Bar Rescue - Derby's Bar & Grill (The Wheelhouse Bar) Update

On tonight's episode of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and crew are in Hemet, California to try to rescue The Wheelhouse Bar.  The Wheelhouse Bar is a roller rink bar that has out of control bartenders and owner Jesse Vivanco doesn't know how to control them.  The bar is supposedly $165,000 in debt and Jesse has depleted almost all of his retirement money.  The Wheelhouse bar is also supposedly losing $6,500 a month and is six to eight months from closing.

During the Bar Rescue makeover, Jon Taffer decided to change the name of The Wheelhouse Bar to Derby's Bar & Grill and the bar has kept the name. Let's take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for Derby's Bar & Grill since Bar Rescue came and made all of the changes to the bar (All reviews are post-Bar Rescue):


Positive Reviews:

• "The female bartender was the best!!! She went out of her way to make sure we were enjoying ourselves."
• "Great new vibe!!! This place has been revamped into the place to go in Hemet. The new drink menu has several cool new drinks, the Jammer was my favorite!"
• "The bar looks great,love the changes! Still my favorite bar in town!"

Negative Reviews:

• "To start when walking in there was an older man in probably his 80s smoking in front of the door whom I thought was a patron but after sitting at the bar for a few minutes he strolled in after finishing his smoke and was the bartender. Got warm beer and warm glasses. No music, no patrons, and after bar rescue came no changes except for paint. Oh and you can't get food until 8pm. Never again and I used to frequent that bar"

Other News and Links:

• The Bar Rescue makeover happened in April 2016.
• Here are two preview videos of the episode from the Spike TV website - Video 1, Video 2
• Here is the Derby's Bar & Grill Facebook Page and website.
• Here are the Facebook pages of Jesse (owner), Dean (bartender/security), Danielle (bartender), Stephanie (bartender), Ashleigh (bartender), Katelyn (bartender) and Cassi (bartender).
• Pretty much all of the employees of the bar are advertising the Bar Rescue watch party, so they seem happy with the makeover.
• Comments on this Facebook post seem to say the show didn't change much to the bar besides the name. This post from someone affiliated with the bar says, "the owner has put so much money into the place since the filming cause they didn't really do much!!! Since then we have spent money on all new lighting all new fans stains all the wood behind bar cause they didn't touch it, we have added all new big screens and as we speak restroom are being finished."
• Other comments on that post say the bar still has a urine smell and that the town of Hemet is what actually needs a makeover.
• Reviews for the Wheelhouse Roller Skating Rink on Yelp are not very good with complaints about it being run down (Link).  The reviews are a bit better on Google.
• Here is the Wheelhouse Roller Skating Facebook page.   The Wheelhouse also does hall rentals that can accomodate up to 500 people (Link).
• The Wheelhouse Roller Skating rink did renovations in May/June (photos and video from Facebook) and in July put up a new sign. 

Conclusion:

The bar has kept the name of Derby's Bar & Grill and there haven't been too many reviews of the bar since the makeover.  The positive ones like the bartenders and the makeover while there are complaints about the smell at the bar and warm beer.  It seems like Bar Rescue didn't make too many changes at Derby's Bar & Grill and the owners continued to do renovations after Bar Rescue left.  It seems like owner Jesse Vivanco is trying his best to make the business succeed.


*To see how all of the bars from Bar Rescue are doing, go to the Bar Rescue Updates page, and also Like us on Facebook or Follow Us on Twitter to stay up to date with all things involving Bar Rescue.