Restaurant Impossible - Copper Still CD Vodka Lounge and Eatery Update

Photo - Food Network

Tonight on  Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Crestwood, Illinois to makeover Copper Still CD Vodka Lounge and Eatery.  The place hasn't earned a profit since opening eight months ago and the restaurant is causing a strain in the relationship of owner Christina and her husband Dominic.  Stephanie, the manager of the restaurant, reached out to the show for help, and Robert does a "double ambush" by showing up without notifying her either.  Stephanie refuses to help after this and the show also has to deal with an unexpected theft.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Copper Still CD Vodka Lounge and Eatery to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):


Reviews:

• "I absolutely LOVE this place! They now have a full bar, I had a Moscow Mule,yum! The food is good as well...The blue cheese dressing is a little too thin for my liking BUT everything else was yummy in my tummy. It's time to plan a Martini party there."

*There was only 1 review post-makeover, although there are a decent amount of filtered reviews on Yelp (Link).  Many of the reviews before the makeover were for their martini classes.


Other News and Links:

• The Restaurant Impossible makeover happened around in early August 2015.
• Here is a Copper Still Facebook Page, which is doesn't post too frequently and they are having a few viewing parties for the show.
• Here is also a Mid-Oak Distillery's Copper Still Facebook Page, which has more frequent posts.
• Here is the Copper Still website and here is their menu. 
• Here is a CD Vodka website that looks pretty much the same as the Copper Still website.
• I guess the full name of the location is Mid-Oak Distillery's Copper Still CD Vodka Lounge & Eatery (photo of sign).  The multiple websites just adds to the confusion of the name and what each part of Mid-Oak Distillery does.
• Someone asked on their Facebook page why they needed Restaurant Impossible if they just opened, and Copper Still responded, "Hi Patrice, we actually opened in 2012. We expanded and split the two businesses in December of 2014. We added a full kitchen to the lounge concept at that time. Unfortunately, the kitchen manager we hired had not accurately represented his abilities and was unable to manage the kitchen properly. Basically, we reached out to RI for help with re-building the kitchen management. We have always been very successful as a CD Vodka Lounge and we are now realizing the same success with a full gourmet kitchen attached! Stop in and check it out some time!"
• A Feb 2015 local newsletter talks about the opening of the CD Vodka Lounge and how it has been "packed to the hilt." (see page 14).
• Here is a video from the Mid-Oak Distillery Facebook page that shows all the things that Copper Still offers (food, drinks, gaming, etc.).

Conclusion:

This one was a bit confusing to do an update for with the long name and multiple Facebook pages/websites.  There was only one review since the makeover which was positive, but it seems Copper Still has many aspects besides the restaurant.  With the restaurant area opening in December of 2014, the decor shouldn't need improvements.  Also, according to the restaurant Facebook page, they weren't struggling as a whole and they just had issues with kitchen management.  It should be interesting to see why the restaurant was picked and if this "unexpected theft" looks real or has a Mystery Diners feel.

UPDATE - The restaurant moved to another location, however that location is now closed.

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