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The Gateway Pub & Grill
The Gateway Pub & Grill (originally Corner Pocket II) in Hickory, North Carolina has closed. It closed in June 2024 — 1 year and 1 month after its Bar Rescue episode first aired. Its run exceeded 47% of the 140 rescued bars with a recorded closing date.
The episode
| Status | Closed (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Episode | "3rd Pocket's a Charm" |
| Season | Season 8, Episode 31 |
| Originally aired | April 23, 2023 |
| Original name | Corner Pocket II |
| Relaunched as | The Gateway Pub & Grill |
| Location | Hickory, North Carolina |
| Address | 534 U.S. Hwy 70 SW, Hickory, NC 28602 |
| Yelp | As The Gateway Pub & Grill |
| Google reviews | Read reviews on Google |
Key dates
- April 23, 2023Bar Rescue episode “3rd Pocket's a Charm” airs — Jon Taffer's rescue of Corner Pocket II, relaunched as The Gateway Pub & Grill, filmed earlier.
- June 2024Closed.
The rescue
Jon Taffer relaunched Corner Pocket II as The Gateway Pub & Grill.
The Gateway Pub & Grill closed in June 2024 after its alcohol permits were suspended in May 2024, when a police officer was shot responding to a call at the bar. Police had logged more than 250 calls to the premises since January 2022.
What happened next
The bar, relaunched from Corner Pocket II as The Gateway Pub & Grill, kept Taffer's name and concept and promoted its episode heavily, and its post-rescue health inspections scored in the high 90s. Its final period was dominated by violence at the premises: Hickory police recorded more than 250 calls for service at the bar from January 2022. In May 2024 a police officer was shot while responding to a shots-fired call at the bar, and its alcohol permits were suspended that month. The Gateway Pub & Grill closed around June 2024. A new restaurant, Dirty South Bar & Grill, opened at the site in April 2025.
Quick answers
Is The Gateway Pub & Grill still open?
The Gateway Pub & Grill (originally Corner Pocket II) in Hickory, North Carolina has closed. It closed in June 2024 — 1 year and 1 month after its Bar Rescue episode first aired. Its run exceeded 47% of the 140 rescued bars with a recorded closing date.
What did Jon Taffer rename Corner Pocket II?
Jon Taffer relaunched Corner Pocket II under a new name: The Gateway Pub & Grill. The rescue is Bar Rescue season 8, Episode 31 (“3rd Pocket's a Charm”), first aired April 23, 2023.
When did The Gateway Pub & Grill close?
The Gateway Pub & Grill closed in June 2024.
Where is The Gateway Pub & Grill located?
The Gateway Pub & Grill was located at 534 U.S. Hwy 70 SW, Hickory, NC 28602.
Sources: Reality TV Revisited · Reality TV Updates · Yelp · Wikipedia episode list. Compiled October 2026; cross-checked against local reporting and each bar's own web presence where available.
More rescued bars nearby
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