BRIDGER — A business in Bridger is changing its ways, hoping to offer a more family-friendly environment while filling a need in the community.
Owners Mark and Leza Vargas opened Yellowstone Gold Casino about two years. Since then, the couple has realized that their business could fill a void in their town as a place for families to enjoy.
Take an inside look at the business below:
While the business will still operate as a casino, the Vargases have made changes to make it more welcoming to all ages.
"It was always going to be a regular casino," Mark told MTN this week. "Then we were just kind of noticing that families don't have a lot of options when it comes to places to hang out here."
Part of their realization came from their own family, with their children hanging out at Yellowstone Gold even before some of the recent adaptations.
"There's not a lot of opportunities around Bridger for families to come and sit down and eat," Leza said. "We wanted to make sure that it was an environment that was safe for them and fun for them and not just the typical bar that you find."
So, the Vargases got to work — adding a food menu in January and eventually an outdoor patio this summer for all to enjoy.
"We just wanted a nice, quiet, rustic place for people to come hang out," Mark said. "Kids, adults, everything."
Among the favorites on the menu is "The Karen," which is a 1.5-pound pretzel smothered in cheese and pepperoni. Leza said the name speaks for itself.
"It is fat, salty and twisted," Leza said with a laugh. "You put a funny name on something and people like to come see what you're talking about."
The renovations include the patio outside, which Mark recently built himself to add to the environment. The area features picnic tables and cornhole boards
Employee and Fromberg resident Chris Duvose said he and many others appreciate the effort the Vargases are making.
"Most places around here, it's not a family-oriented kind of thing, you know what I mean?" Duvose said. "It's a good, clean enviornment. It's safe, you know, and you can just have a good time."
And that's exactly what this family is aiming to do — provide a good time for families just like theirs.
"There's nothing better than running a business with your family," Leza said with a smile.
