On his 50th birthday, Jesse Vivanco turned over his business to a group of strangers with microphones and TV cameras.

He got his present two days later.

The cozy confines of Vivanco’s Hemet bar received a makeover courtesy of an April visit from the crew of “Bar Rescue,” a show on the Spike cable and satellite TV network.

Derby’s Bar & Grill was profiled Sunday night. A packed crowd of 200 showed up to cheer its changes.

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Workers from the show transformed the former Wheelhouse Bar on West Florida Avenue, giving it a new name and more inviting appearance.

“They came in for four days and took over our 18,000-square-foot facility and turned it into a movie studio,” said Vivanco, who described the experience as “nerve-wracking.”

“There were hot zones, cold zones, green rooms and areas you normally went into that were all of a sudden off limits,” he said.

Vivanco and two brothers operate the bar and the adjoining skating rink that is also rented out as a banquet hall for birthday parties, weddings and other events.

Vivanco said the repairs helped get the business moving forward but acknowledges a lot of work remains.

“We got a brand, training and a concept and they go on their way,” he said. “They’re not picking you up and carrying you across the finish line. They’re propping you up and pointing you in a direction and it’s up to you to continue.”

After graduating from Hemet High School, Vivanco started working at the roller-skating rink and became general manager by 1998. He opened the bar in 2004 with profits from the skating business.

The bar enjoyed strong initial success, but it lost money over the years as chain restaurants cut into its bottom line.

The bar was losing up to $6,500 a month, Vivanco said, and he thought about closing if sales didn’t turn around.

Vivanco said he visited several places that received “Bar Rescue” visits before the crew arrived in Hemet. So he was aware that not everything could be done in the 36 hours that the crew spent on the renovations.

“My expectations were modest,” he said. “I could see that what they show on TV wasn’t all that was there. I could see some of the managers didn’t take it and run with it. I decided to embrace it and do the best to expand on what they did.”

He said sales jumped about 30 percent soon after the repairs that included new lights, a sound and video system, furniture and a new point-of-sale communication system for orders. His six employees received training to improve customer service. A new sign, canopy and landscaping were added in front.

“It has improved visibility in the shopping center here so people know it’s not a hole in the wall,” said Vivanco, a Hemet resident. “They provided us with some of the bigger tools that the larger chains have that a small business doesn’t. With them giving us a head start, it’s encouraged us to do other repairs.”

Vivanco’s own crews are finishing painting, restroom renovations and carpet in coming days. He wants to have a full commercial kitchen running by year’s end.

Working with “Bar Rescue” host Jon Taffer helped him make changes that needed to be made, Vivanco said.

“A lot of people think he’s so harsh,” Vivanco said. “His goal is to tell you what you need to hear, pick you up and support you and not tear you down. And he accomplished that.”

Devin Gutierrez, a full-time disc jockey at the bar, wasn’t allowed to be part of the filming because he hadn’t yet turned 21.

While he’s disappointed crews didn’t fix all the bar’s needs, Gutierrez said the publicity has been great for business.

“It was totally worth it,” said Gutierrez. “They gave us something new and hope to push forward. We got a new image and exposed to people who forgot about us or didn’t even know we were here.”

Contact the writer: 951-368-9292 or stwall@scng.com