The Beer Parlour Project (It’s Happening)

The Beer Parlour Project, by Chris Doering, Johanna (Connie) Biggart + Rob and Margarit Pohl. We’re channeling an unbridled passion to document old-time, small town hotels and hotel taverns. It won’t just be photos of these historic structures and we’ll be connecting with patrons too. The buildings, the people, the history and relationships with the town in which each is located. It’s honest and unfiltered, but always positive.

These “downtown” hotels were once a cornerstone of their respective communities, but seem like strange anachronisms in today’s modern world. They’re old and tired, just like the folks that frequent these businesses. Or so it seems, but it’s surprisingly not always the case. With each passing year more and more old hotels have closed. Often it’s due to the aged condition of the buildings and the costs associated with upkeep.

Other times it might be due to the owners retiring and with no one willing to take over, the business shutters. Sometimes the owner passes on and all too frequently comes news that yet another establishment has gone up in flames. Old wiring, ancient heating plants, structural issues – there’s no end to it. Should something go wrong it can break the bank. All the while, the income won’t make anyone rich and that’s even assuming if nothing goes off the rails.

Many of these establishments still rent rooms in the traditional sense. For some it’s hostel style (small rooms with “facilities” at the end of the hall), where as others have fixed them up for longer term rentals. Think, AirBnB, or extended social style housing and with rooms more like apartments.

Still, it’s the bar (or Beer Parlour in the old parlance) where the money is. That’s always been a case and a license to dispense liquor, was similarly one to print money. A hundred years ago or today.

The Beer Parlour Project is a multi-year mission but the end point remains unknown. It might take years or a over decade. It’s a wild ride, incredibly challenging to document, but undeniably fun. There’s a party happening and everyone’s invited.

It’s really quite a simple concept and we pay these fast disappearing small town hotels a visit, chat with local characters, get to know a little history and soak up the ambience. All the while we’ll be capturing the experience on film and digital, and with the watering hole functioning as a backdrop.

In this series we hope to capture a little Canadiana and feel good in doing something meaningful for the record.

Everyone with Team Beer Parlour Project wears many hats and plays the part of coordinator, scout, assistant or whatever else needs doing. Typically the BIGDoer half does the interviews and research, but also contributes to the photography end of things. Meanwhile Rob photographs the action using various vintage film cameras (that view camera is always a spectacle) and while it might seems like a simpler task, it’s not.

Each photo takes time to set up, it has to be done meticulously, and then the film needs processing. The latter is done in his in-house lab and no less involved than actually capturing the image. It’s a costly process too and dreadfully drawn out due to the various chemical processes involved.

Old Hotels are not an environment for old-style gear like Rob’s and this adds another layer of complexity. Beer Parlours are dark, the action is sometimes wild and it’s not really up to the task of low-light, fast-moving subjects. Yet here we are. For everyone involved, it’s well outside the usual comfort zones but we’re making it happen none the less.

Once in a while, we’ll invite along a guest photographer and that’s proven a wise move. The action is often chaotic and an additional set of eyes is helpful.

A gallery project is envisioned at the end of the Beer Parlour Project and we’re in discussions with publishers to make it into a book. After that fiasco working on an earlier one (look up Lost Alberta: Forgotten and Abandoned History), which mercifully was cancelled, we swore we’d never explore the subject again. Ever! Yet here we are (again). Rob’s a veteran with gallery exhibits, so that step will be easy at least.

This was a collaborative series planned many years ago, and eagerly anticipated by all, and then of course the world came to a grinding, screeching halt. Covid reared its ugly head and just wouldn’t leave, but with things back to normal now, we jumped back in as enthusiastic as ever.

Thus far we’ve shot some twenty venues (a couple hotels were visited twice) and realistically could end up documenting over a hundred. Maybe more and they are and will be all over Western Canada, so there goes the kid’s inheritance. The calls keep coming in and dates for future visited are planned. If anyone reading this is connected with a hotel like you see documented here, and wants to be part of it too, please message us.

Below, in no particular order, is a sampling of photos shot by the BIGDoer crew for the series, but for the full compliment, including Rob’s film shots and those from guest photographers, please click the link to follow.

Know more: (new tab): The Beer Parlour Project.

That website and this page are both works in progress and will be added to regularly.

Beer Parlour: the name given hotel pubs in the old days and it mostly fell from use by the 1980s. Still, many old timers will recall and perhaps still even use the term.

The Tofield Hotel goes back to 1912 – just imagine how different the world was then verses today – and for the first fifty years called the Royal Alexandra. Regal names with references to the monarchy were common for old hotels. The Queens, the King George or Edward, the Victoria, the Royal something, were all commonly seen. Here’s a peek from the alley into the bar and shows that in addition to dispensing liquor, gambling helps pay the bills. Vices, in any form, are profitable.

The back door view at the Tofield Hotel, August 2023.

The Thorsby Hotel dates to 1929 and this was roughly concurrent with the founding of the town and arrival of the railway. It’s a similar story with other small town hotels and they all seem to make the scene within a short time of each other. Here’s the night’s entertainment and many hotels like the Thorsby are a bastion for local talent. Bands of all types, who do it for love and not money, come to play. We can relate.

Dwayne at the Thorsby Hotel, August 2023.

It’s not just about photos and interviews are part of the process too. We’ll happily record notes with anyone who knows the establishment we’re at and wants to chat. Here’s Sherrie who once worked at the Wildwood Hotel, Wildwood Alberta, speaking of her time here. Later we spoke with another who’s been tending bar for fifty years now – look for Galdys later at the Beer Parlour Project website. The Wildwood is relatively new as these places go, and is from the 1950s.

Mid-interview at the Wildwood Hotel, October 2024.

The Grand Union Hotel sits in historic downtown Coleman in the Crowsnest Pass. It was built in the early 1920s and like many old hotels of the era, once owned by a brewery. It made complete sense to for beer producers to be in on the direct sales of their product. The room end of the business was often at best an afterthought, but still necessary to get a liquor dispensing license. That’s why older bars were always in a hotel and you could not have one without the other back then.

Open for business at the Grand Union, September 2023.

The Victoria Hotel in Bruderheim Alberta is so far the oldest we’ve visited. It dates to 1906 and sits along Queen Street. Victoria…Queen…they had a thing for royalty here in this town. Incidentally, Queen Elizabeth visited the community while on her way to open the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton in the 1970s, but it’s not clear if she stopped into the Vic Beer Parlour for a quick one. We had a grand time here and by all appearances, so did the patrons and staff. You might say we got treated like royalty…

A good laugh at the Victoria Hotel, February 2024.

You’re looking at standard issue Beer Parlour glasses, holding about half a pint, and with a distinctive fill line at the top. No beer served shall contain any more than determined by the line. They were serious about it and this was just one of many strict rules set down for having a bar license. If you drank at a Beer Parlour in about 1980 or before, it was likely out of a glass just like this. Even after the opening up of liquor rules (allowing stand alone non-hotel based pubs), they remained in use at many older establishments for years.

Official Liquor Control Board Beer Parlour glasses, February 2024.

Happy Halloween! We were out on Vancouver Island for other projects, passed by this roadhouse in Fanny Bay (south of Courtney) and did the first impromptu installment of the Beer Parlour Project. Albeit a short one, but still we’re amazed that we walked in and sold them on the idea so easily. It seems we’re not the only ones seeing the value in documenting these places. The Fanny Bay Inn dates back to the 1930s.

Happy Halloween at the Fanny Bay Inn, October 2023.

The Chipman Hotel, Chipman Alberta, hosted the Beer Parlour Project one foggy winter’s night. Like we’ve seen in other small towns, it’s one of a few business still open. Sometimes it’s the only one, but here, there’s also a store/gas station just down the street. Otherwise, downtown Chipman is comprised of disused buildings or empty lots and late at night, it that damp, cold mist, it was deathly quiet. The only sounds, indistinct and muted came from the Chipman Hotel and the soft lights were a beacon guiding one in. Cold beers and chili-dogs await those who answer the call.

A foggy night at the Chipman Hotel, February 2024.

Many hotels we’ve visited display ghost signs. In this case of the Victoria in Bruderheim Alberta, they no longer rent rooms (that’s common enough), so have no lobby and the food bar no longer exists. Sure, you can still get chicken wings or other appetizer type pub fare (all yummy in their own way), but not anything elaborate. It’s not about fine dining anyway, but something to fill the void while socializing and enjoying a bevy or two with friends.

Old signs at the Vic, February 2024.

The Warspite (Alberta) Hotel reopened recently, after being closed for the better part of a year or so. It’s the only business in town and this makes it all the more important. Locals need a place to meet and socialize. We met quite a few on this visit, chatted, made friends, learned a lot and the whole visit proved to be an unapparelled success. We handed out stickers, coasters and other Beer Parlour Project branded bits. Here they were so kind to put one display and look for it if you visit the Warspite Hotel.

Spotted at the Warspite Hotel, April 2024.

The Viking Hotel in Viking Alberta dates back to the 1930s and is the second building on this lot. The one here earlier burned down and this was its replacement. This is a common story and accounts of hotels going up in flames seems to turn up a lot in old newspapers. It’s the nature of the business. Wood buildings, smoking was common and smoking while inebriated always a disaster waiting to happen. You get the picture. Viking was named by Scandinavian settlers and honours those brave explorers of old.

A gorgeous evening at the Viking Hotel, April 2024.

Prior to visiting a hotel, we’ll do a call out, usually with help from the venue, for anyone with memories of the establishment to drop by. Old timers, former owners, local characters and who ever wants to chat or have a photo taken. Anyone, wanting to be part gets to be part, and in the case of the the Limerick Hotel, in Limerick Saskatchewan, the local car club decided to stop by. They obliged us by posing their rides out front and if that’s isn’t awesome, we don’t know what is. Team Beer Parlour Project is getting to do and see so many cool things.

Classic cars at the Limerick Hotel, June 2024.

Here’s the unanimously appointed “mayor” of Cadillac Saskatchewan holding court at the Cadillac Hotel. He’s got his own seat and is greeted by everyone on arrival. Like Norm on Cheers. The current Cadillac Hotel replaced an earlier, much larger structure on this same lot that in the 1940s went up in flames. Shortly after our visit, this establishment closed and when checked recently was listed for sale. It’s in decent shape, the upstairs were recently made into AirBnB suites, and it seemed well patronized, so we can hold out hope that someone will continue the legacy. Perhaps it’s only a bump in the road.

The “Mayor” at the Cadillac Hotel, June 2024.

The Elk Valley River Inn sits along the highway in Hosmer BC and one of the first hotels visited by the Beer Parlour Project. Len, the owner, is seen out front of his establishment and looking dignified. His dry wit was infectious and with his passing about a year after our visit, he will be greatly missed. Someone in the Team (unnamed) mistakenly called it the Elk Valley Inn and got a hilarious ear-full – oppps! Now the hotel is closed and has an uncertain future.

Proprietor Len of the Elk River Inn, September 2022.

The Fife Lake Hotel of Fife Lake Saskatchewan goes back to the 1920s and today pretty much comprises the entire business district in town. As we do this project, we’re finding that’s common. The town’s population can be counted on a few hands (said to be stable at 25 for years), yet it was pretty busy on the night of our visit. Can you say cook-it-yourself steak pit! Still, it’s a quiet place, in a quiet town and by the time we closed out the night, we were last customers. And we are always customers and don’t expect anything more than permission to photograph.

The small town Fife Lake Hotel, June 2024.

The Coal Branch Hotel in Robb Alberta is seen in an old postcard and hasn’t changed much since that photo was captured. Back then and in fact for much of time since it was built in the 1940s, it was called the Bryan Hotel. That’s after the Bryan Coal Mine which owned it for a time and where it functioned as a place for important people visiting the mine to stay. Plus drink beer. The Coal Branch Hotel is the very last business in town.

At the Coal Branch (former Byran Hotel), October 2024.

The Eckville Hotel, sits on a once advantageous spot in downtown on the corner of 50th and 50th. This, in the old days, put it a stone’s throw from the train station and that’s where the action was. Everyone came and went by rail back then. The current building dates from the late 1920s and replaced an earlier hotel which burned down. Another. You’ll hear us speaking of hotels going up in flames a lot in this series and it was a common occurrence.

The Eckville Hotel, home to Billy Zee’s, August 2024.

It began here! The Egremont Hotel, Egremont Alberta (north of Edmonton) was the very first location shoot and kicked off this series. Little did we know at the time, how it would grow in scope and now we’ve created a monster. It’s impossible to stop. We went in sort of knowing what to do, but green as grass. Stumbles, fumbles, lost focus, overwhelming, and scared. Even so, it worked out well. We’re at the Hidden Gems Tavern, the beers were cold, the burgers amazing and the people accommodating.

Lit up like a pinball at the Egremont Hotel, July 2022.

The Greenhill is right beside the tracks and not far from downtown Blairmore Alberta. That distinctive barn-shaped building. It’s been around since the early 1920s and remarkably appears little changed over time. We’ve seen old photos and it looks pretty much the same from then to now. The Beer Parlour Project Team visited twice, a year apart and by the second pass, were seasoned veterans.

The century old Greenhill, September 2022.

Big Valley Alberta is the destination for tour trains out of nearby Stetter and is also home to the Big Valley Inn. It’s right across from the historic station, and site of two Beer Parlour Project shoots. We loved it so much, we came back twice. The Raider’s played a big part and hammed it up for the cameras. They rob the trains (for charity) and afterwards dropped by for a little fun.

The Reynold’s Raiders at the Big Valley Inn, July 2023.

Pool and pubs go hand in hand but in the old Beer Parlour days, they were typically not allowed. The Liquor Control Board back then set down the rule that no one should have fun while drinking and things like pool tables were verboten. They went out of their way to discourage drinking, all the while loving the tax dollars that came of it. Between tending bar, Lori from the Peers Hotel, Peers Alberta, shows her skill on the newly leveled game. Even using digital, we’ll often shoot Black & White and that’s for mood mostly, but sometimes bar lighting is so wonky that colour balancing is near impossible.

Pool at the Peers, October 2024.

Know more: (new tab): The Beer Parlour Project.

They’re saying…

”Chris and Connie have a unique way of documenting the places they visit, not copying the style or technique of others, but making it their own.” Alex Craig, Filmmaker.

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Craigellachie Kid.
The Humble Miner’s Cottage.

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Date of adventure: From July 2022 till whenever.
Location: British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan (so far).

Celebrating old, small town hotels and hotel pubs.