In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Baseline Sports Bar in Tempe, Arizona.
Baseline Sports Bar is owned by AJ Hunter.
She bought the bar in 2005 when it went on the market.
AJ Hunter saw this as an opportunity to own her own business.
In order to afford the bar, AJ took out a $250,000 lien against her house.
When AJ bought Baseline, it was taking between $65,000 to $80,000 a month.
AJ decided to rebrand the sports bar by hiring an all-female staff.
She hired her two daughters Xatia and Diva.
AJ says her daughters are terrible employees and they don’t have a good worth ethic.
Xatia and Diva ignore their female customers.
AJ is left with a rundown bar and is $190,000 in debt.
AJ says if things don’t change they’ll be able to hold out for another three months at best.
Jon says this area is home to a lot of German-Americans, which could be a great marketing opportunity for this bar.
Jon brings in expert bartender Daniel Ponsky and expert chef Mike Ferraro.
Jon notices that there’s another bar nearby named Baseline Pub.
Jon says there’s probably 70% to 80% men in the sports bar.
AJ has a section on her website called AJ’s rants, where she talks about personal stuff about owning a bar.
Jon says this section will not bring her business.
Jon brings in Brandy Beavers to do the recon for the bar.
Baseline is making $29 less than the break-even point of $150 per square foot.
Brandy is ignored by the bartenders, who only seem to pay attention to male customers.
Brandy orders a vodka cranberry but AJ tells her they are out of cranberry right now.
Jon says they should call and order food to go.
Mike orders one of the mac and cheese appetizers and one Rueben and is told it will take about ten minutes.
Brandy asks the bartender if she knows how to make a skinny margarita.
The bartender says she does not know how to make it.
They don’t have any low-carb, low-sugar stuff and they also don’t have lime juice.
Xatia gets an attitude.
Brandy asks what they have on draft.
Xatia says they don’t have any right now.
Brandy says the bar doesn’t really have an inviting atmosphere and that it made her a little bit uncomfortable.
There is a lot of negative energy being displayed in front of customers.
Mike’s take out order is ready for pick up.
The food is extremely greasy and tastes disgusting.
Two girls are wrestling in a kiddie pool filled with spaghetti.
Jon walks into Baseline Sports Bar and asks what is the point of the spaghetti wrestling.
AJ says that they are doing this while they can.
AJ realizes that her and her daughters will have to take this seriously in order to bring the bar back to being successful.
The next day, Jon goes back to the bar to talk to the staff.
Jon tells AJ that her approach to bringing in business is wrong.
Jon says that the spaghetti wrestling is the worst promotion he’s ever seen.
He also says that if the food and bar sucks, no number of breasts will make it succeed.
AJ tells him to cut her some slack.
The general manager Whitney says that AJ’s daughters get fired and get rehired quite often.
Jon says AJ doesn’t have a chance in hell if she doesn’t start acting like a business owner.
Jon brings in his experts and introduces them to the staff.
They mention that the bartenders need to make women customers feel important as well.
They go to investigate their coolers and kitchen.
AJ says she doesn’t need people to tell her how bad her equipment is.
Mike says it costs $0 to clean the grease trap.
Mike starts off by showing AJ and Raul a salad.
Daniel shows the bartenders how to make drinks that female customers might order such as a play on the cosmopolitan.
Jon gives the bartenders a goal of making $500 each.
They get a little backed up with orders.
A lot of the customers have their food but no drinks.
Raul does a really good job with keeping up with food orders.
The bartenders have a lot to work on but Jon says one may be fired if they don’t get it together.
Jon says 8 out of 9 of them would’ve ordered beer tonight if the draft beer machine was working.
Xatia and Diva missed the $1,000 goal by $10 but Jon gives them the $10.
Jon talks to them about how they said they didn’t like their mother.
They say they just didn’t like the situation they are in right now.
They meet Daniel at an offsite location because their bar is currently being renovated.
Daniel shows them a beer cocktail hybrid to add to their menu.
Mike shows them a recipe with pork with beer on the breading.
The bar is now opening for the night after just being renovated.
The bar has been renamed to Brick and Barley – A neighborhood Bar.
AJ and her staff love the way their bar looks now.
The walk-in door shuts now and they put in a Heineken Brew Lock system.
The bar will have the best draft beer in town.
Jon says the bartenders will now wear red and that will help them make between 17% and 24% more in tips.
The bartending staff will wear a simple but cute red shirt.
For relaunch, it is time for the bar to open and there is a huge line waiting outside the doors.
AJ is very excited to open the doors for new customers but she’s hoping the bartenders can keep up.
The attitude is great and things are going smoothly.
Brandy is back and her opinion on the atmosphere has changed, she says it’s warm and inviting now.
Customers are saying really positive things about the new bar.
The kitchen is doing great, with a 5-minute ticket time.
Communication has improved all around and there are a lot more females in the bar now.
Jon says now this bar is going to be making money and that Xatia and Diva are now great employees.
The family gives their thanks to Jon.
Jon says that his work here is done and that their work is just beginning.
What Happened Next at Baseline Sports Bar / Brick and Barley?
Daniel returned to the bar a year later to check in with the bar and AJ.
She reveals that they didn't keep the new uniforms.
They also removed some of the new food and the cocktails.
They had hired a new chef and there still weren't many female customers.
AJ has been able to pay all of the bills.
Brick and Barley is open.
AJ sold the bar to General Manager Whitney in May 2022.
Reviews are mostly positive with compliments to the wings but there are some complaints on service
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Previous episode - City Bistro
Next episode - Black Light District Rock and Roll Lounge
This post was last updated in February 2024.
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