When he pulled into Town Pump last April, Michael Tolley wasn’t planning to stick around any longer than it took to dump his recreational vehicle’s waste. But his wife cast her eyes around Boulder and the surrounding hills and altered their plans.
“My wife said that’s the most beautiful place she’s ever seen in her life and that she didn’t want to leave,” the former Texas police officer turned mine owner recalled.
The couple soon rented a home in Boulder and began looking for business opportunities. Hearing that Dave’s 32 oz. Bar was up for sale, Tolley paid a visit and made an offer to Dave Schell – who recently said goodbye to his bar’s in-house restaurant Maddog Pizza, which opened in the former Panther Pit Jan. 2.
Tolley, majority owner of the newly created Montana Precious Metals Group, which he says oversees mines across southwest Montana, confirmed that the ownership change and alcohol license transfer for Dave’s had been finalized as of Monday, Jan. 12.
The bar had remained open throughout the handover.
“Nobody should notice a difference,” said Tolley, 56.
At least not right away. Tolley plans to keep the bar’s name, but just for a limited time. “I decided to gradually come into our new name,” he said, rather than make an abrupt change.
The biggest alteration will be the replacement of the bowling alley with a live music stage and dance floor. Tolley admitted that not every local he’d spoken to liked the idea, but many did. Besides, he felt Boulder needed a place to cut loose.
“People here have to drive 80 miles just to dance,” said Tolley, adding that he planned to offer dance classes as well. “Men can bring their wives here and keep a smile on their faces.”
He also plans to offer axe throwing and install a mechanical bull, which will be replaced by a mechanical bison, once it arrives. “This is Montana, after all,” he said.
Lastly, the new Dave’s will become the third Boulder restaurant to offer full breakfast, along with Mountain Good and Elkhorn Bistro. But Tolley aims to get a jump on the competition.
“We’re going to start serving breakfast at 5:30 in the morning – for police officers, nurses, people who start early,” he said, adding that uniformed officers will always eat free.
Tolley, who has no experience in hospitality, has brought on a general manager, who’s begun hiring servers and other staff. He expected all of the bigger changes – the dance floor, mechanical bison, new name, and full menu – to be in place by this coming spring.
