The Gallopin' Goose - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Gallopin’ Goose in Coolidge, Arizona.

Gallopin’ Goose is owned by Scott and Stacey Whorma who purchased the country bar in 2009.

Scott says in the bar’s most successful month they made around $80,000 in sales.

Scott had a mistress and soon had a baby with her.

Scott and Stacey got divorced and she moved with the children to California.

In 2013, Stacey returned to Coolidge with the children and decided to give Scott another chance.

Scott’s staff says that he’s lazy and that they thought he bought the bar and thought it would run itself.

The bar needs a lot of repairs and they didn’t have AC for a couple of summers.

Gallopin’ Goose is now $370,000 in debt.

They are losing $2,000 a month and in six months they will have to close the doors for good.

Stacey and Scott decided to make the call to Bar Rescue.

Stacey meets with Jon in the SUV outside the bar.

She tells him that Waylon Jennings started his career at Gallopin’ Goose.

Jon wants Stacey to watch her bar on the screens in the SUV.

Jon brings in Robyn Moore from KNIX radio and her two friends Aaron and Kristine to recon the bar.

The bar makes around $75 per square foot in sales, which is $75 less than the break-even point of $150 per square foot.

Robyn, Aaron, and Kristine order their drinks at the bar.

Bar manager Amber makes very strong drinks that aren’t drinkable.

They notice that there is a stage in the bar that is not in use.

Scott leaves the kitchen while they have a lot of orders to be cooked to have a cigarette.

The bar is slanted because it’s broken and is currently being propped up as a cheap fix.

Amber is irritated that the recon people are asking about their food.

She goes to the kitchen and complains about them.

The food arrives but it looks very bad.

Scott is still out back smoking and he’s also talking about Stacey.

Jon and Stacey go into the bar to speak with the owners.

Scott continues to say that Stacey is never there so she has no right to say that the bar needs help.

Jon tells Scott to man up and the fact that Stacey came back is a blessing.

Stacey says that Scott is really good at turning things around to make you seem like the bad guy.

Jon meets with the staff the next morning.

Amber says that Scott’s reputation locally is not good.

Scott would get into altercations with people and a lot of customers would never come back after seeing this.

Jon thinks that Scott lost his purpose when Stacey left and that the purpose still hasn’t come back after she returned.

Jon brings in his experts, experts bartender Gerry Graham and expert chef Michael Psilakis.

They start by going in to inspect the kitchen.

Gallopin’ Goose makes a ratio of 60% beverage and 40% food sales.

The first thing Gerry points out is how filthy the bar is.

The computer’s keyboard is covered in dirt.

Scott insists that it does get wiped down however Gerry says that it’s years worth of dirt buildup.

The liquor bottles have dead bugs inside of them.

Gerry says that their entire menu is going to be bourbon whiskey based.

He shows the bartenders a few different types of whiskey cocktails to make.

Gerry says that Amber the bartender got it perfect but the manager Amber needs a little more work.

Michael suggests that they serve breakfast all day long since it is bringing in a lot of business.

Tonight, for the stress test, the kitchen will be introducing the breakfast taco.

Michael says that with the all-day breakfast he can cut down Scott’s food costs by at least 15%.

Jon brings in his carpenters to fix the bar for the stress test.

They are flooded with orders for drinks and breakfast tacos during the stress test.

There are customers who have been waiting for twenty minutes just for their drinks.

Their food reaches them before their drinks.

Amber’s attitude is starting to get very bad and Jon tells her that she has to do better.

Amber walks out and says that she is quitting right now.

Scott talks to her outside and she says that what Jon is doing is completely opposite from what she’s used to.

Amber reluctantly goes back to work and Scott closes the bar for the night.

Chef Michael says that the kitchen did really well and the food looked really good.

Jon says the bar’s reputation is not good because the town doesn’t like Scott for what he did to his wife.

They also don’t like Amber because of her attitude.

Jon says it’s time for Scott to finally be a leader.

Amber admits that this wasn’t her best work and she has a lot she needs to work on.

Jon wants them to realize that this bar is their past and that he is going to remodel it.

He has them put on safety goggles and they all take the bar down.

The next morning, they will start their training.

Chef Michael shows them more breakfast recipes such as a chicken hash with a fried egg on top.

Jon sits down and talks to Scott and Stacey.

Jon surprises Scott and Stacey with a trip to Kentucky to meet Tom Bulleit so they can learn more about Bulleit bourbon.

The people at Bulleit bourbon show Scott and Stacey how their bourbon is made and how it competes with other bourbon on the market.

When Scott and Stacey come back home, the bar remodel has been completed.

The bar looks incredible and their stage looks like bands can actually use it now.

The Gallopin’ Goose staff all are in love with the new look of the bar.

Scott and Stacey thank Jon for everything.

Jon goes into detail about the renovations he had done to the bar.

He has installed two touch POS and they have a lifetime subscription to Partender.

On relaunch night, the bar opens to a line of excited patrons.

Amber’s attitude has improved and it is almost as if she’s been reinvented.

The customers are loving the live music and seem to be enjoying themselves.

The bar is a success and Scott thinks the future of the bar looks great.

Jon says that this wasn’t just a broken bar, but a broken family too.

He also says that fixing his bar, Scott and Stacey have a chance to work on their relationship.

What Happened Next at The Gallopin' Goose?

Two months after Jon helped them out, Scott says that sales have gone up by 40%.

Scott is extremely motivated and working hard on both the bar and their future.

Gallopin' Goose is open.

Reviews after the show are mostly positive but there are some complaints about the food and rude staff.

Scott continued to make renovations at the bar.

Click for more Bar Rescues

Previous episode - Black Light District Rock & Roll Lounge

Next episode - Champagne's Cafe

This post was last updated in February 2022.