This year, 6,500 failing bars nationwide will close their doors for good. If things don’t change soon, Chix on Dix in Detroit, Michigan will become just another statistic. In 20015, long-time bar owner Richard Skinner opened Chix on Dix, a topless club. As the only topless bar in the area, business was successful in its first year. Chix was quite busy during their first 6 months of operation, making about $50,000 a month. Riding high from his early success, Richard switched his focus to his other businesses and Chix on Dix soon suffered. In an effort to stimulate profits and revive the business, Richard brought in bar consultant and business manager Darren Lee. In Darren’s own words, he claims to “do what Jon Taffer does.”
Darren’s first move was to bring in agent Chuck Whisnant to recruit and manage the dancers. In an effort to rebrand the business, Darren then changed the name of the bar without first consulting owner Richard: Industrial Strip. Unable to fully trust his new manager, Richard put Darren on a strict budget. With management feuding, customers went out the door, along with the entertainers’ tips. Soon, the dancers’ lack of motivation created an unruly environment and management began pointing fingers. Now, $200,000 in debt, Chix on Dix is on its last legs. Before Chix on Dix goes bottom up, Richard and Darren have agreed to pull back the doors, bust open the books and make the call for help to Bar Rescue.
For the bar, Jon brings in mixologist Lisamarie Joyce. A master trainer known for her energetic and dynamic personality, Lisamarie can take any bartender back to the bare basics. Jon brings in Renae Lemmens, entertainer director of world renowned Sapphire Gentleman’s Club in Las Vegas. A 17-year veteran of the strip club industry, Renae will teach the entertainers how to enhance their profits and outstrip the competition. Jon plans to send in a bachelor party consisting of 8 guys for recon. The spies enter Chix on Dix, a 5,500 square-foot space grossing $64 per square foot in sales, $334 less than Detroit’s top gentleman’s club. Jon also brings in Vic Vegas to uncover whether or not this particular gentleman's club will benefit from a food menu.
The Sciences
- A bartender at a gentleman’s club is often the social catalyst. Shy men are often more comfortable interacting with a bartender at first than an entertainer.
- Tonic water contains the chemical quinine, which allows it to be fluorescent under the right conditions. Tonic absorbs light energy - making it excited - and releases light as it returns to its normal state. Under an ultraviolet black light, the light emitted from the tonic makes the water glow bright blue.
- Bottled beer is a 27-cent cost while draft beer is only a 21- to 22-cent cost, making a draft system more profitable in the long run.
The Relaunch
Chix on Dix is renamed Power Strip, renovated on the inside and given new signage on the exterior. Unfortunately, sales dwindled further 6 weeks after the relaunch but Richard has given Darren full control of the bar. Darren has brought Chuck back to work at Power Strip.
To find out more about Bar Rescue episodes make sure to check out Spike TV.