In the Bar Rescue episode ‘Getting Freaki at the Tiki’, Jon Taffer travels to Clearwater, Florida to meet Frank and Shawn, owners of Freaki Tiki Bar since 2008. They did exceptionally well, grossing over $1 million in their fifth year of business but then the owners started to spend more time on the other side of the bar with customers. The bar took on a frat house atmosphere and maintenance took a back seat, according to bar manager Woody. When Taffer comes to inspect Freaki Tiki Bar it’s in major disrepair and facing $500,000 in debt.
Taffer helped renovate and rebrand Freaki Tiki into a sporting bar (with games like beer pong and basketball machines) called Frankie T’s. Unfortunately, since the renovation, bar manager Woody’s health has deteriorated. He was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes as a child and has been on dialysis from years. In April 2016, Woody received a new kidney and a new pancreas which were successful surgeries but expensive. His boss Frankie Theriault started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to help with Woody’s medical bills. Bar Rescue episodes air Sunday at 9pm and 10pm on Spike.
