Iconic former Boulder bar The Dark Horse puts items up for auction, looks ahead to future

As the iconic former Boulder bar, The Dark Horse, looks towards a new chapter, some of their eclectic memorabilia is up for sale. Pieces like a vintage hearse, dartboard, or wooden sleigh now line the Roller Auction floor as bids are open through Tuesday.

Brian Calkins is running the auction, and he says Roller Auction is already seeing bids on almost every item, including a larger-than-life hamburger server statue and an old toilet.

These items came from the ceiling of the Dark Horse, but most of the items are in storage right now as bar owners consider a new location in the region. Calkins says he expects to have a second auction after Dark Horse officially moves into a new location. He says that the goal is by the end of the summer.

Calkins says he's seeing a huge interest in this auction, "A lot more phone calls, a lot of bidders that have never been with US, that just want a piece of The Dark Horse." 

And on Monday, fans and former patrons came to peek at the items for sale and reminisce about the decades-old bar.

"It's a piece of Boulder's history," former patron Mike Gheleta said, "Generations have gone. Case in point, I used to go to law school, and my son had graduated from CU, so we would go there with his friends."

Another bidder, Lori Laingor, said, "I was there, I think when it opened... looking at all of this stuff brings back so many memories."

Her daughter, Tasha Bond, added, "I think it's special, just the atmosphere that they created. And I don't know, having a little piece of that would be kind of cool."

But no matter where these pieces go, it's clear the memories will always come with them.

The auction begins closing on Tuesday and all items must be picked up by 4:45 p.m. on Thursday.