Before Girls in Bikinis and Spuds MacKenzie there was Buster the Beer Guzzling Buffalo

Photo: Pearland Historical Society

Note: I am not personally condoning the sharing of alcoholic beverages with your pets or livestock. I am simply sharing a humorous story about what my suburb of now nearly 90,000 people used to be like before the master planned communities, outdoor malls, and supercenters dominated the scenery.

Years ago, prior to my conception, there stood a bar about 20-25 miles south of Houston called “Country Place.” Country Place was owned by a gentleman who understood the intricacies of marketing, J.B. Choate. Mr. Choate knew he needed more than just a bar out in the country to attract enough patrons to stay afloat. Like the bars and beer companies of today, Mr. Choate could have organized female mud wrestling, wet t-shirt contests or beer drinking game competitions but he wanted a family friendly facility and what’s more friendly than a beer drinking buffalo named Buster? Buster became an attraction and more importantly made a trip to Country Place a trip worth taking. Many “old-timers” in my neighborhood have fond memories of taking their kids out to Country Place to see Buster and have him demonstrate his talent for guzzling beer. Locals and tourists would stop in and buy Buster a beer so they could see him devour it in seconds. Mr. Choate was a genius; he probably sold more beer for Buster’s consumption than he did to his actual customers. More importantly Mr. Choate proved you do not need to revert to crude, degrading marketing tactics to sell a beer.

Story: Pearland Historical Society and Houston Chronicle