History Main / SaloonOwner

The saloon is where all people of the frontier gather after a rough day out in TheWildWest. The Saloon Owner is the one who makes sure the taps keep a flowing, the dancers dancing, and the wenches wenching. He or she often keeps tabs on anyone and everyone who comes through the pub, from the BountyHunter looking for a lead on his latest mark, the RailroadBaron trying to get frisky with one of the dancers, or TheGunslinger who's just busted several jawbones.

The Saloon Owner comes in several varieties: He might be the somewhat-sympathetic pub owner willing to help the sheriff (or some other heroic character) for the right price. Other times, the Saloon Owner cares for nothing but power, and he uses his drinking establishment as a front or center of operations for illegitimate enterprises. In either case, he may be a WastelandElder who lavishes preferred customers or allies with free goods and services.

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[[folder: Film ]]

* ''Film/StakeLand'' features a post apocalyptic example with a guy running a bar in one of the last towns holding off the vampires and discussing things about the local threats with Mister. While his actual ownership of the place isn't confirmed, given how people and jobs are stretched thinner, its implied.

[[folder: Literature ]]
* Mr. [=McGarrity=] in ''Literature/ATreeGrowsInBrooklyn'' owns the saloon where Johnny Nolan indulges his alcoholism. He's a JadedWashout type with rotten kids (he wanted a "refined" family and it's specifically mentioned that he ''hoped'' his children would be ashamed of him for owning a saloon; instead, they're proud) and a wife who fits the typical female mold of this character and cheats on him with the patrons. To combat the disappointment of all this, he begins to live vicariously through Johnny, listening to his stories about his wife and children and pretending they're his own, and even tries ineffectually to get in with Katie after Johnny dies.

* ''Literature/UndeadOnArrival:'' Nunez runs the local bar in the zombie-surrounded town, making makeshift whiskey and trying to maintain friendly ties to the local big wigs.

* Al Swearengen from ‘’Series/{{Deadwood}}’’, unscrupulous proprietor of the Gem Saloon, a place where he makes many deals, often of the illegal kind.
* Bea Arthur's part in ''Film/TheStarWarsHolidaySpecial'' was as the saloon owner of the cantina (yes, ''that'' one) on Tatooine which was inexplicably shut down by the Empire. A nice but gruff character, she treats all her customers to one last round on the house before singing a farewell song.

[[folder: Video Games ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* Cat R. Waul of ''WesternAnimation/AnAmericanTailFievelGoesWest'' is of the villainous variety, as his saloon is used as a powerbase for his ultimate plan. However, he ''also'' wants to make it a good saloon, which is why he hires the mouse with the enchanting voice (Tanya) as his personal diva.

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** Many stories have saloon owners who are henchmen or associates of the main villain, such as Poker Harris from ''The Trail to Seven Pines'' and Tielhet from ''The Rustlers of West Fork'', both of them strong-willed, but shady figures who set up saloon/trading posts in the middle of nowhere which whole towns (a midsized one in Tielhet's case, and a handful of buildings in Harris's) arose from, catering largely to outlaw.

* Cat R. Waul of ''WesternAnimation/AnAmericanTail: Fievel Goes West'' is of the villainous variety, as his saloon is used as a powerbase for his ultimate plan. However, he ''also'' wants to make it a good saloon, which is why he hires the mouse with the enchanting voice (Tanya) as his personal diva.

See also: MissKitty. May overlap with TheBartender, but usually the bartender is hired help.

The Saloon is where all men and women gather after a rough day out in the west, to make sure the place keeps the taps a flowing, the dancers dancing and the wenches wenching. The Saloon Owner is the guy to turn to. He is often connected to everything that goes on within the pub from the BountyHunter who just came by for quick respite being finding his quarry, the RailroadBaron who has come to get frisky with one of the dancers or TheGunslinger who just busted several jawbones. The Saloon owner is a pimp, crime boss, and owner of an ill establishment.

The Saloon owner has two different varieties, sometimes he is the somewhat sympathetic owner of a pub and is willing to help the sheriff (or some other heroic character) out for the right price. Other times he is a ruthless bastard who cares for nothing but power and is the de facto mayor of the town and this is his barracks as the clients are more than willing to help him for free service.

If the Saloon Owner's a miss, she is usually of the kinder sort, but not always. But you best be warned, most of the people working there are their eyes and ears. So depending on their moral fabric, some may bring you in to the deputy and others will use you for their personal gain.

See also: MissKitty. May overlap with TheBartender, but usually, the bartender is hired help.

* Milt, the owner/operator of the saloon in ''Film/{{Tombstone}}'' where the Earp brothers set up their card game. He really only has one scene and doesn't do much; he's mostly memorable for not believing Wyatt when he introduces himself.

* Cat R. Waul of ''WesternAnimation/AnAmericanTail: Fievel Goes West'' is of the villainous variety.