Billings — For the first time on a Saturday, the Cattle Club opened its doors for business, drawing customers inside to see the newly revitalized property.
Long before the first drink could be poured, owner Sean Michael Graves said one of the biggest hurdles was something customers may never see: a liquor license.
“A liquor license in Billings costs about a million dollars,” Graves said. “So that's just to get the doors open before you even start the construction, so you can just picture that.”
Graves, who also operates seven other bars in Billings, said finding a liquor license can be just as challenging as paying for one.
“It's like a piece of real estate. It's bought and sold and traded, so you're just at the mercy of being able to get one when you can,” Graves said.
For the Cattle Club, the license came with the property.
“We bought this with the building,” Graves said. “This was called Peppers before.”
Saturday marked a new chapter for the location, with customers lining the sidewalk and filling the bar.
Customer Chad DeVries said he was glad to see new life being brought to the property.
“I think the revitalization of this property is great,” DeVries said.
Graves said he hopes the Cattle Club can also bring back some of the country-western atmosphere that was once more common in Billings.
“When I was growing up as a kid, there was a lot more country-western kind of bars,” Graves said.
After navigating the licensing process, renovations and preparations needed to open the business, Graves said one of the most rewarding parts is finally getting to see customers experience the finished product.
“To see their eyes look at the transformation, but also see something that's completely different in our community,” Graves said.
For customers walking through the doors, the cost of the experience might be the price of a drink. For the people opening those doors, the price can be considerably higher.
