Catherine C.
Yelp
GREAT DISHONOR!!!!
Dishonor on you!!! Dishonor on your family! Dishonor on your cow!!!
In all seriousness, I was really, really looking forward to experiencing what the Copper Bucket had to offer on February 21st for Fat Tuesday. My BFF planned an amazing Mardi Gras event there that would have no doubt brought the people and the money they were so ready to spend to the Copper Bucket.
But you know what Rusty, the so-called owner of the Copper Bucket said to that?
"Nah."
Well, more specifically he said,
"Sorry, you CAN'T come."
Ummm what?!!
Did he literally just tell us we CAN'T come? Not we won't be served, we won't be allowed in, just...we CAN'T come?
Is he expecting us to be grateful that he at least said sorry?!
WHAT. THE. (insert whatever expletive of your pleasing here because I suspect that's why Yelp took out my review to begin with. Yes Yelp police, I'm calling your butts out too!)
Is it even LEGAL to tell someone they CAN'T come to your business if they haven't threatened you or are otherwise being disruptive? I mean, this sounds like some pre-Civil Rights era ish...
Oh, but it gets better. To add insult to injury, Mr. Rusty told us we CAN'T come to the Copper Bucket...wait for it...
...the morning of the event.
As in less than 12 hours from the start of an event that 70+ people RSVP'd too.
THE. MORNING. OF.
WHAT. THE. ACTUAL. #$@!
Reason cited for this d1ck move? According to Rusty, because his wife didn't approve of the Mardi Gras theme and it was threatening their marriage.
...
....
.....
How dumb do you think we are, Rusty?! I might have had some respect left for you if you at least told us a half believable lie.
Rusty and the rest of the Copper Bucket staff knew MONTHS in advance about this event, and that yes, it is a Mardi Gras event. You know how I know he knew? Because his bar HAPPILY accepted the special ingredients that we personally bought and personally delivered beforehand to help the bartenders make special MARDI GRAS drinks for the evening. Bro, we WANTED to help you make money!
On that note, the way Rusty treated my BFF hosting this event was especially egregious. My BFF is from the South where Mardi Gras is a strong tradition - one she wanted to share with LA and specifically chose the Copper Bucket to start that tradition here. Rusty knew this and still sh1t all over her efforts in the worst way possible.
And hey look Rusty, if you feel like you need to offend some people in order to grow or protect your business, I get it. I really do. I'm a small business owner too. But here's what I can't figure out...
The Nectar in Northridge, who so graciously and HAPPILY hosted our event after your d1ck move, made THOUSANDS off of us that night. THOUSANDS, bro. THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS that could have been filling the Copper Bucket's cash registers, tips lining the pockets of YOUR bartenders, instead. ON A TUESDAY NIGHT. Man if I was one of your staff you'd be on my sh1t list for life for refusing that business.
And guess what? The Nectar is about to collect THOUSANDS more for St. Paddy's Day because we - and about 100 other thirsty big spenders - will be visiting them again this Friday. Maybe if you weren't such an unbelievably massive d1ck to us we would have considered hosting St Paddy's at the Copper Bucket. But NOPE, fool me once...
So did ya grow your business? Doesn't seem so.
And in terms of protecting your business, go ahead and pay Yelp with the THOUSANDS of dollars you didn't make Mardi Gras night to suppress/remove my review. I'll just post it again and elsewhere. It's not harsh criticism, especially when you DESERVE IT, that you need to be protected from. It's horrendous business practices and piss poor customer service that will land you in a court of law if you say what you said to us to someone more vengeful one day.
Also, if we were to believe your obvious lie, did refusing THOUSANDS in business protect your marriage?
Am I getting petty? Maybe. Am I getting personal? Yes. But Rusty MADE IT PERSONAL. And if he expects me to believe it then I expect him to defend it.
TL;DR: Copper Bucket = messy AF, even for a dive bar, and that's saying something. Stay far away unless you enjoy being treated like sh1t.