Derby’s Bar Rescue Update (The Wheel House) – Still Open in 2024?

Episode Recap

The Wheel House Bar, later renamed to Derby’s Bar and Grill, was a Hemet, California bar that was featured on Season 5 of Bar Rescue.

Though the Derbys Bar Rescue episode aired in August 2016, the actual filming and visit from Jon Taffer took place a few months before that in Spring 2016.

It was Season 5 Episode 2 and the episode name was “Wheels of Misfortune” .

The Wheel House, owned by Jesse Vivanco, is in Hemet, CA.

Interestingly, it’s located on Florida Ave, even though the bar is in California.

If you’re not familiar with California geography, Hemet is a city in the San Jacinto Valley.

It’s to the east of Los Angeles, near Riverside and San Bernardino (home of Celebrities Sports Grill, another Bar Rescue bar).

Jesse purchased the bar in 2008, which means he’s owned it for around eight years at the time of the Wheel House Bar Rescue episode.

He was an employee of The Wheel House before he bought it, so he knew it pretty well.

The bar also doubles as a skating rink.

The staff members are all former customers who look at Jesse as a father. 

Because the employees are all so close, they get disruptive while working.

When Jesse tells the staff to do something, they usually don’t do it.

Jesse is in debt, and the future of The Wheel House is in danger. 

Expert mixologist Sean Ford and Chef Michael Ferraro recon The Wheel House with Jon Taffer.

The three men talk about the major chain restaurants in the area and decide The Wheel House needs a way to stand out.

Although the rink is set back, the men agree the signage is good.

The bar signage is poor, and there is no way to tell there is a separate entrance. 

The bartenders are being rude to the customers and taking shots.

Jesse witnesses this but allows it. Kevin Undergaro, a celebrity, spies on the bar for Jon.

Jon Taffer has asked Kevin to look for their marketing methods specifically.

When he enters the rink, Kevin orders a pizza.

The bartender has to walk a distance to the kitchen. Food will be cold by the time it reaches the customers. 

While waiting for his pizza Kevin converses with the bartender.

She informs him that the bar is empty because it is worn and outdated and has no structure.

A customer orders a cocktail called The Trashcan, and the bartender dumps everything in it.

The face the customer makes after sipping their drink is one of disgust. 

Kevin never receives his pizza.

The bartender informs him the kitchen is closed when he asks for another one.

Customers are skating on the rink while drinking liquor.

Jesse talks with Kevin and tells him he is only months away from shutting down the bar.

After a woman skating with a drink crashes, Jon Taffer has seen enough and enters the bar. 

Jon tells Jesse the bar needs to operate as a separate business.

He also informs Jesse that Ashley, a bartender, and cook, talked bad about him.

After Jon leaves, Jesse calls a meeting and terminates Ashley.

The next day Jon introduces his experts.

Since Ashley was fired, Michael asks Jesse to find a new cook. 

To prep for the stress test, Sean shows the bartenders different glass sizes and trains them on what alcohol goes in them.

He then shows them a new drink to take the place of The Trashcan that is strong and tasty.

Jesse calls back an old chef who is trained in making handheld foods.

Jon Taffer shuts down the rink for the stress test as he wants the focus to be solely on the bar. 

Ken Undergaro returns and notices the customers and staff really like Jesse.

There is no POS system, and Jesse takes all orders on paper.

The security staff helped Jesse take the food to the tables.

After the test, Jesse calls for a meeting. He apologizes to his team and says he promises to try better. 

The next day Jon tells the staff they dumped at least fifty drinks.

Jon wants the skating rink and the bar to work as two different businesses so both can succeed.

While all of that has been going on, Jon Taffer’s crew has been hard at work renovating the bar.

As part of the changes, Jon has changed the name from The Wheel House to Derby’s Bar and Grill. 

The name is a play on “roller derby”, which fits with the roller skating rink.

The bar has been gifted POS systems and a printer.

Jon has given Jesse and the staff a lifetime subscription to TVT.

No drinks are dumped during the relaunch.

The printer helps alleviate the long walk to the kitchen.

The customers are happy and things seem to be looking up after the Derbys Bar Rescue renovations.

So was the Derby’s Bar and Grill Bar Rescue episode a success? Keep reading our update to learn what happened next and if the bar is still open in 2024 and beyond…