Tonight on the season finale of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and crew are in Houston, Texas to try to rescue End Zone Sports Bar and Grill. The bar and the kitchen in the End Zone is filthy and the beer they are serving the customers is sour. The bar is owned by two "muscle-bound meatheads" who get in a fight with each other during the recon. Two other female employees also get into a fight while the bar is under surveillance. Despite all of the fighting, Jon Taffer still goes through with the rescue and makes over the bar.During the Bar Rescue makeover, End Zone Sports Bar and Grill was renamed to Houston Sports Hub, and they seem to have kept the name. Let's take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for Houston Sports Hub since Bar Rescue came and made all of the changes to the bar:
Reviews:
- "This is the first bar I have been to where I feel welcomed, and at home. I guess you can say "My home away from home." During the day time you have lots of regulars, from business men to veterans. During the Houston Texans daytime games I would bring my family and have a blast."
- "When I first walked in I liked the interior. Cool clean sports concept. I looked over the new bar and food menus. Over the course of the night I ordered the Texan Truce and Shasta Shot. All I could taste was the lemon juice it was very sour and unbalanced. I also ordered the Astro Tea which was very good. Some of the bartenders drank behind the bar.....The bathroom also needed some attention and the soap dispenser was broken. I probably won't be coming back based on the lack of commitment I saw by management not maintaining the standards set by Jon Taffer."
- "Pros: cheap drinks, no cops, karaoke, ok food, (free) parking lot, easily accessible/ok for neighborhood bar, IF you're friends with management, they take care of you. Cons: no good wine :(, no dance floor, trashy clientele, many of which snorting coke on patio and/or inside bar, not enough wait staff, bar owners have too much control/are on-site entirely too often (led to decline in loyal regulars), ice tastes funny, dirty hole-in-wall atmosphere, even after the remodel, floozy, inattentive bartenders, remodel (courtesy of "Bar Rescue") was complete waste; only difference now is the name (Houston Sports Hub) and the superfluous/non-functional interior decorations to make the bar appear more "sporty"
Other News and Links:
- The Bar Rescue makeover happened in January 2014
- Here are 2 preview videos of the episode on the Spike TV website that have both of the fights.
- Jon Taffer will be live tweeting during the episode and answering questions with the #TafferTalk hash tag.
- Here is the old End Zone Sports Bar Facebook Page, the new Houston Sports Hub Facebook Page, and website with menu.
- Here are the Facebook pages of Justin (owner), Dana (Justin's wife), Shawn (owner), Stephanie (Shawn's wife - Fights Taylor) Taylor (bartender) Samantha (bartender), and Kiana (bartender)
- Taylor and Stephanie are Facebook friends.
- Shawn seems to be embarrassed about his appearance on the show, and has commented on multiple posts saying he is "not happy" about it.
- Shawn has had some MMA fights and has a 2-4 record with 4 straight losses. (Link)
- The owner Justin was a male stripper and has wrote multiple books (found here
) about being a stripper. Him and his wife are also on a few erotic book covers such as this one
(pictured right)
- The Houston Sports Hub Tax receipts submitted to the state of Texas - Before Bar Rescue - August 2013 - $9704.52, September 2013 - $8862.98, October 2013 - $8793.12, November 2013 - $7897.68, December 2013 - $6953.94, After Bar Rescue - January 2014 - $3168.69, February 2014 - $3228.39, and March 2014 - $4005.99. So it looks like business went down according to receipts and business wasn't bad before the Bar Rescue visit.
- In July of 2013, Justin posted on his Facebook page - "Bar rescue just called my bar. Should I or shouldn't I?" Most people said to do it, and when someone asked "Do you need it?", Justin responded "No, but a free new bar and all the advertisement is hard to pass up" So it looks like Bar Rescue contacted the bar to be on the show, rather than the bar applying to be on the show. This seems to be the case for the upcoming season, and I will probably do a post about that soon.
- Justin has left six different 5-star reviews for his own bar on Yelp and seems to stress the fact that there are "hot girls" on his staff in all of his reviews. (Link)
Conclusion:
Judging by the comments Justin made about Bar Rescue calling his bar, and the tax receipts submitted for the bar, it looks like this was not a struggling bar in need of a rescue. Also, it doesn't seem like people are too impressed with the Bar Rescue upgrades and it is still the same bar with just a different name.
UPDATE - Someone posted a comment clarifying the tax receipts, stating: "Before Jan 1st of 2014, bar owners were require to pay a Gross Receipts Tax of 14%. On the Jan 1st of 2014 the law changed. The new requirements lowered The Gross Receipts Tax to 6.7%. However owners are now required to collect A Mixed Beverage Sales Tax of 8.25%. The difference is that the "Sales Tax" is now just passed on to the consumer where as before it was included in the price of a drink. Owners caught a break and the consumers are getting the short end of the stick. Most customers never noticed the change. Based on the Gross Receipts Tax paid, the alcohol sales for Oct 2013-$62,808; Nov 2013-$56,412; Dec 2013-$49,665.29; Jan 2014-$47,293; Feb 2014-$48,184; Mar 2014-$59,790. These are alcohol sales only and include no food sales."
Also, Justin had some quotes in the Houston Chronicle, and said: "It was a great experience. I wouldn't do it again, though, because I don't like being yelled at. The yelling wasn't so bad. It was the stress." He also said Jon Taffer is a really nice guy and they kept all of the changes he made.
UPDATE - Apparently Shawn is no longer a co-owner at the bar, and Justin is running the bar on his own.
UPDATE - Justin no longer owns End Zone, but he actually bought another Bar Rescue bar - The Wildcatter Saloon.
*To see how all of the bars from Bar Rescue are doing, go to the Bar Rescue Update page, and also Like us on Facebook or Follow Us on Twitter to stay up to date with all things involving Bar Rescue.
Dear Bar Rescue Updates,
ReplyDeleteAs a hospitality veteran with over 30 years of experience, I think Bar Rescue is as accurate as "The Amish Mafia". I watch both, but realize both are "REALITY TV" and watch purely for the entertainment value. I appreciate your updates as they expose the un-"REALITY" of this show. The current Bar Rescue Update mentions State of Texas Tax Receipts. Before Jan 1st of 2014, bar owners were require to pay a Gross Receipts Tax of 14%. On the Jan 1st of 2014 the law changed. The new requirements lowered The Gross Receipts Tax to 6.7%. However owners are now required to collect A Mixed Beverage Sales Tax of 8.25%. The difference is that the "Sales Tax" is now just passed on to the consumer where as before it was included in the price of a drink. Owners caught a break and the consumers are getting the short end of the stick. Most customers never noticed the change. Based on the Gross Receipts Tax paid, the alcohol sales for Oct 2013-$62,808; Nov 2013-$56,412; Dec 2013-$49,665.29; Jan 2014-$47,293; Feb 2014-$48,184; Mar 2014-$59,790. These are alcohol sales only and include no food sales. A lot of factors affect sales, both good and bad. It doesn't look like Bar Rescue had a very dramatic effect. Keep up the good work!!
Cheers
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, no reality TV show captures "reality", if for no other reason than you're compressing days worth of filming into 45 minutes of television. I'll reserve my full judgement until I actually watch the show, but this sounds like one chosen more for it's dramatic value rather than need to be rescued. Personally, I would rather see more bars that actually needed rescuing.....
ReplyDeleteThe next episode shouldn't be good old classic Bar Rescue mayhem, Isn't that why we watch? It looks that tonights seasons finally we will get BIG serving of shrivel dick juice head monkeys humping a couple of footballs in a dirty rocks glass.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the numbers and info on the taxes!
ReplyDeleteI don't care about all the drama. Why not help people that actually need it or are deserving of it?
ReplyDeleteseason finale
ReplyDeleteWell, having seen the episode, a $100,000 tax lien is nothing to sneeze at! Maybe Justin didn't think he "needed" it, but I think they needed Taffer's help to clean up the dysfunction and learn the definition of "clean". Lastly, I'd hardly call the place "the same bar", at least as far as the remodel goes.
ReplyDeleteMatt, I think you should temper your conclusions based on the tax receipts. I read an article last week, which said pretty much what JDingle just said. That means you're not seeing the tax on beer sales or on food. This place could be selling more beer now that their system isn't all grungy.
ReplyDeleteThe best part so far? The guy wearing a hat with a taped over logo during the "recon". If they didn't know they were being filmed, why would he tape over a logo on his hat? Why didn't the producers just tell him to take the hat off? If so much is faked, why are bar owners still willing to go on this show?
ReplyDeleteReality in the sense that the steroids make their introduction right away. Doubt its acting!!!
ReplyDeleteYou're so cynical. I suppose you believe the catfight between the minority partner's wife and the bartender who's loyal to the majority partner, the almost fight between the two owners and the catfight between the minority owner and a laptop that called him a crybaby were all staged just because one of Taffer's camera guys was there recording the entire thing. You probably don't even believe the fights in the locker room in Pro Wrestling are real just because there's always a camera there.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet you're thinking that in 20 minutes you could turn a hotdog into a charcoal briquet on a flat top grill so they were either exaggerating something or throwing away food so it wouldn't get out to the customers.
When are you cynics going to learn that reality TV is completely real and producers are never tempted to justify their shows and boost ratings by creating drama?
This episode was all about bar science. Didn't you hear Taffer say there were over 1300 bars in the country named the End Zone? SCIENCE!!! Just imagine if you flew around the country looking for and visiting every one. By the time you got to this one, you'd be like, "Oh no, not another End Zone!!"
I'm sure there are a lot of people who do that and Taffer is trying to keep them from getting turned off by the name.
*** OK, really, everything I just wrote was BS, but since I haven't seen a post yet by the people who can't make the distinction between reality and reality TV, I thought I'd throw out a post from their perspective to provide balance to us literate cynics who think the show is about ratings.
I used to work at Alamo drafthouse before they moved the west oaks location, they probably lost a lot of business from the employees not going there after work anymore.
ReplyDeleteOn Saturday I was at a charity barbeque event with a bunch of people that used to go to End Zone. Just about everyone hated the remodel inside. One person pretty much put it this way: "It looks like a 6 year old's bedroom". I didn't mind the remodel as much, but now that this person said that, it's all I see. Quite funny.
ReplyDeleteA 6-year old's bedroom, huh? Funny, I don't recall seeing a racecar bed in there.........
ReplyDeleteMany of these bars were in dire need of a rescue, several would've closed down had Taffer not stepped in, it's true that some were not that bad off, but the overwhelming majority badly needed his help and admitted as much.
ReplyDeleteOne of the owners had kids, so of course Jon isn't going to turn someone down who needs to support their family.
ReplyDeletePersonally I don't think any of that stuff was staged(especially the owner smashing his computer out of rage, that did not looked scripted at all). The owners did across as very volatile.
ReplyDeleteEh, I thought it looked pretty cool, certainly better then how it looked previously.
ReplyDeleteUsed to really love this show, seems WAY too staged now.
ReplyDeleteYea agreed. Looks cleaner too. I just thought the comment was pretty funny.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I just don't think any should be chosen that aren't really in serious trouble. And, having seen the episode, these people needed Taffer's help. A $100,000 tax lien is nothing to sneeze at.......
ReplyDeleteEvery show is about ratings.
ReplyDeleteDosen't look that staged to me at all.
ReplyDeleteListen to what Taffer has to say about things being staged.......https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iU3QBO_5ZAA
ReplyDeleteKeep in mind that some of the bar owners do nothing to differently to promote their bar or to publicize the changes between the time the changes occur and the time the episode airs. Although the show encourages the idea that the bar should immediately see increased revenue, it nonetheless remains the case that people have to learn about a business before they are going to patronize the business. If they do show up the business has to give them an experience that makes them want to come back -- and ideally to tell their friends to check the place out. Increased curb appeal can only do so much.
ReplyDeleteDrama and novelty attract viewers.
ReplyDeleteI was watching Bar Rescue reruns today and had seen where Taffer was helping a "Frat Bar" where the guy was only 6 months in and had already borrowed $20k from his mom. He hired all his buddies who only would take advantage of him while acting like they all had his back. I don't believe rescuing a shit in the hole bar that has only been open 6 months was the right decision. I will bet if I look at the 11 bars that are closed I will see their bar.
ReplyDeleteNo, they are still open.
ReplyDeleteAugust to December are considered to be the best months for people to go out. A fair comparison of Tax receipt should be comparing January to January, not January to August, September, etc.
ReplyDeleteIn relation to this: "The guy wearing a hat with a taped over logo during the 'recon'. If they
ReplyDeletedidn't know they were being filmed, why would he tape over a logo on
his hat?"
I wanted to add here, I have been in a context in which an event was being recorded and footage could potentially be aired. All people attending were asked to sign a release and certain logos and trademarks were to be obscured or hidden (e.g., by turning a shirt inside-out). None of the footage from that day was used, but it was the potential for its use that led to the obtaining of releases and measures to reduce trademark/offensive logo-type issues in post-production.
I would like to hear one of the owners or employees from an episode explain what steps Bar Rescue takes, even before Jon appears and confirms he is going to rescue a particular bar. I find it difficult to believe that they scramble, after-the-fact, to get patrons to sign releases, and thus would not be at all surprised if they have a practice of requesting releases from customers and taking other measures (e.g., covering logos) for every bar they have under active surveillance.
Although a seasonal effect may skew the results, Bar Rescue encourages
ReplyDeletethis type of comparison with its updates about rescued bars, along the
lines of "Since the rescue, drink sales are up 30%" or "... food sales
are up 25%".
I haven't checked the data, but if it goes back far
enough it should be possible to do year-to-year and quarter-to-quarter
comparisons.
I'll also note, with absolutely no suggestion that
this is the case in relation to the bar under discussion, some bar
owners are a bit... shady with how they handle their books. A couple of
years ago the owners of a bar in my state were found to have a seven
figure stash of cash that the state claimed represented cash skimmed out
of the business without payment of taxes, and the owners claimed
represented their frugality and preference for keeping cash in their
safe as opposed to putting it in banks.
Ah, Taylor, never lose the geek glasses. I love girls who wear geek glasses.
ReplyDeleteAaron, I'm pretty sure in none of the previous threads (I think Omaha series) that they related that BR does recon on 2-3 bars with only one actually being reconned.
ReplyDeleteI think in this way the preserve the integrity of the mystery.
I agree that it appears shady to some, but in the context as you explained it being a preventative measure and may never air it obviously makes sense. We all recognize that these bars know the cameras are there.
David, thanks for posting the link. It definitely gives some insight into Jon and the show
ReplyDeleteMost bar owners have kids and aren't a bunch of juice heads with bad attitudes.
ReplyDeleteMatt, good job on the update!
ReplyDeleteAre u ppl BLIND? BEFORE Bar Rescue they owed (taxes, as stated clearly right here),approx. $7,000(in Dec.) But AFTER Bar Rescue (in Jan.)they only owed approx. $4,000...looksvtoe like they DID need help or they wouldn't have had ANYTHING AT ALL owes/unpaid/outstanding...but according to this THEY DID! And that number declined DRASTICALLY in just the ONE month after Bar Rescue went in!
ReplyDeleteHey Guys Want an Update on Houston's Sports Hub? We spoke to Justin and he gave us an update since the show aired..We will play the interview tonight!!
ReplyDeleteListen to the show live or download it at your own pace
http://backsportspage.com/index.php/sports/item/real-sports-talk-radio-rescue-edition-2
wow
ReplyDeleteThat was by far the fugliest sign Jon Taffer came up with throughout the series. Hire a logo designer, PLEASE. HMU.
ReplyDeleteOf course Jon gets far more applications than he can do shows for,so he;s certainly turning down plenty of people who need to support families.
ReplyDeleteMore usually they seem to blur logos in post-production.It always annoys me since it feels to me that they're slanting reality in favor of the sponsors whose logos they always feature prominently with praise for the products.
ReplyDeletethe thing that annoyed me about this one was he only paid $8k for 50%....that isn't right. I know the owner said it and he's a idiot for saying and doing tht, yes he was desperate, but $8k for 1/2 a bar? You could've done much better with a stranger who would have given $50k with a indemnification.
ReplyDeleteIt was 15%. not 50.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I am missing something but a $100,000 tax lien, to me anyway, sounds like they made quite a bit of money and decided to collect the tax and not forward it to the state. I owned businesses for close to 15 years and KNEW I was ONLY COLLECTING SALES TAX FOR THE STATE and never mix it with MY INCOME!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou are SO RIGHT - it is ALL FAKED - sure, there are bars that have similar problems - I DID - but the bullshit that goes on on this show is so faked AND THE RESULTS are just as bogus!!!
ReplyDeleteDid you really say "reality TV is completely real and producers are never tempted to justify their shows and boost ratings by creating drama?" Boy what world are you living in - STOP WATCHING SO MUCH TV!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, what world do I live in? A world where someone might exaggerate someone's irrational opinion to spotlight how silly it is. I live in a world where it's shocking to then have someone else walk up and start yelling that packs of pitbulls were NOT responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs.
ReplyDeleteI live in a world where, if you do exaggerate in this way then state clearly that you were exaggerating to lampoon someone's crazy opinion and someone else appears to tell you you're not very smart for believing the exaggerated statement, it's not you who looks not very smart.
I appreciate the advice to stop watching so much TV and, in the spirit of exchanging totally non-insulting advice, offer a suggestion of my own: MAKE A FRIEND WHO IS NOT AN IPHONE APPLET!! - it could help you learn what a joke is...
I am sorry, I missed the part where you said: "OK, really, everything I just wrote was BS" - I just see so many people out there that REALLY believe "Reality TV" is real - please accept my humble apologies - PS - I don't have a cell phone!
ReplyDeleteNo sweat. I may have overreacted some, but your comment was so out of the blue that all I could think was, "What? What?! Whaaat? WHAT!?", so my fingers did the responding while my mind was rebooting...
ReplyDeleteThanks, but I really should have read your comment, digested it and saw what you were really implying.
ReplyDeleteYou can view their latest three months alcohol sales numbers on this site
ReplyDeletehttps://members.ontapreport.com/QuickSearch/EstablishmentDetail?EstablishmentID=f682d35b-acff-49ba-bf42-93baece712e2&Keyword=End+Zone&sort=
Looks like they ended up changing the name back. Houston Sports Hub FB page seems to be gone, and The End Zone page is active and kept up to date.
ReplyDelete