I moved to Laramie Wyoming 31 years ago. Our town has grown and local business as well as larger franchises has improved the business community in Laramie. Some of the companies and restaurants that we wished we had may or may not ever come true because of our population. When the University is in session our population grows and during summer it leaves. This is good for driving around town not good if you are starting a business depending on a mass of population.

I have talked to some friends of different ages and there are a few businesses that keep being mentioned that we don't have. Men's and Women's clothing is one. Eddie Bauer, Kohl’s, Old Navy, GAP to name a few stores people would buy clothes from.

Restaurants have changed a lot here in Laramie, we have a lot of choices of Mexican, Chinese, and pizza restaurants and have added Japanese, Thia, Indian and Italian to the chooses in the past few years. But the lack of Seafood and chicken places are lacking. Where is KFC?

My number pick would be a outdoor super store like Jax, Cabela’s, Serra Trading Post, Bass Pro Shop and the answer to why they won't come here is mostly population and other smaller outdoor stores would suffer. Same goes for Home improvement stores like Lowe's, Home Depot or Sutherland's - I would be there all the time!

So I don't want to come across as a complainer and sometimes you have to go to Fort Collins or Cheyenne for some purchases and leave our little hamlet and get greener pasture to the south.  Sometimes it's a good break and sometimes just a pain in the ass!

I rejoice in what we have in our town and thank every business man and woman for starting their business in Laramie and throw this out as a wish list as if we all lived in a perfect world and could have everything. Please email us with anything we have left out!

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1. Grocery store

like Whole Foods, Alfalfa's, Sunflower etc. - Our Farmers Market and Medicine Bow Foods and well as Whole Earth Granary do an excellent job but are not big enough and I know a lot of people buy locally and then make a trip to Fort Collins for other product you can't get here.

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2. Clothing store: I have to order most of my pants from catalogs or go to Fort Collins and go to the Dare-I-Say it the MALL! I am glad we don't have a Mall but sometimes have to go to one.

Need: Eddie Bauerr, Old Navy, Kohl’s, GAP

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3. Food: We are doing well but need more! Seafood like Red Lobster, or a Joe's Crab Shack or at least a Long John Silver’s (which we had) and a Kentucky Fried Chicken or stop advertizing it’s just painful! We have a shortage of "nice" places to take a date in a college town.

Need: Noodles and Company, Olive Garden, Macaroon Grill, Red Lobster, Texas Roadhouse, PF Chang's

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4. Home improvement stores: We need a Home Depot bad! Not only home improvement but alliances and yard care stuff.

Need: Lowes, Home Depot, Sutherlands

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5. Big Savings stores: This is most likely the biggest need. Sure we have a Super Wal-Mart but we need a Target, Best Buy, Jax, J.C. Pennies or Sears.  We do have Murdoch’s which is a good thing but I don't buy a lot of Carhart stuff.

 

Maybe someday we will have more choices more restaurants and make Laramie a better place to be! Until then it is still where I want to be!

 

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