Bucket of Blood Saloon owner celebrates 75th birthday

Not even a last-minute blizzard deterred Comstock residents from turning out in force to celebrate the 75th birthday of Bucket of Blood Saloon owner Don McBride.

At the Storey County Senior Center on Feb. 1, McBride was surrounded by family members and numerous friends, many of whom wanted to thank him for his tireless effort in contributing so much to Virginia City.

As one party goer was overheard to say, "Virginia City is known worldwide as a fun place to visit, and a lot of that can be attributed to McBride."

The statement is not idle boast. One has only to look back over the years to find the McBride family and the Bucket of Blood heavily involved in the many special events and activities in Virginia City over the past 70 years or so.

The McBride family goes all the way back to 1931, when Don McBride's father, V.L. McBride, brought his family to Virginia City and purchased the business known today as the Bucket of Blood Saloon. As a young man, Don McBride worked with his father at the Bucket and eventually took over its ownership.

In 1949, he married Jeannie Rae Butterbaugh. Their sons Steve, Don and Marshall inherited the same attributes as their parents; a caring for family, employees and community. McBride lost his wife of 44 years to cancer in July 1994.

Oldest son, Steve, is a foremost Comstock mixologist who can be found most days walking the planks in the Bucket like his father and grandfather. Watching him build the killer Bloody Marys the Bucket is noted for is a piece of work not to be missed.

Middle son Don is a Carson City home builder specializing in custom-built homes and commercial properties. Youngest son, Marshall, is the overseer and manager of the day-to-day operations of the McBride properties.

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When interviewing the McBride employees for this story, the amazing statistic one is struck with is the longevity of their employment. Piano player and Comstock cable guy Gary Greenlund began at the Bucket in 1977. A year later, slot mechanic Richard Warren came aboard. Both are quarter-century employees. At the McBride-owned Eilley Orrum Gift Shop across the street, Inez Frady and Thelma Sewell have 30 years and 24 years respectively with the company.

Employee turnover is virtually nonexistent, a rare occurrence in today's business world. Bucket bartender Erik "Hoss" Vick has a mere eight years on the planks and some catching up to do. Mitch Gilberson single-handedly dispensed all the liquid refreshments at the birthday bash.

Don McBride is semi-retired but, even after a couple of surgeries over the last few years, can be found regularly at the saloon.

His biggest coup perhaps took place in May 1962, when he was president of the Virginia City Businessmen's Association and brought the Cartwrights of "Bonanza" TV fame to Virginia City for three days. McBride commissioned an artist to create four gold-and-silver belt buckles engraved with a star's name. Each buckle contained a vintage $20 gold piece struck at the Carson City Mint. The cost? $3,000 -- and I guess you know who picked up the tab.

"'Bonanza' was in its fourth year at the time," McBride said. "We had a great three days; over 100,000 people attended. It took me a half hour to walk from the Bucket to the post office. The town was total gridlock."

That's only one story; there are many more just like it.

McBride's longtime friend Angelo Petrini was one of the party goers. As owner of the Delta Saloon across the street from the Bucket, the pair have enjoyed a friendly rivalry and have mapped out strategies over the years promoting Virginia City tourism.

"He has always given back so much to this community," Petrini said. "As far back as I can remember, you could always count on his support." Admiration from the competition is not often heard today among business rivals.

In the final analysis, one has only to look at the address above the doorway of the Bucket of Blood Saloon to sum up Don McBride and his sons: No. 1 "C" St.