Flagstaff Featured Business: Manyhorses Saloon
The Flagstaff Region Featured Business is a monthly newspaper and web feature presented in partnership by Flagstaff County and The Community Press.
Manyhorses Saloon
5004 50 Street
Forestburg
780-582-2411 or 780-679-7675
A Forestburg bar has received some provincial recognition.
Manyhorses Saloon was recently voted “Alberta’s Best Pub” in an online competition presented by Rumble Alberta and the Canadian Motorcycle Tourism Association.
Kara Pearcey, who owns the 106-year-old Main Street saloon and adjoining upstairs hotel with husband Bill, says they are honoured and grateful to be recognized in the Best of Alberta 2022 awards.
“It’s huge for all of us because it goes to show that the people that walk through our doors see our passion for the place and voted to make sure that we won,” Kara says, noting that they will continue to strive to give customers more reasons to consider Manyhorses Saloon as their favourite pub.
For the Pearceys, the focus is on “making experiences” rather than just making drinks. With that in mind, the “old-fashioned hometown bar” hosts a variety of fun recurring events, including: karaoke, Name that Tune, XXX Bingo, craft nights, crib tournaments and much more.
Kara’s favourite time of the year is Halloween. In fact, Kara and Bill got married on Halloween in 2019. So you can imagine that it is an important occasion at the bar.
This Saturday, Manyhorses Saloon is hosting a big Halloween Bash featuring live music by rock pianist Curtis Labelle, drink specials, a black light shooter bar, and a cash costume contest with $100 each for funniest, scariest and sexiest costume.
“I think what makes Manyhorses unique is, beyond the huge passion, we just want everyone to come in and feel invited, and welcome, and comfortable,” Kara explains.
“We want an atmosphere where you can come down and celebrate your day, or just have a cup of coffee and play a game of crib with your waitress, and yeah, just overall that welcoming feeling. We want anybody from anywhere to be able to walk through the door and just be like, ‘Yeah, I like this place.’”
Seems like they’re doing just that. Rumble Alberta also handed out awards for Alberta’s best ice cream stop, best museum, best patio experience, best family restaurant, best accommodation, best community event, most welcoming community, and lifetime achievement award. Manyhorses Saloon was the only winner from the Flagstaff Region.
Kara and Bill moved to Forestburg in 2007, along with their two kids, Brooke and Jadyn. The Pearceys had made a “last-minute decision” to relocate 15 years ago, when they were moving Kara’s grandparents to Forestburg.
“Of course, being a full-blown city girl, I was kind of hesitant when we made the quick move,” Kara recalls.
“But just the friendliness of the people, the programming through the school, everything this little town had to offer, it didn’t take long for me to no longer miss my movie theaters and my shopping malls.
“And of course, having kids in school and working at the bar, you meet people so fast and get involved so quickly in the community. And just over the years, I mean, I honestly say I love Forestburg because the people are just so kind, so helpful, so encouraging.
“There’s always stuff to do – lots and lots to do. We love getting involved with as much as we can, young and old in the community. And yeah, Forestburg is stuck with us now.”
Back in 2007, the first business Kara submitted her resume to was Manyhorses Saloon. She waitressed for six years and then managed the saloon for four years, before she and Bill bought the historic building in 2017 – 101 years after it was built – and took over the business.
Since then, the focus has been on “creating an outstanding atmosphere, giving the bar personality, and cherishing the history of the building and town.”
Kara is committed to continuing to build their customer base through fun events.
“Success, to me, is mostly external because if I can create a team that has the same passion as me, if I can have people walk through this door and sense the love that we have for this place, then success is just going to naturally roll on in, because people are automatically just going to go, ‘Wow, these guys love what they do. They love their business. We want to continue to see them stay that way,’” Kara explains.
“We always want bigger and better, but so long as we keep on going the way we’re going, we’ll continue to see that success.”
Kara is also committed to continuing to invest in the community.
“We like to support the community as much as we can,” she adds. “So because we don’t have a kitchen, we offer prepackaged foods from the deli. We’ll bring in pizza from local restaurants, and jerky from Daysland Meats. We’re just trying to support as many businesses around as we can, to offer the food that we have available.”
Manyhorses Saloon opens at noon seven days a week.
They close at 1 a.m. Sunday to Thursday,
and at 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
For more information, visit the Manyhorses Saloon
website at: manyhorsessaloon.ca
Check out the feature in print in the October 26 edition of The Community Press – available for digital purchase anytime. Never miss an issue, become a SUBSCRIBER today!
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The Flagstaff Region Featured Business is a monthly newspaper and web feature presented in partnership by Flagstaff County and The Community Press.
