Obers Give New Life To Royal Bar

A small glimpse of light can be seen as travellers pass through the small-town of Royal, where two residents are making sure the doors continue to stay open at the local bar.

Gary and Diane Ober are known for their continuous support and leadership in the small community, and they’re adding one more role to their list as they take over the Royal Bar naming it what only seemed fitting, “Royal’s Last Chance Bar and Grill.”

In April, the bar closed with the chances of it being the final time the doors would be ever be opened. With their large involvement in the community, the Obers decided that they did not want to see another big part of the town die and took the initiative to keep the business running.

Gary stated, “When it closed the last time, we found out that was it. It was going to be done. And we decided then that we just couldn’t have that happen.”

Taking the bull by the horns, Gary began to ask around town for investors, in which many jumped at the opportunity. Raising money was a big part of the project, along with the developing of an LLC, remodeling, and finally obtaining a liquor license.

Not only the Obers, but many of the investors have not only put their money into the business but have contributed much of their time. From remodeling to contributing their skills, the Obers are grateful for the continuous support they have received from the investors and the community.

“We had a lot of investors come in and help, one way or another. They put their elbow grease into it and helped get it going. Everybody has their strengths and weakness. And It’s definitely not just Gary and me, it’s a team effort from a lot of people,” Diane gratefully said.

As support continues, the bar has seen much success beginning with simply the serving food. The bar currently offers breakfast, daily lunch specials, and short orders during the evening. However, business has taken an even bigger leap with the approval of their liquor license. Gary explained that the serving of food and liquor are both big components, and in any small-town business, it’s hard to thrive without the two.

The bar is currently open from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m. during weekdays, and opens at 7 p.m. on weekends. During hunting season, they will be offering breakfast at 6 a.m. all throughout the week -- including Saturday and Sunday.

Diane stated, “When the doors close, the town goes too. Gary does a lot for Royal. He has a really big heart for this town. Our number one goal is to just save it and keep the doors open.”