Black Elk Resort & Taproom open to all

As of January 2024, the Black Elk Resort & Taproom (BERT) located four miles northeast of Hill City is under new ownership. 

Although Justin and Ashley Buhler are nurses by trade, they are entrepreneurs and have owned businesses since they were 20. 

“I guess I’m half crazy—wild hair. I’ve always had aspirations to be a business operator,” said Justin. 

For around 14 years the Buhlers had a mobile home park on the eastern side of South Dakota. When they sold it, Justin said, “I was missing having a business for those couple years.” 

In 2020, the Buhlers moved to the Black Hills. Justin said, “We just loved it out in the Hills, and we got a wild hair and started looking for some business opportunities in the area.” 

They came across the BERT in August 2023 through a realtor and liked the campground model. 

“I think there’s a great demand for it in the area, a great business opportunity. This was a little more on the cabin side than the campground side, but it has both. It was such a nice, well-kept property with a great reputation that we had to try and make a deal on it,” said Justin. “All the financials were good, so it all just seemed like it was meant to be. So here we are.”

The business was previously owned by Dan and Laura Roth, and Justin said they “were great to work with on purchasing it.” 

In January 2024 the Buhlers took ownership of the business and opened three cottages for rent to start practicing cleaning and working with customers. 

Justin said, “The hospitality business has its challenges, but it’s a lot of fun.” 

They also decided to convert the previous owner’s home into a five-bedroom, three-bathroom lodge. 

“We added a dining area. We tore walls out. We did the whole like HGTV bit to it. It was wild,” said Justin. 

The house now sleeps up to 13 people, has a deck with a hot tub and is great for large groups. 

“We opened everything in April. Then it really took off,” said Justin. They also had a grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting with the Hill City Area Chamber of Commerce May 18. 

Since taking on the business, Justin said, “A lot of what we’ve done has been digital.”

The Buhlers got a new website, improved the business’ Google status and updated listings on marketing channels including the addition of airbnb and Vrbo. They also created a new brand and new merchandise that has been popular according to Justin. Now they are working on a new sign. 

“That’s a lot of work behind the scenes that not everybody thinks about,” said Justin. “We’ve gotten lots of good reviews so that helps our Google ranking as well.” 

For guests, BERT has a variety of cottages in different sizes with rustic themes. Some have two bedrooms, some are singles and some have kitchens. 

“All the variety of the cottages and all the details are on our website. It’s easy to pick what fits your needs,” said Justin. 

There are also eight RV sites. Of these, Justin said, “They’re awesome. The RV customers are awesome. They’re very popular. We get all kinds of long-term, medium-term and a lot of short-term bookings.” 

A ninth RV site is reserved for BERT’s work campers, Tom and Tammy. 

“They’re like the heart of this business. They have been here for three seasons so they know all the grounds in and out. They take care of the landscaping, mowing, laundry, deal with guests, even, and work the taproom. They’re awesome,” said Justin. 

In the coming years, Justin would like to add more RV sites as well as more big cabins with kitchens since they are a popular choice for families.

Along with the private spaces for guests, the BERT also has public spaces that the surrounding community is invited to come experience. 

The taproom is open every day from 2-9 p.m. May through October. Inside, guests have a view of Black Elk Peak and can enjoy a rotating selection of local brews and South Dakota wines out of Volga from Schade’ Vineyard & Winery. It has pizza, snacks and soda too. 

“We’re trying to make it known that it’s open to the public for stopping in for a cold one,” said Justin. 

Along with this, Justin said, “We do a community fire every night. That’s one of our most popular amenities. People love a campfire. We sell s’more kits. They’re awesome. Kids love them.” 

The fire pit is by the pavilion and is lit from 7-9 p.m. Visitors can enjoy the taproom and pavilion area, and there is even a playground for children. 

“The pavilion’s awesome. It’s such a good place to hang out,” said Justin. “You start the fire and everybody comes out and socializes. It’s very popular.”

This space was also used for a couple of family reunions that booked the entire campground for their stay. 

At the BERT, the Buhler’s mission is “to ensure that every guest leaves feeling like family.” 

“People just have a great experience here,” said Justin. He added that the best and most rewarding part of owning the BERT has been interacting with the guests who are having the time of their lives or are experiencing the Black Hills for the first time. 

“We have the best reviews in the area for cleanliness and for staff being friendly,” said Justin. “We have a lot of guests call and say, ‘We really want to stay there because your reviews are better than everyone else around,’ and that’s reflected in the team that we have.” 

If anything is not quite right, Justin said they take care of it right away. The lodge, cottages and RV sites are open year-round. 

To learn more about the BERT, go to blackelkre

sort.com or call 605-574-9533.