MT Bottle / MT Bottles and Cans - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits MT Bottle in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

MT Bottle is owned by Tracy, who opened the beer only bar in 2008.

He hired Gina as a manager and later married her.

Tracy uses his creativity to hold the bar together with redneck engineering.

They used sexy bartenders to get customers in and they have been successful.

Bikers frequent the bar a lot but they soon got tired of the beer only menu.

They started carrying their own brown bag liquor.

Tracy has left Gina at the bar and she is the only one working.

They do not have a liquor license and are $250,000 in debt.

Jon recons the bar with Big Smo, a country rap artist who got his start at the bar.

He has also invited Stretch, a chef and expert blacksmith.

They think that the exterior looks like a shop entrance.

They see Gina wearing a shirt with nipple rings and she does not look like an owner.

Big Smo tells Jon about the BYOB policy at the bar.

They see bartender Brandi put chilli on some nachos from a dispenser as there is no cook.

Jon has locals Rick and Jim spy on the bar.

They bring in their own booze to see how much they do not spend at the bar.

The bartenders expose their breasts for less than $5.

Jon has Rick share his liquor with other customers in front of the owners.

The owners are sitting around and playing darts.

Nothing happens and Jon is tired of seeing all the lost revenue and goes in to see the owners.

Gina is emotional that she had to get a fulltime job just so she can pay her staff.

They say they do not have the money to get the liquor license.

Jon says he will give them money from his personal funds for their liquor license.

Jon informs them that it is against the law for them to show their nipples and they can get arrested.

Jon sees the redneck contraption Tracy made to get rid of bottles and cans.

It diverts them to the basement of the bar and is complete with a separation technique.

They look in the freezer and find chicken that has been freezer burned.

There is a nook with water dripping and they think its natural spring water/

Jon shows them the standing water is polluted and could be dangerous as it smells.

Jon insists on having the water tested and if there is black mould he will leave.

The next morning, Jon calls all the staff together for a meeting.

They do not have black mould but a company was called to clean and pump out the water.

Jon hands over the new liquor license to Gina who is not wearing the nipple ring shirt.

Jon introduces his experts, expert mixologist Russell Davis and Stretch.

Jon talks to the staff just before Russell starts the training.

He asks them to stop making branded matchbooks.

Russell trains the bartenders.

He soon learns that they have no knowledge of the basics of bartending.

Stretch then has them walk him through how they cook their food.

He corrects them on how to fry chicken properly.

They get ready for the stress test.

They are now doing full service with simple drinks and only two food items.

A local is already inebriated as she is let in and she is denied service.

The bar is open but they have no change.

Tracy forgot to do his bit including get rid of the matches and laughs when Jon confronts him.

Tracy walks out for a bit, leaving the other staff who are overwhelmed.

Any bartender who makes a mistake is given a sticker by Russell.

The back of the bar is in chaos as food is also made there as well as the drinks.

There are contamination concerns with chicken and the water the bartenders get in contact with.

The drinks are bad and customers complain they are bitter and watered down.

Gina shone during the stress test but Tracy is smoking in a corner not doing anything.

The kitchen is shut down as the floor is flooded.

Russell almost slips over and Tracy is forced to mop up the bar, his first time touching a mop bucket.

Gina has to do the mopping as he quickly abandons it.

The stress test is shut down as it is a hazard.

The feedback is complementary of the staff ploughing through and Tracy is berated.

Tracy is made to apologise to Gina but he does not take it seriously.

Jon is exasperated and leaves the bar.

Jon comes back in the next day and meets with Tracy and Gina.

Tracy is still adamant he will not do the jobs behind the bar.

Gina says it is upsetting her and he resolves to help anyway he can.

Stretch trains the staff on a pork sandwich.

Russell trains them on signature drinks served in mason jars and Tracy has a better attitude.

The bar is renovated over thirty-six hours.

The staff are gathered late afternoon to see their new bar.

The bar has been renamed and is now called Bottles and Cans.

The entrance way is a hollow truck and there is a stage in the back.

Big Smo makes an entrance saying he will perform that night.

The fountain at the basement has been redirected into a toilet fountain outside.

Inside the bar it is colourful and more of the ingenuity of Tracy is displayed but in cleaner ways.

Gina is disappointed as she does not like it and she wanted more.

Jon tells her they have to stay within the market needs.

If it is too upscale, they would chase away their customer base.

There is a cocktail machine Stretch engineered just for them for their 2 signature slushie drinks.

Their tools are from BarProducts.com.

There is a kitchen behind the bar and the bottle drop now goes to a glass crusher for recycling.

Big Smo comes in and is impressed by the bar and reassures Gina the look is what will work.

On relaunch, the customers love the drinks, food and ambience.

The bartenders are doing great and Tracy is making the food to great comments from the customers.

Gina is happy the customers love the decor.

Big Smo performs outside to the delight of the customers.

What Happened Next at MT Bottle / MT Bottles and Cans?

Six weeks later, it is revealed Tracy has been supportive.

They are on track to make $30,000 that month.

Jon's changes were undone and they lost their liquor licence.

MT Bottle closed in December 2019.

The bar was sold to new owners for $325,000 in January 2020.

Reviews prior to closure were mixed.

Owner Tracy passed away in April 2019.

The location is now a Dominos pizza.

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Next episode - Fairways Golf and Grill /Brew U

This post was last updated in February 2024.