Welcome to Draft Culture. Last week, we explored the historic Buck, marveling at the decades of Laramie culture packed into one of the premier close-out spots in our little college town. This week, we make our way to Laramie Lanes, a bowling alley that surprised me with its history, its liquor selections, and its charm. Laramie Lanes has been family owned since the 50s. Being the only alley in town, it has seen decades of students and league-players alike knock a few pins, grab some drinks, and peruse the attached liquor store. Join me on my journey as I order one of my favorite classic cocktails, venture behind the bar, and listen to some fascinating stories about Laramie’s bowling bar.
The first thing to note about Laramie Lanes hits you before you walk in the doors. The building itself is exceptionally unremarkable. Barely recognizable as a bowling alley without the tell-tale signage and local knowledge, this hot spot for local activity would appear to any unsuspecting passersby as just another old beige-bricked building off of downtown. Upon entering you are greeted by all the familiar sites of a classic small-town bowling alley. Pool players stand off to the side by old arcade machines. The blue shelves lining the floors behind the lanes hold decades of bowling balls of varying sizes and colors. The lanes themselves used to only include 10 until the 60s when another 8 were added. Across from the check-in counter is a wall of plaques and antique league awards. Old scoreboards sit above the entrance to the bar portion of the building. The liquor store itself features an entrance on the other side of the building and holds much more variety than one might expect, featuring a selection of Bourbons and Tequilas I haven’t seen in many other places in town.
The back bar itself featured Rock and Roll Tequila, a Glenlivet 12, Chambord, and Grand Marnier. These were the most significant inclusions simply due to the nature of a bowling alley bar having relatively upper middle-shelf alcohol being of intrigue. As I was later told, special regulars at Laramie Lanes have their choice of a bottle or two kept on the back-bar just for when they come in.
I learned about bartenders Leach and Derek, having worked in the establishment for over 30 years. My bartender was quite friendly, entirely willing to indulge me for the sake of gathering information for this review. He made me a Cosmo, one of my personal favorites in the classic cocktail scene. I blew three dollars on a “skill-based” gambling machine that sat near the bartop, as classic rock played across the speakers. The atmosphere of the alley varies, with the slower and more casual nights being broken up by league tournaments and glow-bowling. The music in the alley itself was a mix of late 90s rock broken up by early 2000s club music.
My Cosmo, while it was prepared with simple ingredients in a bartop style rather than a cocktail style, was well-made. The citrus mixes well with the tart of cranberry and the booziness of the vodka is combatted by the orange liquer to create a smooth finish. As I found out, Laramie Lanes, while you can order your basic mixed drinks and shots, is best known for Jaeger, being the number one distributor in Wyoming.
While I didn’t bowl this time around, the bar offered me a casual experience and a reasonable drink. The atmosphere was friendly and welcoming and the bowling alley provides a source of activity and entertainment that is hard to find in our town. The ability to play a few gambling machines, bowl a few frames, and grab a drink, make Laramie Lanes a multifaceted experience that is perfect for friend-group outings when you aren’t feeling the rowdy and crowded vibe of a dance bar.
As always, I encourage all of you once again to drink safely, have fun, and stay classy.
