absolute trainwreck and caused the bar to be evacuated and shut down.
The Hooch on Bar Rescue
In Dearborn Heights, Michigan, Jon Taffer pulls up with two experts in his car to The Hooch. The first thing Jon points out is the opportunity that they have with a nice sign on the bar, but unfortunately, there is a big, tacky sign. Chef Keith Breedlove, agrees with Jon and says that it looks tacky. There are two doors in the bar, and mixologist Lisamarie Joyce says that she does not know which door to enter in – “none,” she replies. Jon explains that Ron and Chandra have owned the bar for 13 years and are losing around $4,500 a month. Chandra’s long history of working behind the bar means nothing, as Jon is forced to support Chandra running the bar.
Inside the bar, Chandra washes her mouth out with mouthwash and tells a patron that her mouth is nice and clean, and “it’s time for the d**k to go in there.” Amanda, the manager, is seen walking around in just a long tanktop and booty shorts – Jon points out that there is no uniform code. Some of the bartenders wear a low-cut top, and others wear more conservative clothing. Jon is disgusted by the way Chandra degradingly speaks to her staff and bartenders, and the words she uses are very foul. The entire car full of experts is taken aback. The barback, named “Roach,” is seen standing around with Chandra, doing little work.
Again, Chandra is seen using foul language, and Lisamarie looks distressed. Her mouth is unbelievable, Jon says, and he does not know who would work for her. One of the bartenders announces “topless cleanup,” and takes her top off and begins to clean up the bar. Lisamarie thinks that what she is seeing is so sad, but the problem is that Chandra is not treating her people with dignity because she has none herself. The bar is in disrepair with every piece of furniture being worn and dingy, and it looks very outdated.
Jon sends in his recon of two women – Brenna Houck, editor of Eater Detroit, and Serena Daniels, the dining editor of Detroit Metro Times. The two have huge social media reach and Jon is dying to hear their feedback. The two women enter the 2,000 square foot space with 2 bartender wells, 1 service station, and a kitchen located directly behind the bar. The two women enter and are seated, and the experts sit back and watch from the car. Serena says that she is really hungry and Chandra insists that they have great burgers – they each order a burger and “The Hooch” drink. Lisamarie says that the bar tools are laughable, and they are using a novelty shaker – there is no cap to the shaker, so bartender Amanda has to put her hand over the top to keep the liquid in.
The house specialty drink is simply vodka and juice, and both women are repulsed – nothing is fresh, and the drink is nasty. There is no defined cook, which means every item will be prepared differently. The burgers are gray when they pull the burgers out, and there is no steam, meaning there is no moisture. Amanda leaves her gloves on while she grabs cheese, which means cross contamination. Raw meat germs are dispersed throughout the bar. The two women receive their food, and the food is disgusting – it’s hard and flavorless. Jon has seen enough and storms into the bar with Lisamarie and Keith.
The Hooch Now in 2024 – The After ‘Bar Rescue’ Update
When The Hooch first appeared on Bar Rescue in 2013, it was struggling with a host of issues including poor management, a lack of clientele and a tarnished reputation.
During the episode, Taffer and his team stepped in and implemented a number of changes including an extensive renovation of the premises, introduction of new menus and drinks as well as rigorous staff training. The bar was also rebranded as “The Hooch” from its original name “The Underworld Grill & Bar”.
After the episode aired, the bar saw an uptick in business. Not only did they see a surge in patronage, but a number of positive reviews also came rolling in. If anything, the renovation had created a more appealing and modern atmosphere while the revamped menu was well-received by customers. This was a testament to the effectiveness of the strategies implemented by the Bar Rescue team.
Despite the initial success, however, their journey eventually took a downturn. In 2015, just two years after the show’s intervention, the establishment closed its doors for good.
While there were several factors that contributed to this closure, one of the primary reasons was the inability to maintain the standards set by Bar Rescue. This included lapses in service quality and failing to keep up with the competition.
As of 2024, there is a gas station at their old Detroit location.
While the intervention of the show provided a temporary boost to the bar’s operation, it could not sustain this momentum in the long run. If anything, The Hooch’s journey is a reminder that while an external intervention can provide a much-needed boost, the success of any establishment lies in the hands of its management and their ability to maintain standards and remain competitive.
