‘When I saw (the news) this morning, I actually cried. It was a cornerstone for not only Barrie but all of Ontario. It was Canada’s country bar,’ says longtime patron
A beloved nightlife spot in downtown Barrie has officially closed its doors for good.
The Ranch, a long-standing part of Barrie’s nightlife and music culture, has announced it will be shutting down, signaling the end of a venue that has brought joy to generations of visitors.
The business shared the sad news in a social media post just before 3 a. m. this morning, expressing gratitude to customers, staff, performers and supporters for their part in creating “countless nights” and memories over the years.
Situated at 59 Bayfield St., the venue first opened in the early 1990s and quickly became known as a go-to destination for country music and nightlife fun.
The business entered a new phase when Ed Rios and Abraham Miller-Rios took over ownership in October 2018, later relaunching the venue as The Ranch 2.0 during a ribbon-cutting ceremony in July 2019.
In its goodbye message, the venue looked back on the friendships, connections and memories made within its walls while thanking the regular patrons, DJs and musicians who contributed to its legacy.
“For so many years, The Ranch has been more than just a bar. It’s been a place where friendships were made, relationships began, memories were created, and countless nights turned into stories we’ll never forget,” stated the online post, which received hundreds of comments from former employees, entertainers and guests.
Kerrah Leighton has been visiting The Ranch since celebrating her 19th birthday there. Now at 32, she referred to it as her “bar of choice.”
“I am definitely a country girl at heart and it was the best bar for my generation,” she said.
Leighton mentioned she was drawn not just by the music but also by the vibe and people around her.
“Just dancing with your friends. There was that stage you could get up on along with those cages above. That was our favorite part,” she added.
The Ranch also had significant importance in her personal life; Leighton met her now-husband there when she was only 19.
Local musician Kyle Wauchope opened several times for David Wilcox at The Ranch. | Image supplied
The couple met at a mutual friend’s birthday party held at the bar.
“He came with his friends while I showed up with my girlfriend. We met there, danced for about four hours straight, exchanged numbers-and then it turned into history,” said Leighton.
The couple tied the knot earlier this year.
Even though it gained fame as a country bar, Leighton emphasized that The Ranch offered much more than just that genre of music.
“They played everything! I think it was really about feeling free when you went to The Ranch. It featured rock music too; every single person felt welcomed whether they were into country or not,” she explained. “It was an all-out fun kind of place.”
Hearing about its closure hit hard for Leighton.
“My nephew is turning 19 soon and he wanted to visit The Ranch; it’s disappointing it’s closed now,” she said. “I’m really concerned about what will replace it since it brought our community together through being not just a bar but also a restaurant with line dancing events that helped people connect.”
Kyle Wauchope first stepped into The Ranch at age 19; besides hanging out with friends there as an audience member he also performed on stage multiple times opening for Canadian rock artist David Wilcox.
Wauchope noted having such an accessible stage near home meant so much to local artists like him.
“It gave musicians somewhere to perform in front of large crowds without needing to leave town,” he mentioned. “People from different ages and musical backgrounds would come out.”
This closure represents quite a loss for Barrie’s live music scene according to Wauchope’s perspective.
“There are other places with stages but none quite like this one-it truly felt like Barrie’s last big stage,” he remarked.
Wauchope recalled performing here as always being an unforgettable experience.
“It was always bustling-a really cool spot-always had great turnouts.”
Stephanie Russell-Baigent visited The Ranch for her first time when she was just 22 along with some friends.
“I didn’t want anything to do with it because I thought ‘not going there-I don’t like country’”, she remembered vividly.”</h<
“My best friend eventually persuaded me to check it out one night … (and) I fell head over heels right away,” Russell-Baigent confessed later admitting how foolish she’d been avoiding such fun all this time.”
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