CODY — There are concerns that the historical value of one of Cody’s iconic restaurants might be worth less than the value of the land it’s occupied for nearly a century. If a future owner makes that choice, all he’ll need is a demolition permit.
Cassie’s Supper Club — most recently Cassie’s Steakhouse — has been a Cody staple for nearly a century. It’s now closed after a recent change in ownership, and after the recent demolition of other historic structuresin the community, some are concerned about the restaurant’s future.
“With the right people, it could continue to be a great restaurant that could bring in a lot of money, as it has in the past,” said Robyn Cutter with the Park County Archives. “I think people would be disappointed if that iconic landmark were to disappear. We need to let people know how we feel.”
Historic Reputation
Cassie’s Supper Club, also known as Cassie’s Water Place, opened at 214 Yellowstone Ave., a 7-acre parcel just outside the city limits of Cody, in 1933.
The restaurant was named after its owner, Cassie Waters, a colorful character who opened several businesses in Cody. Her entrepreneurship extended to at least one house of ill repute in downtown Cody, which might explain why she built her restaurant outside city limits (and reputably offered the same services there during its early years).
The existing restaurant isn’t a single structure.
Cutter said the establishment comprises multiple historic buildings cobbled into a sprawling complex with several bars, dining spaces and a dance floor.
“There are at least five different structures that have been moved and added to the building today,” Cutter said. “It’s not a significant, stylized piece of architecture. But historically, it’s very significant to the city of Cody.”
Cassie’s was a popular venue for dancing and live music in its heyday and regularly appeared on lists of the nation’s best Western and historic steakhouses. Famous guests include George and Barbara Bush, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, and actors Kiefer Sutherland and Henry Winkler.
“It has a lot of historic significance to this community, and it’s been a popular place for many events and people from the beginning,” Cutter said.
If They Can And Can’t
Mel Singer owned and operated Cassie’s Supper Club for 28 years until she sold it to Randel and Courtney Hooper, who reopened it as Cassie’s Steakhouse in 2022. She fondly recalled the nearly three decades she worked at the historic restaurant with her family.
“Cassie’s was an amazing thing for my family and the history of Cody,” she told Cowboy State Daily. “The 28 years we had it was amazing, and we were blessed to be a part of it.”
The Hoopers’ ownership ended after an altercation between the couple and Cody police officers in June. In September, the couple announced on Facebook that they were “turning the keys back over to Mel and she will do with it what she pleases."
Singer’s ownership ended Oct. 31. A mortgage taken out on the property was signed over to another person who Singer didn’t identify, effectively transferring the ownership of Cassie’s.
“Going back to Cassie’s was not an option for my family,” she said. “We sold the mortgage to another person, which means they’ll go through all the legal procedures of acquiring the property.”
Singer said she’s removed herself from any discussions about Cassie’s potential future since she signed the papers in October. Her understanding was that the potential new owner wanted to reopen and revitalize the restaurant — if possible.
“Nobody’s going to open it up yet,” she said. “The gentleman who bought the mortgage from us wants to put somebody in there to run it and get it back to where it was, if possible.”
Getting Cassie’s back to its glory days might take a considerable investment. If the numbers don’t add up, Singer said the owner would probably consider other uses for the seven-acre parcel.
“I’ve been out of the picture for over a month,” she said. “If he cannot bring Cassie’s back, he will relist it and sell it. I think he wants to open it again, but I can’t say for sure that’s what’s going to happen.”
Cassie's, a Cody staple since 1933, is closed as a new owner evaluates the potential of the historic restaurant. (Andrew Rossi, Cowboy State Daily) 
Cassie's, a Cody staple since 1933, is closed as a new owner evaluates the potential of the historic restaurant. (Andrew Rossi, Cowboy State Daily) 
Cassie's, a Cody staple since 1933, is closed as a new owner evaluates the potential of the historic restaurant. (Andrew Rossi, Cowboy State Daily) 
Cassie's, a Cody staple since 1933, is closed as a new owner evaluates the potential of the historic restaurant. (Andrew Rossi, Cowboy State Daily) 
Cassie's, a Cody staple since 1933, is closed as a new owner evaluates the potential of the historic restaurant. (Andrew Rossi, Cowboy State Daily) 
Cassie's, a Cody staple since 1933, is closed as a new owner evaluates the potential of the historic restaurant. (Andrew Rossi, Cowboy State Daily)
Money Vs. History
The area around Cassie’s has been developed considerably since the 1930s. There's a Walmart Supercenter right across the street, and Cody's newest hotel, a Hampton Inn and Suites, is just a block away.
The restaurant sits alongside Yellowstone Avenue (U.S. Highway 14) which is the primary corridor to the East Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. That makes its location a potentially lucrative investment for any business trying to attract more customers.
That’s what concerns Cutter, that Cassie’s historical value might not be as attractive as the value of the land it occupies. And history doesn’t have much protection in Cody.
“We don’t have any rules to protect historic structures in Cody,” she said. “If the new owner opts to tear Cassie’s down, all they need is a demolition permit.”
It’s happened before in Cody multiple times.
The home of Caroline Lockhart, a famous Cody resident, journalist and business owner, was torn down in January 2023. It also sat alongside Yellowstone Avenue, within sight of Cassie’s.
Earlier this year, the Shuler Market & Grocery, built in 1918, and the Cafe at 1244 Sheridan Ave., built in 1920, were demolished to make way for a new luxury housing complex in downtown Cody.
Cody doesn’t have a historic district or a designation process for historic structures. The city’s Planning and Zoning Department issued demolition permits for the Lockhart home and the Sheridan Avenue buildings, which was all that was needed to demolish the historic structures.
Cutter and other Cody residents have advocated for an ordinance requiring public notice before demolishing a historic structure, but the concept hasn’t gained much traction. Because of this, Cutter believes the only recourse is public discourse.
“Let’s have a conversation and involve the community,” Cutter said. “We have to be watchful, talk to the community, and tell them how we feel.”
The Waiting Game
As of December 2024, the Park County property map still lists Randel and Courtney Hooper as the owners of 214 Yellowstone Ave. Cassie’s website is defunct, Google lists the restaurant as “permanently closed,” and there haven’t been any public updates since ownership reverted to Singer in September.
Meanwhile, rumors are swirling.
Cutter said she’s been approached by many people expressing concern over what they’ve heard about what will happen to Cassie’s.
“One person came into the Park County Archives saying she didn’t want it to become a trailer park,” she said. “I don’t know if there’s any truth to that, but I told her, ‘What can we do?’”
Cutter hasn’t taken any preemptive action to save Cassie’s since there’s no indication of what the new owner intends to do with the historic property. She believes it can have a lucrative future incorporating its past, so long as someone with vision and resources is willing to invest in it.
“Cassie’s has had so much use over the last umpteen years,” she said. “It has a lot of historical significance, and maybe it can be repurposed into whatever else and still retain its structure. If somebody opts to change it, let’s explore the options and have a conversation.”
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
