This week on Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and crew are back in Colorado Springs, Colorado to try to rescue the Triple Nickel Tavern. The Triple Nickel Tavern is owned by former punk rocker JJ Grueter aka JJ nobody. Jon Taffer did not change the name of the Triple Nickel Tavern during the rescue.
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The Triple Nickel Tavern officially opened for business in 2005. In 2012, Jj Grueter put the Tavern up for sale, according to a local media source, but didn’t appear to sell, or JJ had a change of heart. When JJ first opened the bar it was bringing in about $25, 000 a month. At the time of the rescue, the bar was $150,000 in debt. The makeover and rescue happened in August, 2016.
According to another local report, the Nickel is well known for its charm and lore. But Bar Rescue “sterilized the place.” The article went on to say that Bar Rescue went with a “garage theme” because the building used to be a garage. Additionally, Taffer’s team reportedly gave the existing bar top a Rhino Lining. If you’re not familiar with Rhino Lining, it’s a brand of spray-on protective truck bed liner.
Who, in their right mind, puts Rhino Lining on a bar top? Why? What were you thinking? Not only did you cover up a beautifully, hand-crafted bar top, but you made their servers jobs harder because now you can’t sign a receipt on the thing. It’s horrible. Whoever suggested that, and we’ll see in the show when it airs, should be canned.
According to CS Indy, management at the Triple Nickel Tavern removed many of the show’s changes, including sanding down the bar to remove the Rhino Lining.
Taffer brought in blue-haired chef Jason Santos to design a new menu for the Nickel, but from what we understand, the Santos designed menu has been dropped like a hot potato.
Here’s a Facebook post by a local on the Bar Rescue makeover
Wow. Bar rescue came through town and basically threw a layer of paint on things. Brick house is better, but they didn’t do good with Triple Nickel.
Posted by Ryan Hannigan on Sunday, August 14, 2016
The Garage Theme
A Closer Look
- Here’s tavern owner JJ Grueter’s Facebook page, and Instagram page
- Here’s the Facebook page one of the band’s that JJ is in – the Nobodys
- Here’s the Facebook page for Jj’s wife, Maggie Daigle Grueter
- Here’s the Triple Nickel Tavern’s website, Facebook page, Insatgram page
- Personal Facebook page for bartender Dania M Owen
- Facebook page for Triple Nickel Tavern bartender Vincent Gambia
- Facebook page for bartender Reid GoAvalanche Salisbury
- Personal Facebook page for Triple Nickel Tavern doorman Ricardo J Velez
- Facebook page for another Triple Nickel doorman Michael Buchroeder
- Facebook page for Triple Nickel Tavern booking manager Jacob Slann
- Facebook page for a second booking manager Stephen Wheeler
- Facebook page for the tavern’s audio engineer Christian Bretschneider
Images Posted On Social Media During The Bar Rescue
Here’s JJ
The Reviews Are In
As always, we like take a look at a mix of online reviews since the Bar Rescue. Reviews for the Triple Nickel Tavern are decidedly mixed, with the majority of negative reviews related to the Bar Rescue makeover.
Positive Reviews
- Great music and great people, what more could you ask for.
- I know FB reviews don’t mean a lot but hey, if you’re reading this you should definitely hit this bar if you’re in the Springs. Great jukebox, great people working there, they book great bands when they come through town
Negative Reviews
- All I can say is boo to bar resue…
- Your typical dive bar. The only exception is the reality show bar rescue came in and really screwed up the joint.
- Went for the bar rescue release day stood.in line for 1 hr never got in, its so small they can only fit 15 customers at a time, makeover the canopy above the exit door still has the tear from 10 years ago.
Episode Promo Videos
The Punk Rock Bar That’s Plagued By Tragedy
Jon Taffer: “Tell Him He’s An A**hole!”
Images – Google, Instagram, YouTube
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