Cowboy State Daily’s 'Drinking Wyoming' is presented by Pine Bluffs Distilling.
LARAMIE — On the west side of town lives a dive bar that may be the inspiration for a lovable piece of pop culture Americana — Moe’s Tavern from the hit animated TV show “The Simpsons.”
Bud’s Bar is the type of place where even if you’re a stranger, the regulars welcome you with open arms and want to know your name.
Situated on the blue-collar west side of Laramie, Wyoming, locals like Josh Farrell love frequenting the well-broken-in haunt, a dive bar with deep roots in the city that’s hardly changed in decades.
A recent visit to the establishment on a Tuesday night looked and felt more like a Friday, with hoots and hollers loudly emanating from the building amidst dice games being played at the bar, and Don McLean’s “American Pie” loudly blaring from the speakers.
“This is the vibes, you’re looking at it,” Farrell said.
Bud’s Bar is a local joint, a Wyoming dive bar on the west side of Laramie that’s been serving beer and gossip for more than 80 years. Many locals also believe in a legend that says it was the inspiration for Moe’s Tavern in “The Simpsons.” 
Bud’s Bar is a local joint, a Wyoming dive bar on the west side of Laramie that’s been serving beer and gossip for more than 80 years. Many locals also believe in a legend that says it was the inspiration for Moe’s Tavern in “The Simpsons.” (Leo Wolfson, Cowboy State Daily)
Simpsons Connection?
Moe’s Tavern is an important piece of Simpsons lore, appearing in the first episode of the show in 1989. Bud’s began operating as a bar in 1942.
Bud’s owner Shelley Peterson believes her bar did inspire Moe’s because of the similarities of their two designs and a man named Sean Hart, an artist and former patron from Laramie.
Hart is no longer alive, but his wife Dolores Hart confirmed to Cowboy State Daily that he worked on “The Simpsons” at one point in his life.
There’s other evidence.
The block shape of Bud’s building matches the outside exterior of Moe’s, and the front door and two windows on either side of it are nearly identical too. The location and size of the parking lot is also similar.
Although they no longer exist today, Bud’s used to have a pool table in the same spot as the one in Moe’s, similar booths and the same style of barstools. The location of the door and windows match again from the inside compared to the way “The Simpson’s” illustrators drew the interior of Moe’s.
Peterson also believes the colored, diamond-shaped windows in Moe’s are a play-off on the bubble glass windows at Bud’s. Interestingly, in one episode of “The Simpsons,” a poster for Laramie Cigarettes can be seen in the background, prominently displayed on an interior wall of the establishment.
Rumors are that an early drawing of Moe’s was etched onto a coaster at Bud’s as well, but Peterson was not able to track it down before the publication of this story.
Farrell said he believes “The Simpsons” connection even though he doesn’t have much to go on.
Frequent Bud’s connoisseur Arthur Cook said although it’s fun to speculate on, he’s undecided whether “The Simpsons” connection is real, calling it “half-assed believable until you find confirmation.”
Some similarities between Bud's and Moe's that Laramie locals point to as evidence that the former inspired the famous cartoon bar. 
Some similarities between Bud's and Moe's that Laramie locals point to as evidence that the former inspired the famous cartoon bar. 
Bud's was a well-known union bar in the past, attracting many types of blue-collar workers. 
On occasion, Bud's, which dates back to 1942 in its current form, was visited by the Budweiser Clydesdales.
Old Piece Of Laramie History
Bud’s actually has a long history that dates back much farther than The Simpsons, the second oldest continuously existing bar in Laramie. Peterson has tapped Mary Hopkins, owner of The Buckhorn Bar and a local history aficionado for information about her establishment.
The building first existed as a residence from 1922 to 1925, owned by Floyd and Pearl Howe. At some point it turned from their residence into an icehouse, and then a malt shop.
A little while later it became the Viaduct Bar, named after a nearby bridge that connected Ivinson Avenue over the railroad tracks, just one block away. By 1942, the tavern took on its current name of Bud’s Bar after new owner Bud Satter took it over.
Peterson said Bud’s was granted one of the first liquor licenses after prohibition got lifted in the state of Wyoming.
In 1960, Satter sold the business to the Falgien family, who held on to Bud’s for decades until selling the business to Peterson in 2019. Peterson bought Bud’s when she was a single parent looking for a way to support her family, fulfilling her lifelong dream to get into the bar industry.
“When Bud’s came on the market, as soon as I saw the for-sale sign, I put in an offer that day,” she said. “I love it, I absolutely love it.”
The only change she’s made since taking it over was removing the booths and shag carpeting. Beyond that, Peterson said she has no plans to make any other changes at Bud’s.
Regular Rod Aragon on a lively Tuesday night at Bud's Bar in west Laramie, Wyoming, where many locals believe in a legend that says it inspired Moe's Tavern in "The Simpsons." (Leo Wolfson, Cowboy State Daily) 
Shelley Peterson, right, and her daughter Savanna Steiert, who Shelley hopes will take over Bud's someday. (Leo Wolfson, Cowboy State Daily) 
A lively Tuesday night at Bud's Bar in west Laramie, Wyoming, where many locals believe in a legend that says it inspired Moe's Tavern in "The Simpsons." (Leo Wolfson, Cowboy State Daily) 
Bud’s Bar is a local joint, a Wyoming dive bar on the west side of Laramie that’s been serving beer and gossip for more than 80 years. Many locals also believe in a legend that says it was the inspiration for Moe’s Tavern in “The Simpsons.” (Leo Wolfson, Cowboy State Daily) 
Bud’s Bar is a local joint, a Wyoming dive bar on the west side of Laramie that’s been serving beer and gossip for more than 80 years. Many locals also believe in a legend that says it was the inspiration for Moe’s Tavern in “The Simpsons.” (Leo Wolfson, Cowboy State Daily)
The Scene At Bud’s
Peterson’s favorite part of Bud’s is her customers, who she sees as an extension of her own family. The dive bar scene is what they’re there for, and she fully embraces it.
Cook said on any given night Bud’s could be dead as a doornail or lively as all get-out. Wednesday is karaoke night and Thursday is bingo.
Farrell, a local construction worker, sees Bud’s as a place for working class people to go to after a hard day’s work. He’s been coming for 20 years and loves that it's hardly changed during that time.
“This time of day the feeling is kind of like “Cheers,” everyone knows your name,” Farrell said.
Brittany West describes the Bud’s clientele as a “big, dysfunctional family.”
“Everyone here is old time friends, they’ve all been coming here for years,” she said.
Rod Aragon has been going to Bud’s since around 1968, back when it was the go-to union bar in town.
The bar, also unofficially known throughout the years as “The Rancher,” had a rough and tumble past, known for attracting bikers and the occasional fight. The pool tables went away as a result of various obscenities that took place on them that led to arrests, Peterson said. She wouldn’t reveal any more details about that sordid affair.
“Chicks” and “Dicks” still hang above the bathrooms and only exceptionally tall urinals exist in the men’s. Peterson said she heard these were installed as a result of previous owners not liking Hispanics, who tend to be shorter, an old relic from when Bud’s wasn’t such a friendly place.
These days, the bar gets an eclectic mix of customers that includes blue collar workers, retirees and college students.
“Everyone gets along really well,” Peterson said.
Although things are much tamer at Bud’s these days than in the past, Peterson said she still enjoys rolling back the surveillance footage every now and again for some entertainment.
She hopes her daughter Savanna Steiert will take over the business one day.
“I have hopes that one day she will continue the legacy of Bud’s Bar and operate the family business so that it will remain the same,” Peterson said.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
