"Bar Rescue" is coming to Ann Arbor and The Arena
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2015/09/bar_rescue_realit…
During the game last night there was a production crew filming.
Flore was contacted several months ago by producers of Bar Rescue, a reality TV show hosted by Jon Taffer, now shooting its fifth season. The show was looking for bars to rehab for a series of "alumni" shows focusing on campus bars.
Several months later, after many phone calls, video chats and site visits by a plethora of producers, Flore found himself hosting a film crew during the first big bar night of the fall season: Michigan football's season opener on Thursday night.
Didn't think it was doing that bad, though the owner practically admits in the MLive piece that he's doing it to get the infrastructure upgrade; will be interesting to see if it remains a sports bar. I'd suspect as much, but who knows.
"If you've ever seen the show, there's never been a show where I said: Oh my god, what did they do to that place?" said Flore. "They always do a good job, and we're due for a remodel. So I'm excited about that. I just don't want them to take out some of who we are."
No word on future tapings/closing/re-opening dates yet.
September 4th, 2015 at 4:31 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 4:45 PM ^
Definitely exciting. There's a handful of bars I'd think would be better options than The Arena though
September 5th, 2015 at 7:16 PM ^
They were at the Hooch? That place is a disaster.
A few years ago, I was there with some friends near closing time, well after last call. A friend of mine asked the waitress, "Hey, I know it's past last call, but can I order another drink?" When she told him no, he said, "Okay, sorry, I just figured it wouldn't be a problem since you're letting that guy smoke weed in the corner."
He got his drink.
September 4th, 2015 at 4:33 PM ^
One of my favorite shows.
September 4th, 2015 at 4:36 PM ^
...that is all
September 4th, 2015 at 4:39 PM ^
I'm not sure how I feel about this, the Arena was our favorite bar. It had a great beer selection and great bar food that wasn't try to be all fancy like many places in Ann Arbor. It also had a local feel to it
Maybe they just need to advertise better or something, it was many years before we even tried the place
September 4th, 2015 at 4:44 PM ^
Yeah, i'm not going to be compelled to go there when they jack prices up. I also didn't go there for years - do they do any kind of advertising? Just getting a new sign would have gone a long way.
September 4th, 2015 at 6:36 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 7:32 PM ^
It's not a Sparty bar--it's a bar owned by a Michigan State graduate.
How dare they own businesses!
September 4th, 2015 at 7:58 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 10:11 PM ^
To be fair, there is far, far, far more Michigan stuff on the walls. Something like a 10-1 ratio.
September 4th, 2015 at 4:46 PM ^
Just please don't take out the dartboard. And keep the drink specials.
I have a soft spot in my heart for Arena, but it could use some updating for sure.
September 4th, 2015 at 4:50 PM ^
The Arena is a cool place that had some awkward viewing angles for games, but they made some improvements to it the last couple of years.
September 4th, 2015 at 4:52 PM ^
Tapper comes in, guts the place, turns it into something trendy/a new concept no one wants or needs, replaces the menu with "signature" cocktails that pretty much no one will ever order, and the bar ends up tanking more. In between, he yells, screams, acts like an idiot, and makes the bar look terrible.
If I'm a bar owner, there's no way I'm inviting that place anywhere near my place.
September 4th, 2015 at 4:54 PM ^
... had a friend who was a producer on it at one point in time. 100% staged.
September 4th, 2015 at 4:57 PM ^
Obviously all the yelling and confrontations and "secret cameras" are all staged. You have to be pretty ignorant to believe otherwise in the era of reality TV. However, the overhauls are still interesting to see.
September 4th, 2015 at 5:28 PM ^
you just described a rather large % of the television viewing audience in America.
September 4th, 2015 at 4:58 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 4th, 2015 at 5:00 PM ^
If they keep it a sports bar but just update it, I think it could work out well. The problem is that Bar Rescue tends to shift the focus away from the bar's primary customers toward something more trendy. Ann Arbor has plenty of trendy bars, and I don't think Arena could hold up against Ravens Club or Last Word. Focusing on a really good sports bar would set it apart from most of the bars in Ann Arbor.
September 4th, 2015 at 5:06 PM ^
That's what I would think and probably any Ann Arbor bar-goer, so it'll be interesting to see what the "Expert concept" is.
A sportsbar is actually what Ann Arbor lacks, so it seems insane to try to go away from that. I would suspect they do just as you say.
Ravens, Last Word, Vinology, Black Pearl, Cafe Felix, mash, Lena/Habana are all within a half mile radius as far as "trendy" goes.
ABC, Blue Tractor, Grizzly Peak, Old German, Beer Grotto, Jolly Pumpkin cover the craft brew scene.
Then there's a dozen restaurants of varying style, but none a true sports bar.
September 4th, 2015 at 5:12 PM ^
...Scorekeepers?
September 4th, 2015 at 5:19 PM ^
I don't know about you, but I don't want to risk clamydia whenever I go to watch a football game.
September 4th, 2015 at 6:08 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 7:00 PM ^
Taffer would have a great reaction to walking itno Ricks and Skeeps during primetime.
September 4th, 2015 at 5:00 PM ^
A local bar I used to frequent in San Diego had this show come in and redo their place a few years ago. They left the owner tens fo thousands of dollars in debt from the city fines (the crew didn't get all the right permits) and all the shoddy constructing and plumbing they had to redo. Some of the areas of the bar they didn't even finish at all. A yes, all the yelling and fake firing of staff is a complete hoax as well. The owner of this bar had to sell the place within a year of the show because she was in debt and losing her shirt.
September 4th, 2015 at 5:15 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 5:07 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 5:13 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 5:14 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 5:28 PM ^
error
September 4th, 2015 at 5:19 PM ^
This show is and looks so fake I had to quit watching it. First season was solid, but after that so much of the drama was so clearly staged I couldn't handle it anymore.
September 4th, 2015 at 5:38 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 5:42 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 6:09 PM ^
Needless to say...the bar used to suck. As for the new one, I have no idea. I won't be going. To me, it will always be shitty.
September 4th, 2015 at 6:36 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 7:16 PM ^
For certain, the last few years that show has been all bullshit with prospective bar owners competing with each other as to who is more incompetent/outrageous in order to get on the show and all of the perks that come with it. Just like the AA bar owner said, he wants the updating that comes with being on the show. Its just that he sold out and will have to play the stooge.
In the past, during filming the show's producers would call the bar owner and have tell him do something utterly ridiculous like make a pass at Taffer's wife.
The first year or two might have been somewhat legit, and I used to like watching the show. But since then it has been all bullshit driven by ratings and I just can't stomach it.
September 4th, 2015 at 7:32 PM ^
I love Arena. Food is good and they always have the games. Why mess with that?
September 4th, 2015 at 11:28 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 11:46 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 11:50 PM ^
September 5th, 2015 at 12:26 AM ^
September 5th, 2015 at 5:07 AM ^
September 5th, 2015 at 11:10 AM ^
September 5th, 2015 at 4:12 PM ^
i worked on that episode- i didnt watch it, though i know they got hooked up pretty hard with new equipment and some sweet electronics. what's questionable about the new orleans episodes?
September 5th, 2015 at 8:12 AM ^
As long as they don't take away the awesome M decor and best live music in town on Monday nights, I'm OK with it.