EVANSTON — Life moves at its own pace at Jody’s Diner, a local Wyoming joint that revels in a classic 1950s vibe.
It’s a go-to place for locals, but is more than just a restaurant — it’s where relationships are built, life’s stories are swapped and great comfort food is just a bonus.
“Everything on the menu is good, but it’s not just about the food,” said Elizabeth Haggerty, restaurant cashier. “It’s about the relationships we have with each other, the customers and the community.”
That came full-circle during first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.
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“When we had to close during the lockdowns, we had a customer who gave each of the employees $200 just to help us out,” Haggerty said.
Approaching the modest brick building, once a Texaco gas station situated off Exit 6 along Interstate 80, the diner’s true identity reveals itself as its sign comes into view. In front, the parking lot is filled, mostly with locals.
Upon entering, your attention is immediately drawn to the hometown newspaper strewn across the front counter. Only one is needed, as it gets shared and passed along the counter from one customer to the next.
The scene invites nostalgia.
There’s usually a 15-to-30-minute wait for a table at Jody’s Diner, but nobody complains and nobody leaves. (Tracie Sullivan, Cowboy State Daily)
The atmosphere in Jody’s Diner is fun and bright. (Tracie Sullivan, Cowboy State Daily)
At Jody’s Diner, people actually talk to each other. (Tracie Sullivan, Cowboy State Daily)
Jody’s Diner in Evanston, Wyoming, is where the local go to eat and catch up. (Tracie Sullivan, Cowboy State Daily)
‘We Are Family Here’
The restaurant doesn’t have any booths, opting for an open floor plan with vinyl chairs and laminate tables that captures a vintage charm.
There is a checkerboard floor back wall is pure 1950s diner kitsch with a mural featuring an old-time diner with classic vehicles parked out front and a highway sign welcoming you to Evanston.
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Children’s drawings hang on the opposite wall as do obituaries of people who were once regular customers. They are reminders of the people that make up Evanston and representative of the relationships forged between the diner’s staff and the community it serves.
“The diner has even been listed as honorary pallbearers for our customers who have passed away by their surviving family members,” said manager Kristy Shaffer. “We’ve seen kids grow up and graduate. We’ve seen people get engaged in the restaurant. We are family here.”
People Actually Talking To Each Other
There’s another noticeable difference — hardly anyone has their nose buried in their cellphone. People are actually talking to each other. The entire atmosphere is reminiscent of a bygone era, a time many would argue represents a simpler life.
The restaurant is full, with patrons waiting to be seated. The cashier starts a list, it’s going to be at least a 15- to 30-minute wait for many of them. But no one complains, and no one leaves.
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In the mornings, the regulars gather to share laughs and gossip over coffee. These honored members of the coffee club enjoy the lower prices and some extra smiles from staff before starting their day.
“We call them ‘The bullshitter table,’” Haggerty said. “We even have a button for the club.”
Locals Say Don’t Skip The Soup
Despite the atmosphere, Jody’s is a restaurant, after all, and it’s the home-cooked comfort food that fuels all the conversation and bullshitting.
Locals will tell you to get the chicken-fried steak and specialty soups made by the owner Jody Burton.
“Everything on the menu is good, but her soups are my favorite. I come here every Friday for the clam chowder. It’s like a tradition for me,” said Evanston resident Jessica Schneider. “I won’t go anywhere else for soup. This is it.”
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Burton has won several awards for her soups that range from a variety of traditional to unconventional.
“We really go out there with our soups, that’s for sure,” Burton said. “I have all kinds of soups I make. One of the favorites for customers is cheeseburger soup, which people just love. My soups are always gone really fast.”
Another favorite that always sells out is the cheesecake made by local resident Sandy Shaffer. At 80 years old, Shaffer makes the cheesecake and her daughter and diner manager Kristy delivers it every Thursday.
“The cheesecake is only delivered one day, so it sells out fast,” Kristy Shaffer said. “People love her cheesecake.”
Making The Most Of A Second Chance
While locals clearly enjoy Jody’s Diner, Burton also receives high marks online with more than 2,200 reviews giving it an average score of 4.6 stars out of 5. Her staff says that’s because of Burton.
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“Jody did this,” Shaffer said. “We were slow for the first few years, but she worked really hard and she is the reason people stay working at the restaurant and why customers keep coming back.”
Burton bought the diner in 2011 after the former owner said he was going to close it. At the time, she was managing the restaurant, but as a former addict early in recovery, she didn’t think she could make it work. She decided to try it anyway.
“I really believe that God opened the door for me,” Burton said. “I didn’t have credit. I didn’t have money. I couldn’t get a loan. I’m a recovering drug addict. I’m a felon. I just think God opened the right doors so that I could do this. And I am extremely grateful.”
Burton has since created not only a restaurant, but a place where people can gather and connect.
Here, you get to enjoy a great piece of homemade cheesecake made by an 80-year-old Evanston baking legend while leaving the fast-paced world outside, even if for just a bit.
This month, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, is a fitting time for reflection. Our focus turns toward family and community, and the changing weather causes us to slow down. It is a good time to take stock of the society around us. The Thanksgiving holiday naturally turns our minds to what we are grateful for — what already exists that we cherish. Christmas is a holiday of hope, focused on the promise of what is yet to come. With these holidays in mind, let us reflect on what parts of our state we are thankful for and hopeful about.
Perhaps the thing Wyomingites hold most dear is our heritage. Culturally, we are descended from pioneers and settlers — or from those who came before — and we take that frontier heritage to heart. We value independence, community and overcoming challenges. We are willing to endure hardship to build a life that we want, and we are closely attuned to the natural world and the benefits that it provides. Above all else, we know that our perch in this place is still precarious. These are perspectives that are hard to find elsewhere. They set us apart. By embracing these values, we create a society that fits our circumstances. These ideas would not fit in other places, but they fit here, and for that I am grateful.
I am also thankful for the good stewardship of our forefathers. Wyoming is a harsh place and it’s challenging to thrive here. Most of our land is arid and inhospitable, our physical conditions are difficult, and we are remote from most modern conveniences and luxuries. With poor planning or shortsighted leadership, this place could easily fall into decline.
Fortunately, we have been blessed with the opposite. The state’s early settlers understood the importance of building the infrastructure that would allow for growth. When it became clear that natural resources would power our economy, our leaders decided to set aside large portions of the state’s mineral revenue to support us in perpetuity. The easy decision — the short-sighted decision — would have been to spend those dollars on the needs of the day. They certainly could have built some nice things, and those projects would have been popular. They also would have been fleeting. Because of wise leadership and decisions that focused on the long-term, we all benefit from our state’s bounty.
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Just as we are grateful for the good decisions of the past, we should be hopeful for the future. Despite our state’s challenges, there are many good reasons to have hope. First, our state is full of opportunity. We have space, natural resources, and the ability to be nimble when it comes to building regulatory structures that can support new industries. Our people are hard-working and determined. We have existing expertise in manufacturing and mining that is missing in many other parts of the country. Our climate and location give Wyoming an advantage in attracting computing facilities to locate here. If we take advantage of the opportunities in front of us, Wyoming is poised to thrive, and that gives me hope.
I am also hopeful because there appears to be a growing consensus on the issues we face, which allows us to better meet these challenges. In surveys and conversations about Wyoming’s future, the challenges of economic diversification and talent retention quickly rise to the top. We recognize where our weaknesses are, which is a significant part of the battle. Once we agree on the problem, we can work to find solutions.
Finding a fix is often an easier undertaking than identifying the problem itself. Already, drilling into these challenges has helped us recognize the underlying problems connected to affordable housing, livable spaces, health care access and education. Understanding how these fit together and how improvements in one area can lead to improvements in others puts us on a much more manageable path. It will still not be easy to overcome our hurdles, but the fact that we must wrestle with difficult problems is not unusual or unique. We have answered big questions before. Now that we have a growing consensus on what those problems are, I am far more hopeful about our ability to move forward.
In this holiday season, we should take the time to contemplate the world around us. Self-reflection is important. We should look both behind us and ahead of us, toward the past and gratitude and the future and hope. Our state gives us plenty to consider on both accounts.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Wyoming Department of Transportation has reported that the ongoing high wind speeds throughout the state have caused 39 vehicles to crash on Wyoming highways so far this week, primarily between Dec. 9 and Dec. 11.
According to a report from WYDOT, most of the crashes occurred on Interstate 80 near Cooper Cove west of Laramie, on I-25 on Wyo Hill south of Cheyenne and along I-25 near Wheatland at Bordeaux. Many blown-over vehicles were underweight, and some trailers were even empty.
WYDOT updates the minimum weights listed on overhead digital messaging signs based on real-time wind speeds. Drivers are encouraged to check weight-based wind closure information often to ensure travel is permitted.
It’s not just commercial vehicles that are at risk, either; the department reports that campers, toy-haulers and other large trailers are also susceptible to blowing over in strong winds.
June skiing and pond-skimming at Arapahoe Basin in Colorado
Skiers and snowboarders soak in the sun and attempt to make it across a pond on a June day at Arapahoe Basin in Colorado
Snowy Range ski area is scheduled to open for the season on Dec. 12.
Daily lift ticket prices range from $40 for children to $69 for adults.
Snowy Range, one of the closest ski areas to Fort Collins, is scheduled to open for the season Dec. 12 and remain open through April 12, 2026.
The ski area had a snow depth of about 30 inches on Dec. 9, spokesperson Kate Lessman told the Coloradoan in an email.
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Daily lift tickets range in price from $59-$69 purchased onsite for adults, $52-$62 for teenagers ages 13-17 and $40-$50 for children ages 5-12. Children age 4 and younger and senior citizens age 70 and older can ski for free. Tickets purchased in advance online are discounted $5.
More: Complete Colorado ski resort guide
Snowy Range Ski and Recreation Area is located about 100 miles northwest of Fort Collins and 36 miles west of Laramie, Wyoming.
For additional information, visit the ski area’s website.
Coloradoan reporter Kelly Lyell can be reached at KellyLyell@coloradoan.com. Follow him on x.com/KellyLyell, threads.net/KellyLyell and facebook.com/KellyLyell.news.
