Tap Handle #831: Coors Light - Hooters Owl

Tap size:  9.25"

Rarity:  25 or less seen, tap no longer produced

Mounting:  internal 3/8" nut

I've had this Coors Light Hooters Owl tap for a long time, but it was in bad shape when I picked up. Museum Restoration Expert Kelly worked his magic and brought it back to life. I completed the job by adding an internal nut that had been missing so that it could be displayed. Featuring an owl on a 4 sided base meant to resemble a tree stump, the double O's in the red "Coors" script across the owl's face form the eyes of the owl, and resemble the double O's in the Hooters name. A small beak protrudes from beneath the Coors lettering and above the white "Light" lettering. The name Coors Light also appears up each side of the base in red and blue. All of the lettering is sculpted, with no labels or decals. As to the origins of the tap, rumor has it that after Chanticleer Holdings purchased Hooters of America Inc. in 2012, Coors created this owl tap in response to the change in ownership. The handle was so successful at attracting sales for Coors, in 2013 Budweiser created the Hooters figure tap in 2013 (tap profile #787) to compete with the owl. I can't verify the truth to that story, but it kind of makes sense. The owl finally found its way to the secondary market in early 2013, and for several years ran between $100-$200 in price. In 2018, prices dipped below $100, but by the next year were back up to $150+. Since 2022, prices have been routinely between $200-$300 (with a couple of exceptions for some lucky collectors), with an average of only 1 tap appearing per year.

For more about Coors, see this post.

For more about Hooters, see this post.