The University of Wyoming’s Pokes Pub and Gameroom, located in the Wyoming Union, celebrated its Grand Opening with free food and prizes on the evening of Tuesday, March 7th.
While the Pokes Pub and Gameroom’s cold opening was earlier this year, the event was intended to offer an opportunity and incentive for students to enjoy the space and all of its amenities.
“We wanted a central event to really drive folks to come together and check out the space,” Erik Kahl, Union Director, said.
“We also recognize it’s getting close to midterms and spring break, and [the event] was meant to be kind of a little escape before spring break, to help remember that sense of community that we’re gonna be excited to come back to.”
Although the Wyoming Union has been home to a bar for many years, major renovations were necessary after COVID according to Kahl.
“Every decade or so there’s a conversation on campus about closing the [bar area], and we were trying to get ahead of that next conversation because this business wasn’t what it used to be,” Kahl said.
“So we brought a group together between the Dining Services, CSIL, with Union to explore ‘what would a refresh of this space look like.’”
Students in attendance voiced primarily positive opinions of the event and completed space.
“I think it’s a really cool way for people on campus to be able to come together and spend time, and not necessarily have to go anywhere else,” Gabrianna Wood, a social work major, said.
Many students expressed appreciation for a pleasant space on campus where they can hang out.
“I like just having somewhere to come hangout. I come down here a lot for the trivia, I did Bingo last semester, and there’s pool and shuffleboard. I enjoy it,” freshman Thomas Valencia said.
The event brought a new atmosphere to the space according to multiple students in attendance.
“It’s definitely a good atmosphere,” Colt Duncan, a Zoology major, said.
“It’s very Laramie. It’s like perfectly Laramie. It fits right into what everyone likes to do around here. Drinking and hanging out.”
More changes will be coming to Pokes Pub in the future. Union and CSIL staff are looking for student input on what they’d like to see.
“We want to be responsive to student feedback,” Kahl said.
“Every week there’s, in addition to the static stuff that’s always here, there’s going to be some different activities, whether it’s a theme of trivia or an artist or a performance of some kind.”
