A Note of Gratitude And Announcements from Mike Owens

A note of gratitude and announcements from Mike Owens, owner of STUDS Bear & Leather Bar.

If someone had told me 10 years ago what my life would be like today, I would have thought them to be insane. I was married to my husband of almost 20 years, lived in a beautiful beach-side neighborhood in Long Beach, California, working in a corporate job for 25 years that I loved. While no relationship is perfect, I was happy and I certainly did not expect to find myself alone at 55 years of age.  

In 2019, I found myself in exactly that position. What was I going to do now? Where was I going to live?  Would I ever find happiness again? Those fundamental questions ran through my mind for months. Many times, unexpected events can be a catalyst to making changes in one’s life. Eventually, I realized that this was an opportunity to reinvent myself and explore any and everything I had ever dreamed of doing but thought it too difficult or risky.   

During that time of exploration, I decided to visit Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for the first time. I had vacationed all over Mexico but never Vallarta. I honestly had no idea what to expect but looked forward to exploring another part of a country that I loved – Mexico! Originally, I was going to stay in Vallarta for a 5 day vacation.  But two weeks later, I was still here and found myself in love with the people, the food, the community and the gay scene that made up Vallarta and Old Town.  

Was it possible that I had found where I could explore the next chapter of my life? Would I dare retire at 56, leave the US and seek permanent residency in Mexico? The answer was a resounding YES! Fear and anxiety about how I would move forward was quickly replaced with excitement and a world of possibilities.

After spending a year in Vallarta, getting to know myself in a way I had never done before, I made many new friends and found ways to give back to the community that I had grown to love so much. But, I still wanted more. I wanted to explore a dream I had shared with my ex-husband for many years – I wanted to open my own bar! 

Having only worked in a US corporate job, could I really open a business in a foreign country? I had created some amazing friendships during my time in Vallarta. Community leaders, business leaders and many friends gave me the confidence to pursue my dream.

Thus, Therapy Bar and STUDS Bear and Leather Bar were born! I could write a book about the challenges and stress of opening a new business in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language of many of the people I needed to make this dream come true. But, after merging THERAPY & STUDS into one bar, for much more space, here we are 3 YEARS later – celebrating the success of STUDS Bear & Leather bar and a dream come true! It hasn’t been easy and certainly not without many challenges.

But with the support and encouragement of my family, friends and Mexican mentors, STUDS Bear & Leather Bar has found its place in an amazing community of Nationals, Americans, Canadians and other international locals and visitors. A huge thank you to everyone for their love and support these last 3 years! We are excited to participate in Vallarta PRIDE celebration this year as we celebrate our official 3 Year Anniversary!  

Any success that STUDS has had is much better with the addition of my partner and now business partner, Agustin Ibanez. Everything in life is better sharing it with someone you love. I’m also very thankful for my relationship with Agustin and the energy, excitement and ideas that he has brought to STUDS Bear & Leather bar! While we are celebrating 3 years, I know the best is yet to come with lots of exciting things on the horizon. Here are a few things to look forward to at STUDS! 

The Gear Shop by STUDS: 

Agustin has greatly expanded our store.  We offer a wide variety of sexy jockstraps, leather gear, shirts and party supplies where we strive to always offer the best prices in town. And, coming soon, The Gear Shop by STUDS will be available online at our website, STUDSBarPV.com.mx to ship anywhere worldwide! See some of our signature items below.

Rooftop Expansion: 

In June, we will begin expansion of the 3rd floor to offer a rooftop garden experience at STUDS! Next season, you can look forward to having a place to enjoy conversation and cocktails under the stars while still experiencing all that STUDS Bear and Leather bar has to offer on the 1st and 2nd floors! Our website will showcase the construction as we begin this Summer. 

STUDS Leather Fever: 

We are proud to announce that STUDS will present ‘Leather Fever’ later this year, November 20th – 23rd, 2025! In partnership with Casa Cupula, MISTR Bear and Sir & Son, Vallarta will experience a Leather weekend with all the excitement an event like this brings to town including Mr. Leather Vallarta, Mr. Kink, pool parties, a Cigar party, beach day, a Tea Dance and much more! Check out our website for more details in the coming weeks. 

STUDS Studios: 

A note of gratitude and announcements from Mike Owens includes another exciting new adventure involving the creation of ‘STUDS Studios’! You will see more about this on our website soon but we have already begun filming content. You can expect to see adult content videos, interviews with men in the worldwide Bear and Leather community, movers and shakers in Vallarta and content that is uniquely STUDS! Stay tuned and visit our website for release date soon. 

 Vallarta Gay+ Community Center: 

The last 3 years at STUDS has been so exciting and I am beyond thankful for the support of our customers. But, the thing that is most important to me is the opportunity to give back to our community. The needs in Vallarta are great and we must all look for opportunities to support causes that are important to us. That is why a portion of sales at STUDS Bear & Leather bar are donated to the Vallarta Gay+ Community Center.

As a founding Board member, I’m extremely proud of the work our organization is doing in Vallarta. While we are only 1 ½ years old, with the community’s help, we have tripled our space and increased our services far beyond STI testing and providing PrEP. Check us out at Vallartagaycc.com and consider joining us to ‘Foster empowerment, health and wellness within the LGBTQ+ community’. 

For more Puerto Vallarta travel stories and information for the LGBTQ+ community visit the GAYPV website here. 

Here are some of the signature items you will find at The Gear Shop

Author: Tim Wilson

Wilson is the founder of GAYPV.com and www.gaybartour.com and has been the leading LGBTQ+ travel and lifestyle authority in Puerto Vallarta since 2005. With over two decades of local expertise, Wilson specializes in being a community advocate and leader for Puerto Vallarta , and local cultural insights that only a long-term resident can provide. He has dedicated 20+ years to advocating for safe, inclusive travel in Banderas Bay, establishing GAYPV as the region's most trusted resident insider.. His work has been cited by major travel publications, and he is widely recognized as a trusted insider voice on Puerto Vallarta’s vibrant LGBTQ+ scene.