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A growing segment you may not have heard of? Off-leash dog park bars, likely coming soon to a city near you. The logistics of operating this kind of concept aren’t without challenges—from hiring specialists to make sure dog fights don’t break out to careful restaurant design and ensuring sanitary conditions—but the obvious upside is, you get to see puppies all day, and the market keeps demanding more. The pet industry is poised to balloon from $320 billion in 2023 to almost $500 billion by 2030, according to a report from Bloomberg Intelligence. The U.S. alone is positioned, the report found, to approach $200 billion by the end of the decade.
Though the majority of dog park bars across the country are mom-and-pop shops, there are a few brands trying to tap into the massive market and emerge as leaders in the space.
Take MUTTS Canine Cantina, for example, a Texas-based brand that partnered with Fransmart in 2019 to start expanding. College roommates Kyle Noonan and Josh Sepkowitz founded the concept in 2012, where customers can sip a cocktail and let their pups off the leash to run around in the attached doggy park. The brand leans into the dog puns, from offering “barktastic” treats for pups on the “Woof Menu” to the beverage menu; the Barkarita features 100 percent Agave tequila, premium orange liqueur, and fresh lemon and lime juice. Ranch Waters, a Texas Mule with bourbon, and a variety of frozen cocktails round out the offerings.
With open locations in Texas including Austin, Dallas, El Paso, and Fort Worth, MUTTS inked a franchise agreement in 2022 to expand to Arizona with six locations, and also has plans to branch into Denver and Kansas City.
Florida was one of the first states to allow dogs in outdoor dining spaces in 2006. As of 2023, there were 23 states that allow dogs in outdoor patio areas of restaurants by state law. Unless it’s a service animal, dogs are not allowed wherever food is served, which means dog bar concepts that want to serve food either need a separate indoor area for humans only, or to have outdoor seating, which is the model MUTTs chose—but that also limits potential markets to warmer, more temperate climates.
Last year, FSR wrote about Off Leash, a full-service restaurant and bar concept with a premium dog park, including a chef-inspired menu serving up all dayparts and a wide-ranging beverage program with craft cocktails and local IPAs. Off Leash was set to have two locations in Georgia—but the Alpharetta location closed after less than six months in operation, and there are no plans to reopen or relocate at this time.
Case in point: Serving food on premises complicates operations considerably, which is why many emerging dog bars are opting to only serve beverages and perhaps have rotating food trucks visit and allow guests to order food delivery. Pups Pub falls into that category, which Sheila Suhar and her husband and fellow dog lover, Alex Wright, cofounded in 2020. The sports bar and off-leash dog park has two locations open so far in Florida in Orlando and Tampa’s SoHo district.
Pups Pub blurs category lines with its full bar service and food trucks, which rotate every week. Guests are attracted to the multi-functional space for canine companions, but unlike similar concepts, Pups Pub has been intentional about elevating the experience for humans, who can enter the space for free without a membership required.
“Pups Pub prioritized creating an entertaining sports bar environment for people to enjoy with or without dogs, unlike most other dog bar concepts. Many competitors proudly advertise that they love dogs and ‘tolerate people,’ which is evident by their limited bar menus and lack of human entertainment like TVs and music,” Wright says. “Pups Pub proudly caters to both dogs and people, which helps set us apart.”
Pups Pub is a 21-plus bar, so Wright and his team lean into adult puns for their drinks. The company has trademarked three phrases: “Bitches Runnin’ Wild,” “Here to Chase Tail,” and “Bad Mother Pupper.” All three phrases are featured on the “Handcrafted Dogtails” menu, as well as on merchandise including dog bandanas and human T-shirts.
“Our VIPs enjoy the silly humor, so we crafted some of our favorite drink recipes with Pups Pub’s trademarked phrases that are also featured throughout each Pups Pub location,” Wright explains, which encourages cross-promotion. “A guest could take a picture standing in front of the orange neon Bitches Runnin’ Wild sign while drinking a Bitches Runnin’ Wild signature cocktail while wearing a Bitches Runnin’ Wild shirt that matches their dog’s Bitches Runnin’ Wild bandana.”
The Bitches Runnin’ Wild cocktail features Tito’s Handmade Vodka, cream of coconut puree, peach schnapps, pineapple, and cranberry, while Here to Chase Tail includes Empress Gin, watermelon pucker, and a splash of lime juice topped with soda water. Wright’s favorite drink on the menu is the Bad Mother Pupper, which is simply Jameson Irish Whiskey and Mountain Dew—“don’t knock it until you try it,” he quips. Other punny “dogtails” include The Dogfather with Milagro Reposado, simple syrup, angostura bitters, and orange bitters; the Bloodhound Margarita; the American Bulldog Mule, the Skinny Frenchy; and a Leashy-Tini.
“Pups Pub is constantly adding and subtracting menu items throughout the year to cater to our customers tastes,” he adds. “It really depends on what products and recipes are in high demand, which is why we create seasonal menus throughout the year. Pups Pub’s signature cocktails are proven; however, we still evaluate all drinks annually.”
Wright and his team like to take a collaborative approach to beverage innovation. Bartenders, hourly staff members, and even a few trusted regular guests are encouraged to sit in on the brand’s brainstorming sessions when crafting new cocktails, whether it’s a pairing for an event or for a specialty menu. “I bartended back in the day before I joined the Air Force, and obviously now working in a bar for years, you’re around and see all the trends,” Wright says. “We definitely have a lot of fun in our brainstorming sessions whenever we’re looking to create the menus.”
“We’re lucky, pun intended, to have a pick-of-the-litter when we’re hiring our staff, whether it be bar managers, bartenders—they know their craft very well, and we work together,” he continues.
As the concept has grown in popularity in the region, Pups Pub began offering monthly and annual VIP (Very Important Pup) memberships to drive loyalty that includes benefits like discounts, VIP entry, and access to exclusive events. Locations also host special event “Pawties,” community giveback activities, and offer “Yappy Hour” deals.
The brand announced its partnership last year with Franchise Well, a boutique consulting firm that has worked with brands running the gamut from Subway and IKEA to RE-MAX and The UPS Store. Pups Pup has sold five franchises within the last few months, targeting mainly single-unit operators at this point in communities from Texas eastward to Florida and north to Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Carolinas. “Once some of these start opening and more people are familiarized with the brand, the quicker it’ll grow,” Wright says.
[pull quotes]
“Pups Pub prioritized creating an entertaining sports bar environment for people to enjoy with or without dogs, unlike most other dog bar concepts. Many competitors proudly advertise that they love dogs and ‘tolerate people,’ which is evident by their limited bar menus and lack of human entertainment like TVs and music.”
“Pups Pub is constantly adding and subtracting menu items throughout the year to cater to our customers tastes. It really depends on what products and recipes are in high demand, which is why we create seasonal menus throughout the year.”
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