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The iron gate at Buffalo Bill's in Lethbridge. Source: Facebook/Lethbridge Historical Society (May be subject to copyright) |
There really was no place that typified ‘80s pop culture like Buffalo Bill’s on Mayor Magrath Drive in Lethbridge.
When I was commemorating my birthday back on February 18, I started thinking about that place, and all it had to offer back in the day.
Birthdays
I don’t recall exactly the first time I went to Buffalo Bill’s, but it was for a birthday, I am sure of that. It was in junior high, and I had heard about it at school.
I don’t recall exactly the first time I went to Buffalo Bill’s, but it was for a birthday, I am sure of that. It was in junior high, and I had heard about it at school.
I am pretty sure I went there with my sister after we saw a movie, because she knew the way to go. When you entered the building, you were greeted by a plastic pony you could ride for some change, and the bathrooms. An arcade was to the left and the restaurant to the right.
What I recall most was the pizza. The pepperoni and salami and I think even the ham was shredded, which gave the toppings a different texture. It made it really tasty.
I really didn’t have a lot of money at the time, so there was no real chance to use the arcade, beyond walking around it.
What I saw was pretty amazing for a 12-year-old kid. The first thing that greeted me entering the arcade was whack-a-mole. It was something I had only seen on TV. Someone was playing it and I was just enamored by the way they just kept striking out at these moles and missing. There was also skeet ball, which I had played a few times on the midway at Whoop-Up Days in the summer time.
The most interesting game was “Dragon’s Lair”. It was a laser disc game, meaning it did not have computer-generated graphics as much as it had animated pictures of a knight on a quest. This game I had seen profiled on “That’s Incredible”. It described how difficult it was, compared to other games, because it was not computer-generated. Because I saw how hard it was, I never played it, realizing I did not know the pattern necessary to progress through the game.
I would have just wasted my money.
It was interesting to watch other people play though.
My parents weren’t always game to try new things, but I managed to convince them to go once or twice, and it was with my sister to show the way.
I do remember, when my we got there with my parents the first time, my parents actually had been to the building before.
“It’s the old irrigation district,” my Mom said.
In fact, it was the office of the St. Mary’s Irrigation District, which actually covered our farm.
The last time I celebrated a birthday there was in 1984. It was my 14th birthday and we had just won the consolation final in a basketball tournament in Taber. I was excited to go because my brother and his wife were down visiting. He really did not seem that interested in celebrating my birthday, or that I was relishing our first ever trophy, but the pizza was good anyway.
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An arcade token from Buffalo Bill's in Lethbridge. Source: https://en.numista.com/207251 (May be subject to copyright) |
Friday nights
It was a few years before I went back to Buffalo Bill’s, and I was in a much different place in my life by then.
Starting in the Spring of 1986, some of my friends and I starting going to the YMCA in Lethbridge on Friday nights. It was “Teen night”, where we could have our run of the place for a dollar. That meant the pool, weight room, gym, racquetball courts and more. So we would show up when it started at 7 p.m. with our dollar bill, and played racquetball. Eventually, we moved on to playing basketball and some floor hockey in the gym.
It was a few years before I went back to Buffalo Bill’s, and I was in a much different place in my life by then.
Starting in the Spring of 1986, some of my friends and I starting going to the YMCA in Lethbridge on Friday nights. It was “Teen night”, where we could have our run of the place for a dollar. That meant the pool, weight room, gym, racquetball courts and more. So we would show up when it started at 7 p.m. with our dollar bill, and played racquetball. Eventually, we moved on to playing basketball and some floor hockey in the gym.
Things closed up around 10 p.m. I think, and we went somewhere for something to eat. Initially we went to Boston Pizza. By Grade 12, however, we migrated to Buffalo Bill’s. Actually, we started going to the arcade after we ate at Boston Pizza, then started eating there.
It was a more happening place, right on the strip where teenagers from around Southern Alberta cruised around. I think we wanted to see if anyone we knew was there.
I also wanted to play “Space Invaders”, which was my favourite arcade game. I got pretty good at the Intellivision knock-off “Space Armada”, so I could make my money last. Or should I say tokens, because initially you bought tokens to play the games. That may have changed later.
Another thing that changed was the arcade was scaled back over time, and not as exciting as it had been in earlier times.
The good times
There were some other good times at Buffalo Bill’s. I recall one time, we went to see “Can’t Buy Me Love” in the theatre, and grabbed some food at Buffalo Bill’s afterwards. The movie had such an effect on me, it sparked my creative juices for something I wanted to write. I ended up scribbling notes all over one of the place mats while we waited for our food to arrive.
There were some other good times at Buffalo Bill’s. I recall one time, we went to see “Can’t Buy Me Love” in the theatre, and grabbed some food at Buffalo Bill’s afterwards. The movie had such an effect on me, it sparked my creative juices for something I wanted to write. I ended up scribbling notes all over one of the place mats while we waited for our food to arrive.
A few weeks later I went to see “Can’t Buy Me Love” with my friend and neighbour Bill. We were both lamenting our respective love lifes and went to Buffalo Bill’s after to hash everything out.
Another time, we went there in the summer after first year university. We were with some of our friends who were a year behind us and in Grade 12. There were enough of us that we were at two tables. I recall watching the girls at the other table order a pitcher of Coors Light. They got ID’ed and weren’t old enough. All I could think was if they’d ask us to order for them we were all 18.
The years after
I found a bit of history on Buffalo Bill’s, and it did last until 1990 before it closed. By then I had left Southern Alberta and didn’t return to live until November of 1998. By then, the building was Treat’s Eatery and again, I found myself going there a lot. The arcade was also gone, replaced by a bar.
I found a bit of history on Buffalo Bill’s, and it did last until 1990 before it closed. By then I had left Southern Alberta and didn’t return to live until November of 1998. By then, the building was Treat’s Eatery and again, I found myself going there a lot. The arcade was also gone, replaced by a bar.
However, for a long time, the building kept the Buffalo Bill’s iron gate as a reminder.
Parting thoughts
When I found some information online about Buffalo Bill’s I was struck by the comments. They expressed the same feelings I did about the place – good pizza, an arcade, and good times.
When I found some information online about Buffalo Bill’s I was struck by the comments. They expressed the same feelings I did about the place – good pizza, an arcade, and good times.
That pretty much sums it up for me.
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