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Nightclub King Jon Taffer Sets A High Bar

Jon Taffer is president of the Nightclub & Bar Media Group and host of Spike's <em>Bar Rescue </em>reality show.
Bobby Quillard / Courtesy of Anderson Group
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Courtesy of Anderson Group
Jon Taffer is president of the Nightclub & Bar Media Group and host of Spike's Bar Rescue reality show.

Jon Taffer is the king of the bar business. Over the past three decades, he has managed dozens of bars and nightclubs, and is a consultant for bar owners all over the country.

Most recently, he has put his expertise to use as the host of the popular reality show Bar Rescue. Bar and nightclub owners with failing businesses ask Taffer for his help. In return, Taffer brings a team of bartenders, chefs and designers with him to revamp every part of the operation. On the show, as in person, Taffer is a tough, no-nonsense guy.

Bar Rescue is now in its third season, and Taffer has just published a book of bar wisdom called Raise the Bar. He sat down for a drink with NPR host Arun Rath.


Interview Highlights

On making money in the bar business

It's a tough business. People think it's inherently profitable but it's not. You know the alcohol in a drink is only about 20 percent of the price. So for every dollar a drink costs, the cost to the bar is only 20 cents. But that doesn't include labor, insurance, rent. When you're finished, bars are not inherently profitable. You got to work at them to make them profitable.

On the dual nature of running a bar

It's almost like show business, you know, on-stage, off-stage. When you're on-stage, you're expected to perform in the bar business. You shake hands, you smile, you're all positive energy, you add to your environment. When you walk in the door to the back of the house, that's like a stage door. You're off-stage now. You're a business man, you're in the hospitality business and you're focused on costs, managing your employees, and all the other aspects of business. It's a dual existence, really.

On bars in American history

You know, you got to remember what bars are. The second public building ever built in America was a bar. The first was a church. The first distiller in America was George Washington. Made about 10 thousand gallons of bourbon a year. So bars are a part of the fiber of America. And when they work, they make people feel good. People connect to a good bar, very personally.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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