Having grown up in the auction industry it’s safe to say I have seen my fair share of events. Occasionally, I come across something uniquely different and special. Most of us have heard of the historic J.R.’s Stockyard Inn. Its reputation proceeds itself. Well, that familiar institution is now going to auction, and what I found inside absolutely blew my mind. In this blog I will share my impressions of J.R.’s during my exclusive visit.

                I visited J.R.’s last week for the first time and I can honestly say I was not ready for what I was about to see. I walked through its historic doors and was immediately greeted with vintage décor dripping from floor to ceiling. Custom made chandeliers adorned the ceilings as vintage signs and artwork instantly gave me a feeling of walking into a time capsule. All I could say as I walked around the facility was “wow this is a ton of stuff.”

                I moved from room to room to room with my mouth fully agape. I could not believe the content I was seeing. One room was full of unique décor, the next full of chafing dishes and catering assets, another room stocked with pots, pans, and cookware…. It was simply a remarkable sight. I made my way through the maze of treasures and before finally reaching the infamous kitchen. To say there was barely room to walk would be an understatement. There was equipment everywhere. Prep tables here, grills over there, baking racks in the middle… let us not even talk about the plethora of smallware. I traveled through the restaurant for what seemed like an eternity before finally looking over at my brother Erik and exclaiming “what an incredible journey. I guess that’s all huh?” He looks at me with a wry smile and says “Oh you haven’t seen anything yet” as he opens the door to the back of the facility.

                Now I knew J.R.’s had a ton of catering assets; I had just seen a dining room chock full minutes ago. Well let me tell you, that was just the tip of the spear. Once I walked outside, I was greeted with rows and rows of banquet tables, stacking chairs, walk in freezers, cotton candy carts, smokers, trailers…. even the yard was full of one-of-a-kind lawn art. I would open a shed and see rows of deep sinks. Another would have rows of stainless-steel deep sinks. The place was just dripping with stuff, and I could not help but keep digging. Every counter, every door, every nook had something new and interesting to behold. I could not stop.

                I spent at least a couple of hours just wandering around the facility and admiring this untouched treasure trove of content. It may seem crazy but even seeing J.R.’s in its current state… I could not help but sense an immense feeling of history and community. This truly was and still is an institution. I felt honored to be a part of something that meant so much to so many. Don’t miss your chance to own something truly special and head on over to Rasmus.com and register to bid today.