BLACK ROCK EXPLORERS SOCIETY

EMPORER OF GERLACH

Everyone who goes to Black Rock whether to launch rockets, go hunting, film commercials, land sail, explore or just heading for California the hard way has to have met Bruno. He’s the biggest business in town owning the Bruno’s Casino, Bruno’s Restaurant, Bruno’s Texaco, Bruno’s Trailer Park, Bruno’s Motel, Bruno’s Cattle Ranch, Bruno’s Farm and Bruno’s What Ever You Need I got It For You!

With all of his accomplishments his most outstanding feature is his ability to remember people. He may honestly not remember your name but he will remember YOU. Have a conversation with him once and he will remember you two, three years later. He’ll remember your job, your kids, your health. If you talk to him about it he’ll remember you.

Bruno was born Giovanni Bruno Selmi on July 20th. 1923 in Lucca, Italy, about 60 mile away from Tuscanny, Italy. As a boy in Italy he was into Bicycle Racing and was even awarded a prize by the Pope for winning a race. You should hear the story, Bruno’s a great story teller - except you really have to pay attention as he speaks broken English.

His stories are boundless; like when he ran his truck off the road and in his words. “Ima bounce ana bounce ana bounce ana bounce ana bounce!"

You would think after being in this country over 65 years he’d speak better English! He does however, speak perfect Spanish, ( ya sure!) and we sorta think he speaks English way better than he presents.

Bruno came to the US in 1946 following his two brothers Dominic and Joe. He arrived in the U.S. and worked at his brother Dominic’s ranch in Dayton, Nevada just East of Carson City, until he got a job at the Gypsum plant in Empire, then called Portland.

Bruno’s brother Joe had a bar, which still exists in town al-though Joe passed away several years ago. In the evenings after work Bruno would hang out there to hear a girl named Francis sing. Francis became Bruno’s wife in 1950.

Bruno's first enterprise was the Nite Cap Bar (to the left) which sits next door to Bruno's Country Club. It is the small deteriorating building with a door and two windows you can't see into. In 1952 Bruno bought the Longhorn Bar, which is now Bruno’s Casino & Country Club. Ever after that its been an uphill expansion of acquisitions for him.

This year Bruno turn’s 93; he's starting to mellow out and getting forgetful of things yet sit down and talk with him and he'll come to life - for a while. Even still, everyday, he drives from home to the bar - oh God! - and his mind is still a steel trap of old memories - he's getting slow at new memories. Once you meet him you can’t help but long remember him too.