I mean, I'm still in charge, but I listen more. "You don't need to run everything yourself you can delegate. "His biggest advice was, 'Trust your staff,'" he says. And Benari still adheres to at least one thing he learned from Taffer. He always wanted to be in the entertainment business, but the next best thing was to open a bar.Ī year after the episode of Bar Rescue aired, business at Zanzibar has improved. He immigrated to Denver after a stint in the Israeli army as he says on the show, he came pursuing the American dream. Zanzibar's bar manager contacted folks at Spike, and Benari says they liked his story. Customers were getting run off with bad service, and soon the staff was giving Benari less than $15,000 in receipts. But that year, he got in a near-fatal car accident, and his staff was left without supervision. He used to own Tarantula Billiards before opening Zanzibar in December 2009, and by 2011 he was bringing in $38,000 every month. His bar wasn't always in need of rescuing. "We actually had three international people who came inside because they happened to be in Denver and they happened to watch the show." Zanzibar - Renamed Solids & Stripes Paintball guns on the wall behind the billiards desk. "You'd be surprised how many people come literally from all over America," says Benari. The episode became one of the show's most popular because of what happened between Taffer and Benari, and business picked up for the pool hall. Along with its Mediterranean and American dishes, Zanzibar has what Benari calls "the biggest burger in town," with "half a pound of meat." "We kept the theme." He also kept the new menu that Taffer helped set up. I believe in treating my customers right." "He wanted me to charge for the pool, but I don't believe in that. He ignored a few of Taffer's other recommendations, as well. The name sucked."ĭue to public demand, Benari went back to his original moniker. ![]() And we're thankful for the exposure and for the advice. "They could have done more, but they did a nice job. "In general, we're very grateful they did a nice job," says Benari. When you put two strong personalities together, you cannot help having some fireworks."Īs part of Bar Rescue's five-day overhaul in December 2012, Taffer, a longtime bar-and-club consultant who has transformed a number of failing bars on the show, changed Zanzibar's name to Stars & Stripes Badass Billiards. He's actually a very nice guy - very intense. Nonetheless, he adds, "we ended up friends. ![]() "It was hairy for a few moments, because he made me mad," Benari says. During the episode, owner Ami Benari and the show's host, Jon Taffer, nearly got into a full-on brawl. In March 2013, Spike Network featured Zanzibar Billiards on Larimer Street on its popular reality series Bar Rescue.
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