In my most favorite episode of Bar Rescue ever, Jon confronts the passive management style of Joe and Helen Handy, the owners of Champs Sports Bar in Burbank, California. As the original sports bar in the area, Champs has fallen victim to competitive intrusion and neglectful oversight, resulting in a dated and dirty appearance and a bottom of the barrel clientele. In addition to the physical business issues, this episode highlights the staff’s cunning methods of personal gain. Despite the bar’s lack of profitability, the bartenders are thriving financially through overpouring drinks for larger tips. Jon believes that if the overpouring alone stopped, the bar would be profitable on the sales it is currently making. To turn Champs into a money-making machine, he faces the daunting tasks of invigorating Joe, ending the staff’s thievery, rejuvenating the demotivated chef, and transforming Champs into a venue that honors its historic roots while remaining relevant in a competitive market.

Early in the episode, Jon holds a private meeting with Joe and Helen in the office, a tactic frequently employed in the first season. This approach contrasts sharply with his later-season strategy of publicly confronting owners in front of patrons and staff, a method designed to provoke a more immediate reaction within a tighter four-day turnaround, as opposed to the five-day schedule of earlier seasons. Utilizing Bevintel data, Jon illustrates how rampant theft is the main cause of the bar’s troubles. Narrator P.J. King poignantly remarks that the bartenders are effectively “pouring the bar into the red.”

In the staff meeting, Joe and Helen express their deep disappointment over the bartenders’ overpouring, highlighting both the emotional and financial toll it has taken on them. The tension escalates when one of the bartenders confronts Jon with a defiant attitude, questioning his opinions and authority. Unfazed, Jon retorts, “If you want to protect what is, you’re protecting failure.” He directly addresses her deceitful actions, revealing her substantial tips of $300-400 from the previous night, despite the bar only making $900 in liquor sales. Joe maintains his more understanding stance, but Jon unequivocally lays down the law, “The days of giving away drinks all night for a $20 tip are over.” The confrontation reaches a climax when the bartender walks out. Jon then shares his candid perspective on employees who steal: “We lost an employee today because I ended her business. Is it a loss? Nah. It stops me from wasting any more time on an employee I shouldn’t be.”

In the kitchen, Jon confronts Brian, the cook, who has adopted a defeatist “fuck it” attitude. Brian feels demoralized, believing he cannot single-handedly “resurrect a failing ship” when the management itself shows apathy. Jon questions Joe about his knowledge of Brian, to which Joe can only respond with Brian’s name and his employment status. Jon then enlightens Joe about Brian’s background, emphasizing that he is a school-trained chef with an impressive pedigree, having worked under renowned chefs. He stresses that Brian possesses genuine motivation and a passion for his work, making him a potentially invaluable asset, if only Joe would invest time and effort in nurturing his talents. In true Bar Rescue fashion, we can visibly see Brian’s attitude transform as he soaks in the pride Jon emanates for him.

Jon discovers another layer of dysfunction in the staff’s lack of respect for Helen, stemming from her impersonal approach of communicating via mass emails rather than engaging directly. This disconnect is further highlighted when bartender Mara admits the overwhelming burden placed on the staff by Joe. Joe acknowledges his role in this situation, admitting that his weariness led to shifting responsibilities onto the employees, culminating in his own detachment from the business. In a twist uncommon in Bar Rescue, Jon admits his initial assessment of the situation was wrong. Initially perceiving the employees as the root problem, he comes to realize that poor management is the true culprit and Joe is the villain. Jon posits that a turnaround in Joe’s approach could be the key to transforming the staff’s attitude and the bar’s fortune.

To initiate a change in Joe’s approach, Jon takes Joe and Helen to Barney’s Beanery, an iconic venue where Jon himself began his career in the industry years ago. His objective is to rekindle Joe’s passion for his business by demonstrating how “an old bar can still be a great bar.” This strategy appears to be effective as evidenced by Joe’s visibly renewed enthusiasm during the visit. Helen confirms this transformation, sharing that she hasn’t seen Joe this excited in years.

Because of its historic nature, Jon retains the “Champs” name and the sports bar theme but introduces a distinctive stadium touch to the concept. The revamped menu draws inspiration from the most popular stadium foods across America. Although Vic Vegas is later renowned for his elevated hotdog creations, this episode marks the debut of such culinary experimentation with expert chef Brian Hill’s bacon-wrapped foot-long. Jon also reconfigures the bar’s physical layout to optimize the viewing experience, enhances operational efficiency by repositioning the beer taps, integrates BuzzTime Trivia for added entertainment, and revitalizes the exterior and logo for a fresh, modern look.

With reinvigorated owners, an enticing menu, efficient service, an enthusiastic chef, and bartenders proficiently pouring drinks while earning substantial tips, Champs is finally set to become the money-making machine Jon envisioned it could be. Moreover, Jon’s involvement in preserving a historical business adds a personal touch of joy to his endeavor. At the end of the episode, he is visibly happy with the results of this rescue, reflecting on the transformation by stating, “We took the first original sports bar in Burbank and gave it a new life. Now it’ll last for another 25 years. We changed a few lives and taught a few people some new things so they can make more money. Makes my work all worth it.”

I invite you to consider and share your answer in the Comments: If Jon showed up at your place to take you on a field trip to reinvigorate a previous passion of yours, where would you go?