ROCK SPRINGS — Sitting on Elk Street near the old downtown, Joe’s Liquor and Bar is a dive and local landmark that has retained the look and feel of the 1960s.
A pole-mounted fire engine red neon sign above the tiny brick building displays a three-deck message:
“BAR”
“JOES”
“LIQUOR”
The “BAR” section on top of the pole spins around and there are two neon signs advertising Joe’s drive-thru window. The recently refurbished sign stands as a beacon towering over the tiny business established in 1961 by Joe Arnoldi.
Arnoldi opened Joe’s as a drive-up liquor store and added the bar later. Billed as Rock Springs’ smallest bar, it has just 14 seats. It was inducted into the Dive Bar Hall of Fame in 2017 by the Dive Bar Club, a clothing company that promotes neighborhood bars. One other Wyoming bar, the Buckhorn Bar and Parlor in Laramie, was also inducted.
Walking in is like stepping back in time to 1961. It’s dimly lit and the walls are covered with dark wood paneling. The chairs are soft and the bar is worn and rounded. It creates an atmosphere where it’s easy to linger, perhaps with a martini in a sweating glass with ice chips floating seductively on the surface.
A somewhat-sketchy wood staircase leads to a basement that is a picture of retail booze distribution efficiency. It has to be. This place receives beer and liquor deliveries four times a week and the main floor is only 600 square feet.
Punches Above Its Weight
Angela Gaensslen has owned Joe’s for 18 years. The business was recognized as a top retailer by Beverage Dynamics, a nationwide beverage industry publication, four times from 2019 to 2022.
“We do a tremendous amount of retail volume for a business our size,” Gaensslen said. “It’s a neighborhood bar in a great location.”
When Gaensslen bought the business in 2005 it needed a lot of work. All of the cabinets, the walk-in beer cooler and bar were built in place. That made it sturdy and sound, but repairs require an expert finish carpenter.
She said the big red sign out front was on its last legs a few years ago. The Rock Springs Urban Renewal Agency helped her with a crowdfunding effort to have it refurbished. The sign was refurbished by Yesco in Salt Lake City, Utah.
“Without them I wouldn’t have been able to do it,” she said. “Our downtown Urban Renewal Agency does great things for the businesses here in Rock Springs.”
Angela Gaensslen is the owner of Joe’s Liquor and Bar in Rock Springs. (John Thompson, Cowboy State Daily) 
A bloody mary on the bar at Joe’s Liquor and Bar in Rock Springs. (John Thompson, Cowboy State Daily) 
A notice to employees mounted behind the bar at Joes Liquor and Bar in Rock Springs. (John Thompson, Cowboy State Daily) 
A sign at Joe’s Liquor and Bar in Rock Springs. (John Thompson, Cowboy State Daily)
Spotlight Cocktail Of The Week
A timeless holiday special, the Joe’s Liquor and Bar spotlight cocktail this week is the White Trash Xmas for $6.
True to it’s name, this drink starts with a 12-ounce bottle of Pabst Blue-Ribbon poured into a glass. In a shaker, combine a shot of Pendleton Whisky, a shot of Baileys Irish cream, a squirt of chocolate syrup and 1.5 ounces of coffee. Shake and strain into the beer.
It sounds interesting for someone seeking to summon a white trash experience. But since it was early in the day we went for a bloody mary.
As Gaensslen began to top a glass full of ice with several spices, a loud “ring, ring” interrupted the conversation. She has a driveway signal bell like the old gas stations used. It lets employees know when someone is waiting for drive up service.
Bloody mary recipes seem to be closely guarded secrets in Wyoming, and it’s no different here. Gaensslen politely replied, “I’d rather not say,” when asked for hers.
What we were able to observe is that it’s a thick tomato concoction with a little Tabasco and plenty of groceries added to include olives, pickled asparagus and bacon. It hit the spot.
A Funny Sign
Bar signs that are funny or hold nuggets of wisdom are always worth a look. At Joe’s, the most amusing sign is located behind the bar and to the left beneath the cocktail strainers.
It’s a stamped metal notice to employees that states: “Notice to employees. Joe’s Liquor. Please shower before coming to work. If I have to kiss your ass to get anything done, I want it clean.”
Bar Stories
Gaensslen said she heard stories about big poker games that went on in the basement of Joe’s back when Arnoldi owned the place.
Some people who robbed a bank in Evanston a few years back stopped in at Joe’s and partied for an evening. Gaaenslen said she spent part of the next day answering a detective’s questions about the evening.
When asked about when to cut off a customer who has had too much to drink, she advises her bartenders to never be confrontational.
“But if I set a glass of water down in front of you, you ought to be smart enough to take my advice and drink it,” she said.
John Thompson can be reached at: John@CowboyStateDaily.com
