Some people go to the bar to pick up chicks, but sometimes, at least in the case of a Saskatoon bar on Saturday night, they end up with a taxidermied duckling.
The stuffed duckling in this instance, Giuseppe, spent Saturday in his usual spot, helping man the bar at Leopold’s Tavern off Broadway Avenue. But, at the end of the night, he was nowhere to be found. Did Giuseppe fly the coop? Did he need a night out? Was he taken?
Staff were left worried about the bar mascot.
“It saddened everyone,” Leopold Tavern’s managing partner Ryan Johnston told CTV News.
Johnston bought Giuseppe for $70 at a local shop in Saskatoon.
“He’s a cutie. I mean look at him! It doesn’t get cuter than that,” Johnston said. “He’s also a bit of an homage to the bar that was before us here called Duck Duck Goose. Also it was made by a local artist.”
There were attempts to steal Giuseppe before, but on Saturday the bandit got away with it. Johnston created missing posters and put them up in the Broadway area and on social media.
Leopold’s staff created hashtags like #freeGiuseppe and #yxeduckhunt.
“A prized piece like Giuseppe we just cannot allow to go missing without a fight,” Johnston said with a laugh.
Turns out someone took Giuseppe from the bar to a party. He was found by the party’s host the following morning in her apartment. She recognized him from the social media posts and the woman’s friend sheepishly returned Giuseppe to the bar on Tuesday.
Johnston said it's nice to see social media work in positive ways, helping staff “quack” the case.
Without social media, “we definitely would not have our duck back,” he said.
Giuseppe’s nights out have come to an end, following the ordeal. Johnston said he plans to superglue him to the bar, so he stays out of trouble.
“He's seen and done a lot in his days,” he said.
No charges have been laid and the investigation is closed.
