In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Long Shots Sports Bar in Grain Valley, Missouri.
Long Shots Sports Bar is owned by Mark Wilson.
He bought it after working his way up from waiter to Head of Marketing at a large pizza chain.
The bar was failing and he believed he could turn it around due to his experience in the business.
He hired attractive bartenders to get more customers and it worked at first.
But infighting between staff drove customers to their competition, the only other bar in town called Whiskey Tango.
Mark is in $450,000 debt and is two weeks from closing the bar losing his home.
Jon brings in Elayne Duff, an expert mixologist to survey the bar and they say that the outside is drab and uninviting.
They see the sports bar is large and is looking dead, ironically it has no TV to show sports and it is way too spacious.
Mark, the owner, is sat looking dejected in a corner whilst the staff run the bar themselves.
They are introduced to bartenders Jesse and Keller and Taylor, a server.
They have obtained prior footage of Taylor and Keller fighting in the workplace, screaming insults at one another.
Elayne is shocked they were not fired or disciplined for their behaviour in the bar.
Back in the bar, a hypnotist comes on stage and gives a boring performance.
Jon decides to go in himself and the first thing he does is end the Hypnotist’s show.
He talks with Jesse, who reveals that they play a lot of country or whatever music is requested.
Jon then sits down with Mark and he finds out that Keller is the most popular member of staff.
She chimes in to reveal that she has dated Jessie and now they avoid each other while working the bar.
Taylor, the new server, seems to now be involved with Jesse, creating a workplace love triangle.
Jon leaves suddenly in a ploy to see how Mark would react and he breaks down believing Jon has decided not to help.
Mark confronts his staff to find out what they said, it erupts in an argument about their personal lives.
Mark believes its Keller’s fault and they all get into a heated interaction.
The next day Jon comes back and calls for a staff meeting, much to Mark’s relief.
The staff say marketing and promoting isn't done properly but Mark says it won’t be worth his effort to do something elaborate.
Jesse is told to stop sleeping with staff and Keller is confronted with footage of her outburst.
She is made to apologise to Taylor.
Jon’s experts come in: Brandy Starr to help with hospitality and Elayne to help with the bar.
They walk around the bar and the general hygiene, sanitation and security are poor.
The liquor is not secure and is kept poorly in a fridge.
There are leaks, sticky smudges on drink bottles, bacteria growth and rat faeces in different places.
Brandy talks to the staff in order to improve the hospitality and serving customers.
Elayne takes them through preparing, where they perform poorly and they need a lot of work.
Jon sits down with Mark and finds out the bar’s situation is affecting his personal life and holding him back.
The stress test commences, and customers are kept waiting with poorly prepared drinks and slow service.
A lot of drinks are thrown out and they are spilling spirits all over the bar.
Customers start leaving for their competition, a bar down the street.
Jessie shines, Mark is overwhelmed and Taylor is close to tears.
After the stress test, all the staff believe they have worked better than they ever have.
But Jon and Elayne point out it was far from good and management is very poor.
Taylor didn’t show up the next morning and failed to inform the bar so Mark is forced to fire her over the phone.
Jon reveals that based on the most popular music they play - country music.
They will be changing the sports bar to a country nightclub.
This will help them challenge their competition and Elayne teaches them to make some signature drinks.
They are then drilled on making and serving drinks within 3 minutes.
Jon uses Angie’s List to find local contractors to renovate the bar.
36 hours later they are ready to reveal the new bar and it has been renamed to Badlands Country Nightclub.
The exterior sign is western themed with night lights so it can be seen from afar.
Inside, it is classy and more western with a modern feel.
There is a VIP area with cowhide chairs from Nebraska Furniture Market and a dance floor in the middle of the bar.
There is also new lighting installed by Hollywood Sound and Lighting.
The bar has lighting to display drinks and a new liquor room, with a lock has been added.
At the relaunch, customers are happy at first with the ambience and the drinks.
Soon, the crowd starts to overwhelm them with up to 7 mins wait time for drinks.
Mark steps up moving around, engaging customers and helping staff where needed.
Jessie is confident and busier than ever.
Keller works behind the bar and also serves when needed.
Customers happily line dance on the dancefloor; over 300 customers came through the doors.
What Happened Next at Longshots Sports Bar?
After the episode was filmed, Badlands sales went up by 30%.
The catfights ceased and Mark is no longer at risk of losing his home.
Badlands Country Nightclub closed three months after filming.
It closed so that owner Mark could focus on the other bars that he owned.
One Yelp review complained that the bar was empty when they visited.
Click for more Bar Rescues
Previous episode - BoondoxXx BBQ and Juke Joint / Pit and Barrel
Next episode - RG’s Lounge / BARcode
This post was last updated in February 2022.
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