posted 09/22/11 06:31 AM | updated 09/21/11 11:11 PM
Views: 3803 | Comments : 30 | Food & Drink

The Buck stops, Montana begins -- Rachel brings her ginger beer to E Olive Way

By jseattle
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Will the saddle stay? (Image: YourCapitolHill)

The Buck is a goner on E Olive Way but some of the bar's western theme and all of its dive-y goodness and then some will be carried over to a new venture set to take over the space and add a bottle or two of ginger beer to the offerings.

CHS has learned that Rachel Marshall, the entrepreneur behind Capitol Hill-based Rachel's Ginger Beer, and her partners are purchasing The Buck and are set to re-open the bar as a no-frills dive. Welcome to Montana.

Marshall tells CHS that Montana will be "very divey and comfortable" and a "come as you are" kind of place. There will be no "precious cocktails" but plenty of beers and bourbon like the "small town bars all over Montana." And, in the back, Marshall's growing ginger beer operation will make its permanent home after growing up in borrowed space in the kitchen of 12th Ave's Lark.

Marshall is teaming with Kate Opatz and Adam Peters on the new business. Expect to hear more from the Montana crew as the paperwork gets finalized.

No specifics yet from Ross McCartney on why he decided to sell another of his Hill entities. McCartney, who last opened the new Bleu Bistro's Grotto on E Olive Way, debuted The Buck back in 2008. In April 2010, McCartney closed down Chez Gaudy to make way for La Bete.

According to neighborhood tipster CK, The Buck has had a sign up since at least Sunday announcing the closure.

(Image: Rachel's Ginger Beer on Facebook)

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Hmmm
As a homo who fled the land of hicks in Montaaaaaaaaana, I'm not sure if I should be happy for someplace fun and trendy or if I should be horrified that it might have popped up here on Cap Hill.
Comment by Tom
8 months ago
RE: Hmmm
Don't worry, there is zero chance this place will bear even the slightest resemblance to the real bars in Montana. Homos like you and long-hairs like me will be safe from rednecery, and the closest thing to hillbilly we will see will be the faux lumberjack shirts and ironic mustaches of the Capitol Hill Hipster.
Comment by Gavin137
8 months ago
RE: Hmmm
I was just thinking the same thing. We come here escaping Montana only to find that city people are nostalgic about country music, cowboys and log cabin deco. GAG.
Comment by funkifunkisockmunki
8 months ago
RE: Hmmm
This homo heads back to Montana at every chance, a slice of home in the city would be welcome by me.
Comment by upd
8 months ago
RE: Hmmm
Are you sure you're not confusing Montana with Idaho?
Comment by Fred
7 months ago
RE: Hmmm
This gay man also heads home to Montana at every opportunity. Sounds like you who hate the state have larger issues to deal with.
Comment by CapHillMax
7 months ago
NOOOOOOOOOOOO
Whyyyy did the buck have to be sold/bought out, damnit! This was my escape! The "precious cocktails" were amazing, the 1.50 oly deals were amazing, the pizza was awesome too! I loved the atmosphere! All to bring in a more 'divey' place? The hill is cluttered with enough divey places damnittttttt. RIP BUCK :(
Comment by Belmont Boy
8 months ago
RE: NOOOOOOOOOOOO
I totally second this!
Comment by Molly
8 months ago
RIP, buddy.
I miss The Buck's staff more than anything else, they were so wonderful (and presumably are still despite no longer bartending). This replacement sounds intriguing, though - maybe I won't have to give up that space after all.
Comment by CK
8 months ago
sterotyping totally works
I know it's tempting to rebel against all things Montana, but have you ever been there? Tom, I see you came from there, and I respect your feelings towards it, but is every single person there a crazy conservative? No. I lived in Missoula for three years and while it's obviously the most liberal bit of Montana (little hippie college town), I've met folks from all over Big Sky Country and it's like any other place- you get the good and the bad. The first drag show I ever went to was in Missoula!

Besides, it's the people who frequent this new bar who will set the tone, not some manufactured expectation on the part of the new owner. It's right across from my regular, Clever Dunne's, so I will most definitely be checking it out.

And Rachel's ginger beer is delish, my boyrfriend is from Ireland and he says it's just like back home!
Comment by Glasses
8 months ago
RE: sterotyping totally works
Oh come on you know that Misssoula's not really Montana.
Comment by Boz
7 months ago
rachel's ginger beer
Has anyone tried Rachel's Ginger Beer? I love ginger beer but it's so tough to find. I'd like to support a local business-- as long as her beverage is tasty.
Comment by happy renter
8 months ago
RE: rachel's ginger beer
Heartily recommend it!

The ginger beer is great and the seasonal blueberry ginger beer is a total treat.

So glad they nabbed a home and that it's on Capitol Hill.
Comment by Alan
8 months ago
RE: rachel's ginger beer
I got a couple of bottles at the CH Farmer's Market last weekend and it was terrific! It's so hard to track down the good stuff, but hers was just right.
Comment by D. B. McWeeberton
8 months ago
RE: rachel's ginger beer
In Butte ... I first tried a drink called the Moscow Mule which was made up of Ginger Beer, Vodka, and Lime served in a copper cup ...
Comment by Moscow Mule
7 months ago
Oh noes!!
I'm gonna miss the buck! I loved their drinks, and they had the friendliest staff on the hill. And I never got to try the mac-and-cheese they so feverishly pushed on me :(
Comment by Andres
8 months ago
RE: Oh noes!!
Buck regulars should throw a wake somewhere.
Comment by CK
8 months ago
Closed?
Wait so is it already closed?? Or is it still open for a period of time?
Comment by Ryan
8 months ago
RE: Closed?
Sadly, it is already closed. Absolutely my favorite bar and bar staff on the Hill. RIP Buck.
Comment by Xaviera
8 months ago
Put in draft beer, Rachel
Hey Rachel.. if you read this, please put in some lines for draft beer. As much as I loved the Buck and the staff and snacks, the one main reason I didn't come back as often was because it was all bottled beer.
Comment by brian
8 months ago
RE: Put in draft beer, Rachel
don't worry we'll have lots of beer as well as ginger beer on tap!
Comment by kate
8 months ago
RE: Put in draft beer, Rachel
Kate,

That is great to hear.. Especially Ginger Beer on tap! (Can I get a shot of rum in that?!)
Comment by brian
8 months ago
Dark & Stormy
As a former Buck employee, I'll miss the unique brand of Bleu quirkiness that space represented. However I'm quite excited that Montana will be--I'm assuming, with fingers crossed--serving a proper Dark & Stormy. We never had ginger beer or Gosling's or Kraken on hand. Meyer's and ginger ale didn't really cut it. ;)

Confidential to Rachel of Ginger Beer: if you need two kickass bartenders, the two that were working at the Buck when it abruptly closed are great guys. I can hook you up! randomsumm3r@gmail.com. Thanks!

Rachel
Comment by Rachel S
8 months ago
RE: Dark & Stormy
...and considering that the grapevine says these guys weren't told the buck was closing (and they were losing their jobs) until the day the locks were changed this might be a nice gesture...
Comment by tournant
8 months ago
Goodbye Buck - hello Montana
I made a bunch of great friends going to the Buck for the last come years. I hope that Montana can keep some of the old favorites (1.50 Oly please) and bring some welcomed new additions. Thank you to all the staff, new and old, that made the Buck feel like home. - Ryan (Oly+lime)
Comment by RyGuy
8 months ago
RE: Goodbye Buck - hello Montana
Thanks for your patronage Ryan and Tournant (I think I know who you are--whiskey ginger?). I also made so many true friends and great acquaintances while working there. And I loved watching regulars become friends with each other. It had a real family vibe.

Rachel
Comment by Rachel
8 months ago
Manny
Goodbye Bathroom Mannequin...What shall become of her? She's was sitting out front staring off into the distance when I walked by today. Shall I send you the pic, J?
Comment by B
8 months ago
Montana's and Rachels Ginger Beer
Great news. I meet Rachel last year and learned of her Ginger Beer venture just recently. On a recent visit to Seattle, I became a fan of Rachel's great ginger beer and consumed as much as physically possible (with Wood ford Bourbon, of course). Great news about the bar and of course you have Analog Coffee, just down the street on Summit.
Comment by Philip Hayden
7 months ago
Montana Football
Will you have tv's by chance that will play Montana sporting games? Those are hard to find around Seattle other then Sluggers which is also a Montana Sports bar.
Comment by Missoula Girl
5 months ago
Montana
Good luck on your new venture. We will be sure to come by soon. You can take Kate out of Montana but you can't take the Montana out of Kate!

Karl & Kristy
Comment by Karl
5 months ago