In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Wildkats Records Bar and Grill in Jacksonville Florida.
Wildkats Records Bar and Grill is owned by Julian Garbachio.
It was originally the Bayside Bar and Grill.
Julian was successful in increasing the sales.
His day job moved him to Texas.
This left no one in charge and the bar suffered.
His friend Kyle was brought in to have a presence.
He changed the name to Wildkats because he thought it was cool.
His management style is not the best.
Kyle clashes with the staff and customers.
Julian is at odds with Kyle as well as they cannot rescue the bar themselves.
Jon is in the command center with expert mixologist Moses Laboy and expert chef Michael Ferraro.
They like the name and the history but there is no brand presence outside.
Jon gives his experts the lowdown on the bars ownership.
Kyle has admitted he emptied out his garage to decorate the bar.
As a result it makes the place look like a junkyard.
The kitchen is covered in grease and it is a hazard.
Tracey McKay, a local DJ and his friend are the spies.
They go into the bar to order some drinks.
There is no drink menu and the bartender has to recommend what he can make.
He has no proper workstation.
He free pours liquor and it makes the cocktail undrinkable.
They order food and they are forced to spit it back out as it is inedible.
Jon goes in to speak with Julian.
He takes him to meet Kyle and Jon shouts at him.
Kyle defends the food, service and decor at the bar.
They are then taken to the kitchen and shown all the dirt and grime.
Kyle says it is not his job to clean.
Jon does not think they appreciate the help he is bringing and he leaves.
The next morning, the staff are in awe of the night before.
Kyle is apologetic for his behaviour.
Jon accepts his apology as the staff all agree Kyle’s personality is entirely different.
Jon calmly points out all that is wrong with the bar.
The issues range from the confusing junk decor to the exterior.
The staff are shocked to find out how much money the bar is losing.
They have an experienced bartender, who struggles with the structure of the bar.
The staff highlight bad communication with management as one of their problems.
Kyle finally admits he is the problem and he wants to prove himself.
The experts take over and Moses assesses their skills in making a daiquiri.
Afterwards, he trains them on making a classic daiquiri properly.
Micheal takes the kitchen staff through making an affordable and delicious burger.
For the stress test, Jon tasks Kyle with choosing his tasks.
Customers are soon let in and they settle to siege them with orders.
Chaos ensues almost immediately as customers are bottle necked.
Kyle glues himself to the POS slamming the kitchen with orders.
Moses rescues bad drinks from going out.
Kyle’s absence at running drinks and food is felt.
Jon sees a table got more food than they ordered and shows the staff.
The burgers are returned and are remade for the correct table.
After Kyle gets heated in the kitchen Jon throws in the towel and shuts the night down.
The next night, Moses takes the bartenders through making a Tequila Sour.
Jon sits with Julian to talk about Kyle and his potential replacement.
Julian agrees with Jon and they identify Kyle is only good for some duties.
He should take over asset management while bartender Jasmine is tapped to be the GM.
Kyle is added to the meeting and he graciously accepts the criticism and new role.
Jons team work for days to renovate the bar.
By night fall the staff, crew and customers are all gathered for the reopening.
The bar has been renamed Bay Street Sports Grill, with a large sign outside.
The interior has been upgraded with all the junk nicknacks gone.
There is now a cohesive theme in place.
The bar has been completely redone with the workstation facing the right way.
There are now two workstations and more beer draft stations.
They have new Skytabs, bar products and a subscription to Partender.
There is custom wallpaper, custom artwork and an overhauled audio visual system.
Customers are soon let in for the relaunch.
The staff are relaxed while taking and fulfilling the orders.
Jasmine settled into her role and is helping out everywhere.
Kyle is running food backing her up and smiling for a change.
Julian is happy that the ambience is great and is hopeful for the future.
What Happened Next at Wildkats Records Bar and Grill / Bay Street Sports Grill ?
Six weeks later, it is revealed sales were up 5-10%.
This is due to higher foot traffic at the bar.
The reception to the new look has been mixed.
Kyle is accepting his new role to focus on the business and leave day-to-day.
Wildkats Records Bar and Grill / Bay Street Sports Grill is open.
They have kept the new name.
Reviews are mostly positive.
There is praise for the food, service and atmosphere.
Click for more Bar Rescues
Previous episode - Skip and Jan’s Sports Bar / Natalie's Bar and Grill
Next episode - Hogwash Saloon / Skybox Ultra Sports Lounge
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