In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Angel's Sports Bar in Corona, California.
Angel's Sports Bar is owned by Renee Vicary.
In 1992, Renee used her life savings to buy and renovate a rundown biker bar in Corona, California.
Angel's Sports Bar quickly became the spot to watch a game or catch a local band.
Renee says that the bar was making approximately $85,000 to $90,000 per month.
Slowly the customers began to not show up anymore and Renee tried everything to bring them back.
She hosted pool tournaments and many other things but it didn’t work.
Feeling defeated, Renee has taken a backseat to running the business.
She has let general manager Wayne take control of the bar.
Wayne says the bar has stuff that is falling apart so they just let it go.
Wayne’s apathetic attitude and ineffective leadership has led to a crumbling interior.
The staff are out of control and there is an unruly out of control clientele.
Angels is now losing $4,000 each month.
Renee makes a call for help to Bar Rescue.
Corona, California is a blue-collar community that is 48-miles southeast of Los Angeles.
Jon is in the car with his wife, Nicole.
Jon goes through the Yelp reviews and reads them aloud.
The customers mention the biker gangs and that it seems like the staff works at the strip club next door too.
Jon and Nicole head into Angels.
Angels is a 2,500-square-foot venue which features two linear bars with three service stations.
There is an elevated stage and pool tables and dart boards.
Nicole’s martini is a little strong.
Jon says they should have put a piece of something in there, like a garnish.
This bar is filthy and there are loose staples everywhere.
Nicole says she doesn’t feel safe in this bar.
Jon says that it looks like a strip club both outside and inside.
Jon says if there are three or more motorcycles in front of bar, 65% of women won’t go in.
If there are six or more motorcycles out front, 88% of women will not go into the bar.
Jon goes into the bar again to talk to Renee.
Jon tells her that they need to start caring and that he will have a meeting with the staff in the morning.
The next morning, Jon looks around the bar both inside and out.
There is damage on the doors, probably from rats or squirrels.
Jon tells them that this starts with them cleaning the bar.
Wayne is slacking off and he just doesn’t seem to care.
Wayne puts up advertisement for the strip club next door.
Jon has brought in Michael Tipps, one of the most sought-after mixologists in the country.
The bartenders don’t know what they are doing and it’s clear they need a lot of training.
Jon brings in nightclub expert Deborah Maguire.
Deborah first comments on the uniforms as some of the ladies are wearing bikinis.
The staff say how they don’t like working at the bar anymore.
Jon and his experts meet to discuss the new concept.
They decide to make this a whiskey bar.
The experts go back to basics to train the staff.
Michael shows them how to do a long pour.
Jon meets with the managers.
He says that there is no excuse for there to be staples in a wall they walk past every single day.
Jon says that the managers are lazy.
He asks why Wayne is here with how little Wayne cares about this bar.
He asks Wayne if there is anything he can defend himself about.
Wayne is demoted to assistant manager.
Jon shows Renee some of the science behind why Angels is failing and what they need to do to succeed.
The stage at Angels takes up around 20% of space and that is enough to cut 20% of sales.
The way the stage is set in the middle of the room creates a barrier for social interaction.
Removing the stage would increase floor space and create better flow through the bar.
Jon tears down the neon lights.
He says it makes women’s skin look bad, which could cause them to lose business.
Michael shows them some drinks they will be making for the soft opening.
Angels opens up for soft opening.
The staff is alert and ready for action but the waitresses are losing control of the floor.
They aren’t following instructions very well.
Waitress Brittany is being disrespectful towards Deborah.
Renee fires Brittany.
Brittany says that she wants the paychecks that she’s worked for.
She claims she never got paid for a lot of her time at the bar.
Jon steps in to find the root of the problem.
Jon talks to Renee about how they messed up tonight.
He tells her that she needs to fire Wayne.
Jon fires Wayne because Renee doesn’t want to.
Jon begins the reconstruction on Angels.
The next evening, Jon brings the staff back to Angels to show them their new bar.
Angels is now called Racks Billiards and Bourbon.
Renee says that the new name is very classy and she likes it a lot.
The bar is now completely different than the strip club next door.
Jon placed a no parking area where the bikers used to park.
Jon added a lounge area where the stage used to be.
Jon installed a few flat screens and there are no more neon lights.
The billiard room is now separate from the dart room.
Jon gave them a working credit card terminal, along with POS systems.
Jon got the staff new uniforms.
Racks opens up for the first time since remodel.
On relaunch, there is a huge line of people waiting to be let inside.
Jessica says it was pure madness once people were let into the bar.
The customers love the new changes, the women feel a lot safer now.
Jessica says she made three to four times more money than she normally would in a night.
Jon says that this bar is successful tonight.
Renee is engaged, confident and she loves her business again.
Jon hugs Renee and says that his work here is done.
What Happened Next at Angels Sports Bar / Racks Billiards and Bourbon?
Two months after the relaunch, Racks sales have doubled.
Renee says there are new people coming in all the time.
Wayne has not returned to Racks since being fired.
Brad remains as general manager.
Renee is really proud of this bar.
They changed the name of the bar to Bar 1650 in 2016.
There was a fatal stabbing outside the bar in August 2015.
Racks closed in 2018.
In May 2019 there was a fire in the empty building.
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Next episode - Downey's Irish Pub
This post was last updated in February 2022.
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