When Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval revealed their plans to open a bar together during Season 9 of "Vanderpump Rules," fans watched — and cringed — as the two friends struggled with their business venture sans Lisa Vanderpump. While they had a tiny bit of say in their first bar, TomTom, and had invested $50,000 each, the stakes weren't nearly as high as going all-in on a new bar/restaurant in Los Angeles. Ultimately named Schwartz & Sandy's, (Sandoval's idea), fans finally got to witness the completion of the kitschy 70s-themed lounge in "VPR" Season 10, during which fans got to see the eclectic, dizzying interior. 

Fast-forward to the end of the season when Sandoval and Rachel "Raquel" Leviss' affair came out, and with it came repercussions for the bar. In March 2023, Sandoval wrote on Instagram, "Hey, I fully understand and deserve ur anger & disappointment towards me, but please leave Schwartz my friends and family out of this situation." He continued, "Just like TomTom, I'm a small part of a much bigger thing. Please direct ur anger towards me and not them. They did nothing wrong. Im so sorry that my partners, Greg, Brett, and Schwartz and our employees have to suffer for my actions." 

Amid Scandoval, fans pushed to boycott the bar, and during the "VPR" Season 11 premiere, Schwartz opened up about how hard the experience hit him.

Schwartz & Sandy's felt the effects of Scandoval

Going into business with Tom Sandoval wasn't an easy experience for Tom Schwartz by any means, even before Scandoval. Apparently, Katie Maloney wasn't the only person who disliked Sandoval's choice of name for his and Schwartz's bar. "The biggest fight I've ever been in in my life with Tom Sandoval was the name of the bar, Schwartz & Sandy's," Schwartz told James Kennedy in the first episode of "Vanderpump Rules" Season 11. "He campaigned so hard, Mr. Marketing Genius put that name on the side of the building and when you do that, you have to hold yourself to a higher standard." 

Schwartz later told the cameras that after Scandoval, Schwartz & Sandy's became shunned by former fans. "Reservations are down, a bunch of the staff has quit, we felt like zoo animals in there, you know? People were harassing servers, coming in there with a vengeance. It was toxic," he described. Referring to his divorce from Maloney and his brother having health issues, he confessed, "Last year almost broke me."

As reported by TMZ, days after news of Sandoval and Leviss' affair was outed, "VPR" fans took to Yelp to leave negative reviews of Schwartz & Sandy's. Many of the comments trashed Sandoval and one even claimed the bar had a rat problem. It got to a point where Yelp had to intervene and get rid of the false reviews. As they say, time heals all wounds, and according to Schwartz, Schwartz & Sandy's is still trucking on.

Tom Schwartz is not giving up on Schwartz & Sandy's

Tom Schwartz isn't about to let Scandoval affect Schwartz & Sandy's, and he's trying to have a positive attitude toward his bar. "We're resetting and uh yeah, hanging in there," he told Hollywood Life in November 2023. "I think we're in a bit of a rebirth — I hope we are. We put a lot into that place and we're just gonna keep on keeping on," he shared.

Schwartz wasn't always so optimistic. He admitted to The Messenger, "We put our heart and soul in that place, and for a moment there, I thought it was over. But we're getting ready to revamp, new drinks, new food, new music program." While things were tense between Schwartz and Tom Sandoval for a bit, he revealed that they're on good terms again. "We've had a lot of healthy, constructive, productive conversations, and he's taken full accountability and apologized in many shapes and forms," Schwartz stated. As for the name of the bar, he declared, "I'm still not crazy about the name. I'll say it! That's the biggest fight me and Tom have ever been in."

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