I gotta assume in this case you're more paying for the history.. can't imagine there's as lot of business with 13 residents and nearest city being 45 minutes away.
It sounds like they do fine; only beer in 100 miles is a pretty good business proposition. They also go through 1200 pounds of pinto beans a year, so somebody's buying food there.
That's about 3.5 pounds of beans a day. Which would make maybe 4 or so gallons of soup, that's 512fl oz or 32 16oz portions.
1200 lbs a year, assuming a half pound per serving, is only 2400 servings a year, or about six a day. I can't imagine six bowls of beans does much to pay the bills even in rural Montana.
A half pound of beans is an awful lot for a serving.
Really? The recipes I found seemed to use 3 1lb cans of beans per 4 people. That's 3/4 lb of beans per person. Also, this is Montana, they don't shy from larger portions, a pound a person wouldn't surprise me.
Just because the town only has 14 residents doesn't mean there's nobody passing through or otherwise visiting.
Looks like a corral for rodeo, cattle auction, county fair, etc. next door just south of the bar. Appears to be used.