Ranchman's auction offers bittersweet slice of Calgary history

The Ranchman's Cookhouse and Dancehall closed its doors after more than 45years in business when the pandemic hit last March.

But fans have one more chance to be part of the legendary western establishment, asmany of its iconicmemorabilia are now being auctioned off.

And that includes the mechanical bull, with bidding at $3,500 on Thursday night. Ranchman's fanswere ableview the items in person, by appointment only, on Friday.

The auction also includesthe bar's equipment and supplies such as tables, chairs, beer troughs, neon beer signs, the sound system, kitchen goods and even the old party bus.

Along with the contents, the building is up for lease or sale. Realtor Bob Campbell, who is handling the real estate side of things, calls it a piece of Calgary history.

"Honestly, I don't think there is any other bar in Canada that you can compare to it,"Campbell told The Homestretch.

"Lots of people calling me now saying, 'Is it really happening?' Yeah, it's really happening," Campbell said. "The legendary bull is there. So there is the bull on the auction block but lots of fixtures, just, you know, tables and chairs. But lots of the operational stuff. The fixtures and equipment that went into running a bar."

Ranchman's was founded by Kevin Baker and the late Harris Dvorkin in April 1972.

The bar, prominently located at9615 Macleod Trail S.E., grew to becomea 1,260-seat dancehalland a Calgary landmark.

Campbell said it has been emotional watching the legendary establishment pulled apart for auction.

"Oh, it was gut-wrenching. Walking in here after we first closed the doors, you know, when all the tables and chairs were still in here, it was eerie," Campbell said.

"And then the day that we opened up the doors and the bailiffs came,Kevin [Baker] and I sat here and they, you know, removed the assets. It was emotional for me having grown up in the bar industry in Calgary, and I can't imagine how hard it was for him having 45 years of his life in this building spent building something as legendary as this is."

For tens of thousands of patrons each year, especially during the Calgary Stampede, Ranchman's was a must visit tolearn line-dancing, listen to live country music, eat some grub or ride the mechanical bull.

Ranchman's was namedCountry Club of the Year 16 times by Canadian Country Music Association, and launched the careers of artists like Paul Brandt.

It wasalsofeatured in movies likeCool RunningsandBrokeback Mountain.

Campbell said the bar had 130 to 140 saddles, which have all been returned to the cowboys who owned them. But he said most offered to bring their rodeo memorabilia back if there wasany sign of Ranchman's reopening.

Could that happen?

"We're open to anything. We're open to a lease deal. We'll consider selling the real estate," Campbell said. "Kevin's even talked about reopening it. It may not be over. Yeah, I mean the old girl still has some life in her.

Ranchman's saddles returned

4 years ago

Duration 1:57

Generations of cowboys and cowgirls moseyed on down to Ranchman's over the past week to remove prized rodeo possessions from the closed honky-tonk. We tagged along for one very special saddle.

"You can take the tables and chairs and you can take the little bits and pieces but you can't take the soul out of this building. It's 45 years of history."

To see the items up for auction, and to bid online, head to stewartbellandsales.com.

With files from Justin Pennell, Sarah Rieger andThe Homestretch.