Worth a shot
Wild Bar Rescue episode can't save San Antonio bar from riding out of business
For some watering holes, signing up for the Paramount Network’s Bar Rescue is a boon. Despite dealing with everything from family feuds to a gallingly filthy grease traps, the show has a remarkable success rate, with roughly two-thirds of the spotlighted places still in business.
But still, some bars are not quite so lucky. Such was the case of San Antonio's The Tipsy Bull. Formerly known as The China Grove Trading Post, the suburban San Antonio spot closed in October 2018, five months after the June makeover and long before its episode premieres at 9 pm on May 12.
According to a Paramount Network rep, shutters are an occasional hazard of the show. Episodes are filmed well in advance of airing, meaning that some bars ignore host Jon Taffer’s (often screamed) advice, abandon the show’s attempts at rebranding, or generally return to unprofitable practices.
It’s unclear why The Tipsy Bull bucked success. The network teased that the owners were on the verge of retirement at the time of filming, but no public statement was posted, and the phone number for the business has since been disconnected.
Judging by the sneak peek, the bar's out-of-control atmosphere may have been too tough to tackle. In what promises to be one of the wildest rides in recent memory, the episode features a public yelling match, an errant possum running across the floor, and a lewd moment with a taxidermy coyote.
Luckily, other San Antonio bars that have recently appeared on the show have fared better than The Tipsy Bull. Country Nights — featured on March 10 — is still around, although it has received few online reviews since its Taffer-endorsed changeover to Madame Dalia’s Country Bar. Meanwhile, the Recovery Room has seen glowing Yelp comments since changing over to The Base Line in the April 14 episode.
