Fairways Golf Bar and Grill / Brew U - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Fairways Golf Bar and Grill in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Fairways Golf Bar and Grill is owned by Richard Jordan.

He bought the bar after 10 years in finance.

Richard also bought a $40,000 golf simulator for the bar but it did not make any money.

He tried so many marketing strategies like Bingo that did not work out.

Richard went back to being an accountant so he could keep the bar afloat.

He left Michelle to manage the bar but he does not allow her to do her job effectively.

Kevin is the cook and Richard’s friend who keeps the kitchen dirty and does not care about the job.

Richard is $150,000 in debt.

Jon recons the bar with health inspector Steve Blovat and he shows him footage of the kitchen.

There is an open ceiling that is covered in grease and there are leaky pipes.

Kevin is the chef, Michelle is the assistant manager and Richard is in the bar looking lost.

Jon’s experts are his spies, expert chef Brian Duffy and expert mixologist Phil Wills.

They enter and order everything on the menu.

Michelle is shocked but complies but Kevin starts freaking out.

Michelle coolly makes all the drinks but Kevin touches raw products then touches everything else.

Jon and Steve cannot believe what they see.

The beer keg is empty and Phil is served a metallic tasting beer that upsets his stomach.

They wait for over thirty minutes before food starts to come out.

Phil rushes to the bathroom and throws up.

Jon and Steve go in and they can smell something foul on entering the bar.

They confront Richard on the bad practices and how Phil got sick.

It turns out the reason he got sick is that the beer is expired.

Richard says the beer should have been stopped but Michelle was not aware.

The mushrooms in one of the dishes are dirty.

They enter the kitchen and Brian has Kevin taste the salsa, which he does and has a very visible reaction.

The grease filtration system is dirty, the pots are dirty and the air system is dirty.

The floor is filthy, the fryer is dirty and there is mould outside and inside the walk-in.

There is raw chicken is sitting on the counter and mushrooms growing in the walk in.

The bar is shut down so they can test the mould to know if it is the toxic black mould.

The next day, they found the space safe so the staff clean up the bar and kitchen.

Jon meets with staff and Richard is defensive of Kevin, even after all they saw the previous night.

Jon quizzes Kevin on food costs and other food related business points and he is unaware.

Jon, his expert and health inspector inspect the bar and kitchen post cleaning.

The bar passed but the kitchen is not as clean as they want it.

They are given more time to clean the kitchen before training for the stress test.

Three hours later, this time the kitchen is clean enough to cook in.

Kevin is trained by Brian who first tests him on making an order within ticket time.

Phil tests the bar staff on making drinks without their sight.

They should know where everything is so they can work faster.

The stress test is started and customers are let in have the opportunity to fill an online survey.

The bartenders are a mess and are making lots of errors.

The kitchen is also as bad with Kevin frustrating Brian.

Kevin is convinced he is lying about his Culinary school degree.

The bar is making one drink at a time and customers are frustrated with the wait.

Jon gave customers red cards and asks those who do not have drinks hold them up, it is almost the whole bar.

Kevin is so bad that no food is leaving the kitchen and when it does it is taken to the wrong table.

Jon shows Richard the result of the online survey and the feedback is poor so the stress test is shutdown.

At the feedback meeting Kevin is called out on his supposed skills.

Jon says Michelle should be given the authority to be a manager.

Richard agrees and Michelle’s first managerial decision is to fire Kevin.

Kevin is abusive as he leaves the bar after being fired.

James, the assistant cook is promoted to chef.

The next day, Jon sits with Richard to convince him Golf is not the best theme for his bar.

They need another theme to attract the largest demographic in the area.

Phil trains the staff on making some signature cocktail drinks with coffee as a base.

Brian trains James on making a simple but tasty sandwich.

The renovation takes place over thirty-six hours and the staff are gathered at night for the unveiling of their new bar.

The bar has been renamed to Brew U.

The new theme is a coffee and beer bar with the blue colour of the state university.

Inside is a cross between a bar and coffee house, with seating for single patrons and large parties.

There are also laptop sockets in the ceiling that can retract into hiding.

The plumbing has been redone with a brand-new beer tap system and fresh beers.

The staff love all the changes and quickly prepare to reopen to the public.

On relaunch, customers are let in and the kitchen is slammed.

Michelle is a manager offering help but James has got it under control.

The kitchen is sending out great food with six minute ticket times and the customers loving it all.

The bar is also doing great and serving the customers great drinks, quickly.

Jon pulls Richard aside and shows him the new survey results for the night and it is a huge turn around with great feedback.

What Happened Next at Fairways Golf and Grill /Brew U?

Eight weeks later, the bar now earning $5000 a month.

Kevin is calling Richard and he still not taking his calls.

Fairways Golf and Grill /Brew U closed in December 2014.

They closed due to the excessive debt and also their lease expired and they did not renew.

Reviews prior to the closure were mixed with complaints of service and cleanliness issues.

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This post was last updated in February 2022.