RIP Schanks Sports Bar and Grill franchise

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by looooob

The Black Lung we’d call it- not sure if smoke smell is still there

The Black Lung will always be in Mac Hall on U of C for me.

[Tabaracci_31]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

RIP. I had my first legal beers at Shanks south on my 18th. I wanted to try a bunch of beers so had a Canadian, a Kokanee, and a Coors light haha.

Definitely a lot of memories watching hockey and football at both locations during my university days. Not really a place I’d want to go to now in my late 30s though and I get how the business is unsustainable especially with Covid restrictions.

Hahah, this story is almost identical to my experience. It’s fun reading about old bars and everyone’s stories. One of my best buddies (and family friends) is the son of the owner. Lots of great memories going there as kids for birthday parties in the 90’s. I hope they’re doing ok- they’ve always been great to me and our friends.

[GrrlGoalie33]

I was at the Point in the late 90's/early 2000's for beer and nachos after a game down in Oakridge.

They had MMA on the projection screen in the front room. Somehow my team ended up seated next to two older couples (I'm guessing they were in their 60's) When the waitress came to check on us, one of the women interrupted her taking our orders and demanded that they "stop showing such filthy pornography on the TV. Surely there's hockey or curling on somewhere!!!"

The waitress bless her, told them they were welcome to move to the back where other sports were on the TV's and that Saturdays were always MMA on the projection screen.

These couples were outraged at the suggestion and demanded to speak to the manager. The manager and waitress both came back with trays and offered to move them to a table in the back. The couples were still outraged and were demanding a discount on their bill for having to go through the trial of watching "pornography" in a public place and for being moved.

I don't know how that all played out, but did my teammates ever laugh about the situation!

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Hmm wonder how I can get a hold of some of those pinball machines.

They'll just be liquidated as per any business closure. You won't get a better deal than any other auction/liquidation sale.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by JD

Atlas Pizza is another sports pub/bar that's been around forever, at least since the 80's. There have been a couple renovations and decor changes over the years but thankfully, the pizza has always been the same.

I went to Atlas pizza after recommendations from the CP thread. It was a dystopian experience at 2pm after work. Two heroin addicts were swaying in the front entrance, I literally couldn't get past without tip toeing around. Then getting in it was that "why am I drinking early afternoon", depression look from a smattering of people.

[Dion]

Word now is Schanks south may reopen

“Both locations were initially shut down due to COVID,” said Ferguson, the director of leasing for Landsdowne Equity Ventures, the landlord for the south location of Schanks.

“Since that time, we have been in discussions with owners of the south location about the prospects of reopening under an extended lease term,” said Ferguson. “As of yet, we haven’t come to any final agreement and likely won’t for the time being.

“But it’s very much a work in progress. The discussions are ongoing.”

https://calgarysun.com/news/local-ne...3-d425b6cfbeba

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Dion

Word now is Schanks south may reopen

... as Bullwinkle's.

Make it happen!

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Dion

Word now is Schanks south may reopen



https://calgarysun.com/news/local-ne...3-d425b6cfbeba

Haha "we had a change of heart and wanted to negotiate a new manageable lease" was actually "Nobody is ****ing leasing that building for anything in this climate, so something from Schanks is better than nothing from anybody".

[calgarywinning]

Didn't read anything about the long deceased Coconut Joe's, Fox and Firkin and the Hard Rock in Eau Claire. Some pretty happening places in the day.

[InglewoodFan]

Originally Posted by JD

Atlas Pizza is another sports pub/bar that's been around forever, at least since the 80's. There have been a couple renovations and decor changes over the years but thankfully, the pizza has always been the same.

My dad's old timers hockey team was sponsored by Atlas, I'm thinking it might have been even the late 70s. Spent a surprising amount of my youth in that place, most of the players brought their families for beers after tournaments etc. Lots of good memories.

After Atlas, they were sponsored by Spartan Pizza (Memorial and 52nd) and then Dover Pizza. SE Calgary represent yo.

[Mass_nerder]

Originally Posted by Locke

Whats that Bar across the street from The Black Swan thats part of that Motel?

The Stetson Village Saloon?

That seems like its been around since the dawn of time.

Man, I lived in the swan and the Stetson from 2004-2009.
So many great memories.

[OutOfTheCube]

Schanks North was a late stop on the old "Crowfoot Circle" we would do some nights. Good times.


Only time I've been recently is for trivia night for the Calgary Corporate Challenge.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by jayswin

They'll just be liquidated as per any business closure. You won't get a better deal than any other auction/liquidation sale.

A lot of bars don't even own their own pinball machines. Many are run by independent companies who pay the bar a portion of the profits.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by jayswin

I went to Atlas pizza after recommendations from the CP thread. It was a dystopian experience at 2pm after work. Two heroin addicts were swaying in the front entrance, I literally couldn't get past without tip toeing around. Then getting in it was that "why am I drinking early afternoon", depression look from a smattering of people.

That’s part of the charm.

Ever heard the song “I love this Bar” by Toby Keith? It’s like it was tailor made for Atlas Pizza.

[timun]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

Only time I've been recently is for trivia night for the Calgary Corporate Challenge.

Same. As much as people are lamenting Schanks' demise in this thread it's a pretty strong indicator of the business's ongoing viability when this thread is full of stories about how often people used to go to Schanks'...

[jayswin]

Went there a couple times during the Raptors playoff run last spring and it was crazy, like a throwback to it's heyday. Packed to the rafters and everyone cheering and spending money.

Problem is if you need once in a lifetime Canadian sporting events to get to capacity on a Saturday night, then your time may be coming to an end.

[Swift]

Anyone know what happened to Stix on Richmond Road? Part pool hall/sports bar. I've got good memories of the place when I first moved here 20 years ago. Google says it's permanently closed, was that due to covid, or has it been long out of business?

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by timun

Same. As much as people are lamenting Schanks' demise in this thread it's a pretty strong indicator of the business's ongoing viability when this thread is full of stories about how often people used to go to Schanks'...

Much of the reason I stopped going surrounded my move away from the area. When I first moved to Calgary, I lived in Tuscany from 2006-2007. After I moved to Thorncliffe-Greenview, I went less, and shortly after stopped going altogether. I had pretty much zero reason to go to Crowfoot at all anymore except to BMW Crowfoot for servicing my car.

Then again, I noticed that the place was getting less and less busy, while the turnover of the wait staff became more rapid. Service suffered, food got worse. This of course all coincided with the Flames playing like a bag of ass and the O&G boom fizzling out.

It's weird now to think back to those days. Maybe it was the veneer of being a young 20-something in a new city, but the energy and feel of this city in my first few years was unreal. With everything going on in the world economically and politically, I don't know if a place with such a feel even exists any more. I love this city but man, Calgary lately just feels like today's weather; grey.

[Gravitykillr]

Originally Posted by Cameron Swift

Anyone know what happened to Stix on Richmond Road? Part pool hall/sports bar. I've got good memories of the place when I first moved here 20 years ago. Google says it's permanently closed, was that due to covid, or has it been long out of business?

Long long out of business, probably close to 2 years. New owners came in who had no idea how to run a bar/pool hall and ran it into the ground with poor service and crap food. Top it off with poor maintenance of the pool tables. It's been turned into a Doctor's office and a Pet Clinic now.

[you&me]

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

Didn't read anything about the long deceased Coconut Joe's, Fox and Firkin and the Hard Rock in Eau Claire. Some pretty happening places in the day.

Fox and Firkin was the first bar I ever used my fake ID at, so for that, I'll always remember it