In this Restaurant Impossible episode, Robert Irvine visits Green Beret Club at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Green Beret Club was created to serve the airforce and special forces at the base.
It also catered to their friends and families and was intended to help socializing between troops and their families.
Robert has a special place in his heart for the military and wants to do everything he can to help.
The restaurant was converted from the former gym in the 1990s and was changed into a restaurant.
After a day at the base the soldiers would meet to eat, drink and enjoy each others company.
The Green Berets that were the namesake of the restaurant later moved their base of operations from Fort Bragg.
After the Green Berets left business began to decline at the restaurant.
Customer numbers have declined dramatically with less soldiers on the base.
The supervisor Michelle Hagwood says that a lot of business has dropped off due to the name.
The locals feel that the restaurant is only for Green Berets and not open to the public.
Mikki Morris runs the day to day operation and says that the business has been struggling and the profit margins are down.
Robert arrives at the restaurant and meets with Mikki and Michelle.
He is upfront with them and tells them that he will have to make some dramatic changes to the restaurant in order for it to succeed.
Mikki is nervous about changes and doesn’t know if she will still have a place at the restaurant.
She has also been at the restaurant so long that she doesn’t know she can change.
Mikki does realise that some changes do need to be made to make it the success that it once was.
Robert sees a lot of old photos when he steps into the Green Beret Club of service men and women.
He thinks that the bar looks old and outdated.
Robert asks Mikki what kind of food that they serve there and what the customers think of the food.
Mikki says that she thinks the food is good and the customers haven’t complained about the food.
Robert wants to see a service so that he can see what the issues are at the restaurant.
They don’t cook anything from fresh and all of the food is made from frozen ingredients.
Robert tells the cooks that they will have to cook from fresh in order to be able to give the best experience to the customers.
He speaks with the customers and they tell him that they eat there because they like the place.
They say that the photos on the walls make them proud of their profession and enjoy the tribute.
They also feel that the place is important to them.
Robert wants to transform the place into a club that appeals to everyone and not just Green Berets but also respects the history.
Robert meets with the design team to discuss ideas for the restaurant.
The memorial wall will be kept and expanded as it is a memorial to those who have served and those who have lost their life.
The design team need to keep the memorial wall with their transformation of the space.
They get to work with emptying the space ready to begin the transformation.
Robert heads into the base and to the jump tower where the younger soldiers train to get their feedback.
Some of the soldiers tell him that they haven’t been to the club.
Others say that they hadn’t heard of it and some said they never knew it even existed.
Robert thinks that many don’t visit as they think it is exclusively for Green Berets.
Robert thinks that the only solution to this problem is to change the name of the club.
Before he changes the name he wants to consult with some of the military administration personnel.
He meets with Raymond Lacey (Director, Family & MWR), Suzanne Nagel (USASOC Deputy PAO), and Lt. Col Brian Yarbrough (Commander, 3rd MISB).
They discuss his proposal to change the name of the club to something that doesn’t sound exclusive.
After this, Robert meets with the Red Falcons for some fitness training and to discuss potential names for the club.
They suggest the name the Smoke Bomb Grille and Robert loves it.
He creates a new logo and new menu for the new name and new concept.
The design team have been busy at work in the cluband have made the memorial more modern.
The bar has been given a new energy with army colours as the base of the colour scheme.
The club has been refreshed and given a fresh coat of paint.
Robert has taught the cooks a new menu using only fresh ingredients.
The dishes are also quick so customers aren’t left waiting for food.
Mikki is struggling with all of the changes that have been made in the club.
She is overwhelmed with all of the changes and doesn’t agree with them.
The crew has scanned all of the photos so that they can be changed into a digital display.
There is a Green Beret memorial with an entrance and there have been many changes made.
The seating has been rearranged, there are night lights and they have changed the lighting to brighten up the space.
When Mikki and Michelle stepped into the new Smoke Bomb grille, they burst into tears of joy.
On relaunch, they have invited local servicemen and their families to the event.
The customers love the new decor and the food is a big hit.
Mikki and Michelle are overwhelmed by the relaunch and feel glad that they invited Robert to transform the space.
What Happened Next at Green Beret Club?
A few months later, there was a 48% increase in business.
They are bringing in new customers and the customers love the new food.
They kept the new name.
Reviews are mixed after the show.
Some of the veteran customers didn't like the changes made by the show and the removal of artefacts and photographs.
Green Beret Club / Smoke Bomb Grille closed in March 2022.
Green Beret Club was Restaurant Impossible season 9 episode 9 and aired on 17th September 2014.
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Mikki was a piece of work. If you think your original menu/way of doing things is so wonderful, then why aren’t customers coming? Keep your rude remarks to yourself, and be thankful for the help being offered you.
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