‘King of the good times’: John (Bull) Cook remembered as a pioneer of St. John’s nightlife

Despite the sombre nature of funerals, Kathie Hicks says the buzz was loud at Carnell’s Funeral Home on Aug. 5 — exactly how John Cook would have wanted it. 

“People were talking because there is so much to say and I thought, that’s the noise he sets out to generate,” Hicks told CBC Radio’s St. John’s Morning Show. 

Hicks said that Cook, or Bull, which he was more commonly known as, was not only iconic for his name but for being “the true architect and pioneer” of downtown bar culture in St. John’s. Bull was the founder of Big Ben’s Pub alongside his family, as well as the Sundance Saloon. 

Hicks saw Bull as the king of hospitality, someone who loved people and nightlife. So, she thought it was fitting that his final send off was in a crowded room, filled with memories and love. 

“I loved it that he heard all the stories last night about the legacy he left behind,” added Hicks.