A hot trend still in the early stages of national growth is to combine a dog park facility with a bar and/or restaurant concept. It is well documented that pet ownership increased during the COVID-19 lockdowns, as singles, especially, were looking for companionship to help ease their lonely living situation. Now that these same singles are once again emerging out into the world, they are realizing their time is limited with fitting in such daily responsibilities as walking their dogs, not to mention seeking social interactions via a bar or restaurant outing. Enter the dog park/bar hybrid that provides a social bar atmosphere, while still allowing pets to get their exercise.
Although there are local mom-and-pop dog park bar/restaurant installations throughout the country, a few breakout brands are now spreading this unique concept into multiple states. Capitalizing on this pet ownership/social outing trend are Bark Social, MUTTS Canine Cantina and Fetch Park. Look for open spaces in urban sites, including available parking lot space or warehouse units near multifamily developments, to be especially eyed for this dog park social hub concept. Ensuring constant foot traffic, all of these dog parks provide monthly or annual memberships, in addition to day passes.
Bark Social recently announced its financing round in February that garnered $2M, which gives the dog park/bar concept a total funding amount of $5.3M to-date. The latest round was led by Early Light Ventures Syndicate, a Maryland-based venture capital firm. Bark Social will use these funds to continue its expansion efforts into East Coast metros throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, in addition to delving into Western markets. Look for the northern territories of New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Richmond, Va., and Charlottesville, Va., to be targeted for growth, followed by Miami and Southern California. Expect growth to be at a rate of up to five new units per year over the next three to four years.
The premium dog park/bar/coffee/snack venue looks for space in the 20,000- to 25,000-s.f. range, which includes 15,000 s.f. for the dog play area, and a 4,000- to 5,000-s.f. modular building for other services/storage needs such as bar services, restrooms and a retail store for selling curated dog items. Ideal spots are in areas adjacent to upscale mixed-use retail/multifamily housing developments, especially an open lot or field area that abuts a parking structure. A nearby shopping site should have millennial-friendly group-activity themed co-tenants such as Sur La Table and Pinstripes. Bark Social provides staff that will watch dogs while the owners mingle, and the venue sponsors events such as movie nights, singles nights and group yoga sessions.
MUTTS Canine Cantina expects to open about two new sites per year over next six years. Anticipate those numbers to ramp up, as MUTTS has inked deals with six different multi-unit franchisee groups agreeing to open a total of 18 units. Look for new units to pop in Texas, especially within Austin and El Paso. Upcoming growth will also occur throughout Arizona, including Tucson and the greater Phoenix area, such as a recent lease signed for a unit to open in early 2023 in the Macerich-owned SanTan Village open-air mall in Gilbert, Ariz. MUTTS is also eyeing potential deals in Denver. Although Sunbelt states are easier to target for continued growth because of the favorable outdoor weather for its dog parks, MUTTS is still open to developing its units in indoor spaces in cooler climates, as evidenced by a deal currently being negotiated in Canada for a repurposed shopping center space.
Ideal space should be three-fourths of an acre to one acre for its units, which would include a prefab 1,500-s.f. modular building for the kitchen and bar, and MUTTS is eager to work with new mixed-use developers to provide itself as an amenity to a new building project. Potential sites should be near a lot of multifamily housing, in densely populated urban locations. Repurposed parking lot spaces are viable real estate options for these canine cantinas, and MUTTS can also work with odd-shaped spaces. The prime demographic is the millennial and Generation Z audience, with an average household income range between $50K and $150K/year. Ideal co-tenants include other social outing entertainment destinations such as Topgolf, which has similar demographic and acreage requirements. MUTTS offers a menu of burgers and sandwiches, and a full bar that serves its signature margarita, called “Barkaritas,” as well as milkshakes. The destinations also provide HDTV and offer special events such as pet costume contests and live musical performances, referred to as “Woofstock” concerts.
Fetch Park opened its premiere site three years ago in Atlanta and recently begun expanding its presence, opening its second unit in Columbus, Ga., in September, followed by a 1.3 acre unit that opened in January on a former parking lot space within the Buckhead Village District in Atlanta. Upcoming units expected by the end of this year/early next year will be in Alpharetta, Ga., West Midtown, Ga., Colorado Springs, Colo., and Nashville, Tenn.
Areas rumored to be on Fetch Park’s radar for future expansion include Birmingham, Ala., Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C., as well as additional sites in Georgia. Expect Fetch Park to continue opening new units at a rate of one to three per year over the next two years.
Leasable areas that Fetch Park seeks include 14,000- to 28,000-s.f. spaces in warehouses and parking lots within walking distance to multifamily developments in higher end urban neighborhoods in the vicinity of upscale malls, street-front retail, bars and restaurants, such as Shake Shack. Open to creative space options, Fetch Park is even considering a space on the rooftop of a movie theater for a Sandy Spring, Ga., shopping center renovation. Its spaces can incorporate an on-site repurposed Airstream trailer that acts as a full-service bar that also serves snacks and coffee concoctions. Its dog parks provide multiple outdoor televisions, and offer such special events as singles night mixers, stand-up comedy performances, live musical acts and movie nights.
