MURDER &The Rise and Fall of Wyoming’s Tiki Bar

WAIT - a Tiki Bar in Wyoming?

I grew up on a tropical island. I know Tiki Bars.

After moving to Wyoming some years ago I can assure you, they don't fit out here, unless you're looking for a fantasy place to get away for a few hours.

CAUTION: This story ends with MURDER!

In the video below, you can step into the wild and exotic tale of The Reef Lounge, Casper’s first tiki bar that lit up 101 S. Center Street in 1961.

If you know Casper you know the AMERICA Theater in downtown. The Reef Lounge used to stand right next to it. Today, it's a park, of sorts, owned by First Interstate Bank.

Born from the vision of Bill and Keith Asbell and Bill Markham, and crafted by Palm Springs tiki legends Lou and Cliff Sawyer, this hotspot transformed a former children’s store into a mid-century marvel.

By 1962, the Surf Room restaurant opened inside, serving up fine steaks and flavorful drinks under professional lighting that screamed class and escapism.

 

It was a “Polynesian paradise” in the heart of Casper—a rare gem where locals could sip mai tais and forget the prairie winds outside.

But paradise turned dark on July 16, 1975.

 

A heated dispute over a bill ended with patron James Peterson shooting and killing Ray Mora inside the lounge.

The tragedy marked the beginning of the end.

 

Yet, The Reef Lounge lives on as a vibrant slice of Casper’s past.

 

(Brass Monkey Tiki Lounge, Youtube).

The Reef did not just stick a couple of bamboo pools up and call it good. They went into a lot of detail to make the place look NOT WYOMING!

Imagine on a cold, windy, and snowy night, stepping into a warm, tropical lounge and pretending you are on a Polynesian Island.

But it's still Wyoming, so you can expect some violence and gunplay and a man sprayed with bear spray.

In the end, the bar owner was shot and killed.

The video above has the entire story.

Scroll down to see more famous Wyoming saloons.