By Mike Rosso
When Court and Robbie Johnson rented a cabin near Hartsel back in 2009, little did they know it would eventually lead them to a successful enterprise in Buena Vista.
“We were actually ski bums at the time,” said Court of the decision to buy the cabin. Previously in the home construction business, they were both living in Beaver Creek in the Vail Valley and needed an escape from the fast pace of the I-70 resort corridor. The couple were looking for investment property somewhere in the mountains of Colorado when they received a phone call “out of the blue” from a real estate broker who wanted to show them several apartment buildings in Buena Vista. They didn’t think much of the apartments but were drawn to the charm and vitality of the small town. Thus began a search on the internet which led them to an old bar which was for sale on the main drag, The Lariat. Court, who had managed and driven the bus for his son John Paul’s band for many years, and had seen his share of bars and music venues, immediately saw the potential of the old saloon.