During the Headhunters episode, you may remember roaches in liquor bottles, the owner Steve Ricci clashing with Jon Taffer and also not paying his bartenders. Jon didn't even say goodbye to him after he rescued his bar.
Last night, the Austin Chronicle is reporting that the door was locked and the staff was removing production gear from the stages. When the owner Steve was asked for a comment he declined "citing legal reasons and a personal hatred for the Chronicle (“sucking cock backwards and only caring about themselves"), then asked me to leave".
Steve said he has nine locations he is considering for a future venue site, and there is speculation that there were issues with keeping his lease after the property was bought. With Headhunters closing and moving out on the last day of the month, that speculation may be correct.
Looking at the public tax records for mixed beverage receipts in Texas, Headhunters claimed $598.77 in mixed beverage receipts in 2/2014 (in the 4-22 file). For reference, other Bar Rescue bars in Texas had the following receipts for 2/2014 - The Brixton in Austin - $3204.54, and Bryant's Icehouse (Wildcatter) in Katy - $2258.10.
This is the 11th bar that has appeared on Bar Rescue to close, and the Bar Rescue Update Page has been updated with this information.
Good riddance! Shoot glad his original employees left so they didn't have to put up with his BS in not paying them. Turned out the guy filed for bankruptcy last year.
ReplyDeleteSaw this coming from light years away, feel bad for the staff though.
ReplyDeleteI assume that's the tax on the receipts, not the volume of drinks sold.
ReplyDeleteThat sure goes to show that no matter what the employees did to help, a bad owner will guarantee his/her own business downfall. Glad the staff left and wish 'em well.
ReplyDeleteLet's see....Headhunters is closed. OFace is about to lose their liquor license. We just need Piratz Tavern to close to get the trifecta!
ReplyDeleteThis owner is such a scumbucket it would be a travesty of justice if his bar suddenly became successful. Why am I not surprised it closed? This douche can't manage his way out of a paper bag.
ReplyDeleteHe brought this on himself. Not paying his original employees and I found out he didn't even pay a couple of performing bands, glad this roach hotel is gone.
ReplyDeleteChole the one who told Steve off, is on Face off season 6. So she's doing pretty well
ReplyDeleteNice. If she ever had to do a "face change" for that abusive owner Steve, a simple iron mask to imprison his face for a decade or two will do. :-)
ReplyDeleteI knew that would happen. That owner was pathetic.
ReplyDeleteAnd not even part of a fcuk was given.
ReplyDeletelol..what a piece of shit hippie bar owner. All he does it look up in the air and make a retarded face when Jon questions him. He's the type of guy you'd wish bad karma on.
ReplyDeleteIf you can, please give any info on the staff (other than the owner). From my own business experience, the existence of Metal snd Lace (formally Headhunters) was on life support at best, and staff deserved so, so, much better!
ReplyDeleteThat guy was not a hippie at all.
ReplyDeleteIt's ALWAYS good to see the high level of work done by Jon and all his team members, be PROVEN correct by the end of the shows, and IF the owners LISTEN and then DO, they continue on to SUCCESS!! In this intstance, it is proven in reverse, not unlike working a math problem back from the result, being Utter FAILURE, to one of the missing components, in this case the answer is "STEVE"!!!! WHAT a colossal A$$ Hat of a human being. I HOPE the IRS is catching up with you and your schemes to defraud workers and musicians!!! Im Actually surprised I HAVEN'T yet seen you on "48 Hours", as a victim of murder!!! So glad you have been stopped by your own ego!!
ReplyDeleteSadly, her team did not win, but i LOVE this girl and I think Jon should add her to His team, someHow!!
ReplyDeleteShe has a Facebook and Twitter account. just joined her FB page look up Chloe Sens.
ReplyDeleteHis dumbass ended up changing the bar back to headhunters. Usually changing back to the original name is usually the kiss of death there.
ReplyDeletethanks!!! :)
ReplyDeletePretty sure that's not her, unless she had the tattoo on her right arm removed, the one on the left covered up and changed, and got a bigger nose.
ReplyDeleteHow do roaches ger in liquor bottles..? That was a first for me I never seen that happen before
ReplyDeleteThey get in there if you don't cover the pour spouts correctly. Not only does it keep the fruit flies away, but it keeps other creepy crawlers out.
ReplyDeleteTaffer and his crew set this bar up for success. This owner drove that place into the ground.
ReplyDeleteHave to wonder about Texas law that allows a business owner to have non-paid "employees". If the bartenders, etc are independent contractors, there should be documents in place with the business that states that. I wonder if the district attorney launched any investigation into the owner or if these practices are standard in Austin.
ReplyDeleteHe was a pos anyways, no wonder he FAILED!!
ReplyDeleteOn something - prozac, diazapan, pain killer? Can not know for sure, but he was medicated up.
ReplyDeleteOFace is still open ??? thats a fucking joke . they almst made my punch my tv i was so mad at those people . how much denial they were in that they were wrong and they are grown ass people . If i ever saw Amanda in the streets......smh
ReplyDeleteYeah,I saw this recently. Looks like they're still up in the air. The Hit That Dive guys may yet be able to spend their lives drinking beer in quart Mason Jars!
ReplyDeleteThat owner was a textbook example of a sociopath. Lied and believed his lies, no remorse, no sense of responsibility, no ability to feel guilt. He was destined to fail. And he deserved it.
ReplyDeleteWhen the owner actually said "People in Austin don't want clean, it's the culture" I almost fell out of my seat laughing.
ReplyDeletenah, not even that... "douchebag" would be the best choice.
ReplyDeletesoooo did the other employees make it out okay ?
ReplyDeletegood looking waitresses!
ReplyDeleteWe made it out fine! Most of us long before the doors closed!!
ReplyDeleteIt couldn't have happened to a bigger douche bag than that dick wad Steve Ricci.
ReplyDeleteYay! Glad yall made it out of that place. Best to everyone of you.
ReplyDeleteHere's a January 14, 2013 mugshot of Steve Ricci - http://www.bustedmugshots.com/image/get/listing/mug-shot-77605041.jpg - apparently in connection with the cancellation or suspension of his alcohol retail dealer license. Reading through the statute, I'm guessing it was either because he "conducted his business in a... manner which warrants the cancellation or suspension of the license based on the... health... of the people" or "is mentally incompetent".
ReplyDeleteits not her chloe in bar rescue is "sacralicious" from txrd cherry bombs
ReplyDeleteThat episode is on again; biggest asshole owner ever! I can't get the smile off my face now that I know he failed!
ReplyDeleteHope he's in jail. "Boy, you got a pretty mouth".
ReplyDeleteYou could smell the place across the street, when I lived in Austin. Hell, even at Stubbs.
ReplyDeleteThey're showing this episode again right now on Spike. This guy is a-hole of the decade!
ReplyDelete