Packy’s Bar Rescue Update (Campbell’s Irish Pub) – Still Open in 2024?

Is Campbell’s Irish Pub still open today?

Status: >> CLOSED <<
(keep reading to learn what happened)

Season: 4 | View All Season 4 Episodes
Original Episode Air Date: December 14, 2014
The Bar's Original Name Was: Packy's Pub
Campbell’s Irish Pub Address: 4068 S Howell Ave Milwaukee, WI 53207

Packy's Bar Rescue Update (Campbell’s Irish Pub)

Episode Recap

Packy’s Pub, later renamed to Campbell’s Irish Pub, was a Milwaukee, Wisconsin bar that was featured on Season 4 of Bar Rescue.

Though the Packy’s Bar Rescue episode aired in December 2014, the actual filming and visit from Jon Taffer took place a few months earlier.

It was Season 4 Episode 10 and the episode name was “Irish Eyes Aren’t Smiling”.

In this episode of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer visited Packy’s Pub in Wisconsin.

Patrick “Packy” Campbell is the owner of the pub. Campbell migrated from Ireland to the USA in 1986, so it is an authentic Irish pub.

Packy's Pub owner on Bar Rescue

Soon, he became a manager at a bar and that someday he’ll open one of his own.

With the help of his friend Guppy, he became co-owner of the Packy’s Bar.

When they started, the business was booming, with the earning of nearly $20,000 a week. 

Then around 2006, Packy started focusing on his family and let the staff be in-charge of the bar.

From there, it all went downhill and they started losing money. 

Things got so bad that Packy was given only 3 months to save his bar from closing down, which is why the Packy’s Bar Rescue episode exists.

After hearing this Packy decided to call Bar Rescue to get help.

After getting the call, Jon Taffer brought in Gerry Graham (Irish mixologist) and Gavan Murphy (chef) to help save the bar.

As soon as they entered they noticed the bar doesn’t seem Irish at all.

They also notice Guppy is constantly drinking even from the bottles that have fruit flies in them.

Fruit flies in alcohol bottles is a pretty classic thing on Bar Rescue.

After ordering chicken wings and a dry martini, Gerry goes around to check the area of the bar. 

After tasting the chicken, Gavin and Gerry decide to tell Packy about their unpleasant experience. 

After hearing the complaints, Packy scolded Guppy.

Guppie on Bar Rescue

Jon Taffer is livid with the staff members because of their carelessness towards hygiene. 

Jon Taffer got so angry that he said he don’t want to do anything for this pub and would leave immediately. 

For a second, I thought this would be another Bar Rescue walkout, but things turned around thankfully.

After hearing this Packy tried to bring him back by saying he will have nothing left if Jon wouldn’t help him.

Packy and Guppy also had a long-overdue conversation about the way things were being done in the bar.

Guppy apologized and said everyone’s carelessness is to blame. 

The next day Jon came and told the staff that he won’t tolerate if anyone showed laziness.

Another revelation that shocks Jon is that Packy hasn’t paid the staff in over a month.

Upon hearing this he quickly tells them that it’s illegal and he should pay them right now. 

While Jon was keeping a close eye on Packy, Gavin taught the cooks authentic Irish dishes.

Gerry taught the bartenders new drinks that they would add to the menu like Packy’s Irish Coffee and the Auld Fashioned.

The pressure test showed some huge blunders but they also big improvement especially from Guppy.

Jon then gave a much-needed reality check to Packy about being a lazy manager.

However, things got better at relaunch and Jon hugged Packy at the end.

As part of the renovations, Jon Taffer also gave Packy’s a new name – Campbell’s Irish Pub.

So was the Packy’s Bar Rescue visit a success? And how are things going for Campbell’s Irish Pub? Keep reading to learn how it’s doing in 2024.

Campbell’s Irish Pub Update - What Happened Next?

Now that we’ve recapped the Campbell’s Irish Pub Bar Rescue episode, let’s talk about what happened to the bar after Jon Taffer and his crew left Milwaukee, WI.

Things started off very well for the newly named Campbell’s Irish Pub.

In a Back to the Bar segment, we learn that sales at Campbell’s Irish Pub are up by 74%, which equals an increase of $90,000 since the Campbell’s Irish Pub Bar Rescue visit.

That’s nothing to sneeze at!

You can watch the Back to the Bar segment below:

The owners seem to have kept the Campbell’s Irish Pub name and gone with Jon Taffer’s theme.

Given the bar’s success, it seems like it’s working.

Is Campbell’s Irish Pub still open after Bar Rescue?

Campbell’s Irish Pub closed on April 27 2022 because the building was sold for $325,000.

The bar had been unsuccessfully listed for sale for over four years, so it seemed like Packy wanted to get out of the business.

The old Campbell’s Irish Pub Milwaukee property was sold to Guaves Homes, the owner of which said he doesn’t plan to house another bar in the space.

Here’s a video about the closure from the Campbell’s Irish Pub Facebook page.

In the most recent Google Maps street view picture for the Campbell’s Irish Pub Milwaukee location (November 2022), the building appears to be empty.

I’ve embedded the Google Maps street view picture below:

Before its closure, reviews for the bar were good but not great.

It had a 3 star rating on Yelp, but a 4.4 star rating on Google Reviews and a 4.7 star rating on Facebook.

Here’s a sampling of recent reviews that happened after the Campbell’s Irish Pub Bar Rescue visit.

Four star Yelp review from March 2019:

Quaint local bar with delicious food.

There’s a sheltered smoking area out back if that’s important to you.

There’s trivia on Thursdays.

It’s a solid bar experience with friendly regulars.

Good place to watch sports.

Some awesome quirks like the WC and the lights have a mind of there own.

See you there!

Four star Yelp review from February 2019:

This place is a classic Bay View attraction.

It’s easy to get to, has fast service, and a kitchen to keep you fed while you drink.

Thursday night trivia is how I ended up here.

Questions are read live and you can have teams up to 5 (although they won’t kick out 6.)

The bar feels old school.

I don’t drink beer so I can’t speak to the beer selection.

They do have free popcorn.

One star Google review from August 2021:

What a pity. Ss this place was recommended by friends..

Stopped in a little after 8 PM on a Wednesday Evenings Sat a table for 5 minutes waiting for service.

After noticing the bartender and regulars giggling at us, I went to bar to order. Kitchen was closed.

They don’t serve the beer I drink and my wife’s Gin and tonic, was actually Gin and soda.

Did not even finish our drinks.

Instead went to Mulligans Irish Pub for the first time, where we had great service and awesome food.

Five star Google review from December 2021:

My group happened to stop in the day of their Christmas Holiday party.

It was quite festive.

The staff was very friendly even though the bar was packed.

Guinness on tap the correct way.

Definitely want to come back to see what a normal night is like as well.

The Campbell’s Irish Pub property was originally listed for sale for $350,000 in 2017.

However, there was no movement on the property for years (though there was one price drop).

In April 2022, the listing finally sold for $325,000. You can see the listing and sale history on Coldwell Banker here.

Campbell's Irish Pub Milwaukee sale history

You can also see the original LoopNet listing for the property here.

Given that I’m writing our Packy’s Bar Rescue update in April 2022, it’s too early to know what effect this sale will have on the bar.

At this time, Patrick is still posting about Campbell’s Irish Pub on his Facebook page, so it doesn’t seem like he’s giving up his involvement yet.

For now, though, Campbell’s Irish Pub appears to be a Bar Rescue success story since it’s survived for over eight years so far.

I wrote the text above before learning about the closure. Packy’s is now officially closed.

Overall, Campbell’s Irish Pub / Packy’s had a solid run of success, staying open for around eight years.

However, the bar eventually did close because the property was sold, which marks the end of our Campbell’s Irish Pub Bar Rescue update.

If you want to see another Milwaukee Bar Rescue episode, check out our Nick’s House / Y-Not III update.

Another nearby episode is Dirty Rooster / Lake Marie Lodge in Antioch, IL, which is just across the border.

Thanks for reading!


More Information

https://www.yelp.com/biz/campbells-irish-pub-milwaukee
https://www.facebook.com/campbellsirishpub/


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And don't forget to check out all of the other Bar Rescue updates.

Last updated: 2023-02-03 06:19

6 thoughts on “Packy’s Bar Rescue Update (Campbell’s Irish Pub) – Still Open in 2024?”

All comments are the sole opinion of the commenter and are not endorsed by RealityTVUpdates.

  1. I am probably too obsessed with every epi of br and I think Packy’s/Campbell’s was the most beautiful and legit makeover yet. I hate to see it close as myself, as a southerner yet Irish had wanted to visit

    Reply
  2. 15 shots, serving bugs and shows the customers his hairy butthole. Probably a good sign your owner doesn’t have the sack to deal with problems.

    Reply
  3. Guppy’s a conman. He’d smile, Pat u on back and agree he should face a firing squad. My point, nothing he says is trustworthy, at all. Robbing your best friend blind, idk, really rubs me the wrong way. He’s completely full o shite. That bars doomed.

    Reply
  4. Glad to see Packy was able to get out of it and recover some money.. seemed like a good bloat, but that Guppie seemed like he took his friend for a long ride and Packy would of made a lot more money without mr big shit.

    Reply
  5. I agree with Brooke. This is truly the most beautiful makeover Jon has ever done. It looks like a pub I would have visited in Ireland.

    Reply
  6. I think this would qualify as a success by far! We don’t always get the full story on why they close, but I appreciate that you do your best to uncover as much as you can.

    Reply

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