Ruckle’s has been an important part of the Clare community for many years, in one form or another. The bar was first opened as the ‘Village Pub’. The Village Pub served local residents for many years until the business was purchased by Gary Ruckle around 1980. It was split into two separate bars for quite some time; ‘Downtown Danny’s’ and ‘Ruckles’. In the late nineties, two become one when Downtown Danny’s closed and the entire building was united under the ‘Ruckles’ name. Around the year 2001, two sister purchased the bar from Gary Ruckle and managed it for about 14 years.
When the bar and grill went up for sale in 2015, it was in need of some fresh new ideas and a positive change. Jason Ricketts, originally from Midland, was tipped off about the upcoming sale of Ruckles by his accountant. Jason had recently sold his business and was ready for a new challenge. He knew that Ruckles would be a great fit and seized the opportunity. Jason officially became the new owner in May of 2015. We have been busy serving up delicious food, cold drinks, and unique hometown entertainment ever since! Supporting Jason in his effort to provide a great experience is our wonderful staff, several of which have been working with us for well over 10 years!
After coming under new ownership, there has been a strong focus on providing quality service, great food, and entertainment. We’re always working on improvements to the bar. You will notice that in July of 2016, we refinished the original Australian Cypress floors – which really improved the look of the bar. We also host several new events that have become very popular, including; our Prime Rib Dinner on the first Friday of every month and our All-You-Can-Eat Fish Fry that happen every Saturday.