Georgia Boy Cafe - Restaurant Impossible Update - Open or Closed?

In this Restaurant Impossible episode, Robert Irvine visits Georgia Boy Cafe in Hagerstown, Maryland.

Georgia Boy Cafe is owned by Chuck Holman and Montez Dorsey.

For Chuck, owning a restaurant has been his dream since I was 14 years old.

Whenever his siblings were outside playing, he would be in the kitchen cooking because cooking has always been his passion.

After graduating from High School, he got a job in a kitchen.

After working for about 18 and 1/2 years working for someone else, he felt it was time to unlock his dreams of owning a restaurant.

He used his savings for his dream, maxed out his credit card, turned to his family and some friends to borrow some money.

His total debt from opening the restaurant is about $400,000.

Montez joined Georgia Boy Cafe full time four years ago.

He chose to quit his job as a workforce analyst and work full time at the restaurant.

The first couple of years of opening things were going well at the restaurant.

The money was coming in as customers were coming in and they had great employees who cared about the business.

Suddenly, things just took a turn and the business suddenly declined.

Both the owners mothers worked in the restaurant but as the business started to decline, they each took their childrens side.

All the stress and anxiety just made everything worse at the restaurant.

At the moment it is like an endless cycle where a Monday argument will continue through to Thursday.

The owners are at the end of the line as far as business is concerned.

Robert arrives at the restaurant and saw a dark and dingy environment with leaks in the ceiling.

He isn’t impressed with all of the ornaments or the dated hostess stand, that belongs in a haunted house.

There is an empty refrigerator, dirty carpet and a disgusting smell at the restaurant.

He meets with the owners for a brief and to talk about the issues at the restaurant.

After eight years of owning the restaurant, Robert suggests they are failing because they don't care.

As they are talking a cockroach runs down the wall behind them and Robert kills it.

Chuck says he doesn’t think that Montez does his part and he thinks that he does too much.

The business has brought them so much stress and unhappiness after they bought it.

Robert is extremely disappointed that they don't have the figures of the revenue from the previous year.

They haven’t been able to pay themself a wage in the past year and they live on tips instead.

They are partners in life and business but currently their relationship is strained.

Robert tells them that he can fix the restaurant and their relationship is important.

Robert asks to see a service so that he can see for himself the issues at the restaurant.

The customers think that the restaurant is dark and dirty, the bench is ripped and the restaurant isn’t nice.

He goes into the kitchen and finds it is dirty.

There is also deadly black mould in the ice machine.

Robert thinks that they are breaking a number of health violations in the kitchen.

He shuts down the kitchen to customers as he doesn’t want anyone eating from the kitchen.

Despite what he has seen he asks Chuck to make some of the restaurants best selling items.

When the food arrives he isn’t impressed with the appearance, presentation or taste of the food.

Robert meets with the owners and talks about their relationship.

He asks them to clean the kitchen and think about their relationship.

Robert meets with his designer Cheryl to discuss ideas for the restaurant.

She wants to make it clean and ultra modern.

The staff are asked to help empty the restaurant ready for the design team to be able to get to work.

To deal with the issues with the owners Robert asks to meet with their mothers.

He meets with Chucks mother Mamie, Montezs mother Charlotte and a member of staff.

They both support their own and can see that it is isn’t working how it is going.

The design team are hard at work in the restaurant so Robert meets with the owners.

They do an exercise for Robert to see the extent of their relationship issues.

They both think that they know what is best for the restaurant.

Neither appreciates what the other one does for the restaurant.

Robert gives them homework to share five things that they would like the other to do to improve their relationship.

The next day, Robert returns and checks in with the design team.

Despite working all night on levelling and installing the floor they aren’t finished.

They are also behind on the revamp of the dining room but are starting on the area as Robert arrives.

Robert meets with Chuck and Montez and they talk through the lists they made for homework.

They talk through their differences and agree to settle them and move on from the past.

Robert is pleased with the progress that the owners have made but isn’t pleased with the progress of the design team.

The kitchen has now been cleaned and as Robert wasn’t able to see the service he shows them feedback from the internet.

Robert shows them some new menu items and gives them training on methods to speed up getting food out of the kitchen.

The owners and staff loved the session and feel ready for the relaunch.

Robert takes Montez and the new chicken dish down the street to promote the restaurant.

The design team have finished in the dining room and it is ready for the owners to see the changes.

The transformation is one of the most dramatic they have ever done on the show.

They are overwhelmed by the changes that the design team have made.

The pair love the new colours and are shocked with how much they have changed.

They break down in tears, feel that their passion for the restaurant is reignited and are excited for realunch.

On relaunch night, the customers are impressed with the new dishes on offer and enjoy the taste of the new dishes.

They also love the new decor, give great feedback and promise to return again.

What Happened Next at Georgia Boy Cafe?

A few weeks later, business is improving.

They have kept Robert's menu but with a few tweaks.

They have a new cleaning schedule that sees the kitchen cleaned nightly.

Chuck is now kitchen manager and they have hired staff to help in the kitchen.

Their relationship is slowly improving.

Georgia Boy Cafe closed in July 2014.

They planned to open another location but have yet to do so.

Reviews after the episode were very mixed with customers both loving and hating the food at the restaurant.

Georgia Boy Cafe was Restaurant Impossible season 7 episode 5 and aired on 20th November 2013.

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