Outdoor dog park/bar opens in Pittsburgh's Strip District
It’s a doggie debut for Pittsburgh.
The Dog Penn is a newly opened, off-leash dog park and bar in the Strip District where folks can bring their dogs along for bar-themed fun and fellowship.
The concept combines drinking with doggie socializing in a relaxed, controlled setting.
Married co-owners Alissa and Travis May of the South Side said it’s been a three-year journey to open their canine-friendly bar.
“This is our new, big adventure,” Travis May said.
The Mays chose a historic building, formerly the home of the Joseph Labriola Sausage Factory, in the Strip District for its urban location and large outdoor space.
The year-round dog park is about 4,000 square feet, double-fenced, fully turfed and equipped with several heaters. Adirondack chairs and blankets are at the ready. “Scamp counselor” employees are on hand to monitor and handle any doggie-related issues.
The bar inside is for humans, but customers can scoot back and forth to get drinks and mingle with mutts.
Customer Julia Tallarico brought her dog Millie for a visit Thursday evening.
Millie ran about the outdoor dog park while Tallarico watched, sipping a “Hot-buttered Mutt” cocktail.
“It’s so nice because this isn’t muddy and it’s a great place to meet other dog lovers,” Tallarico said.
The dog park operates by selling memberships and customers register via an app. Rates are $12 daily, $40 monthly and $300 annually. All dog owners must provide proof of full immunizations, and pups must be at least 4 months old and spayed or neutered by age 1.
The couple, who bring years of bartending experience to the business, hired a staff of 14. They are thrilled to offer an urban dog destination in the city.
“The driving force was to keep it urban. A lot of our members live in new condos in the Strip,” Alissa May said “We are the backyard of the Strip.”
The bar doesn’t have a kitchen but hot dogs are available and food trucks visit on weekends.
A giant painted mural featuring 31 dogs, including the Mays’ dog Sabre, flanks the building overlooking 2614 Penn Ave.
The couple is hands-on with daily operations, six days a week (closed Tuesdays). To appeal to daytime doggie customers, they open at noon and stay open to 10 p.m. every day but Sunday, when they close at 8 p.m.
“We just want to get the vibe and pace for everyone so we opened kind of quietly,” said Alissa May of their soft opening in late October.
Alissa May hails from Hollidaysburg in Blair County; Travis May grew up in Seattle. The couple previously lived six years in Seward, Alaska, and enjoyed taking Sabre to various dog park/bars found more often out west.
Relocating to Pittsburgh included RVing across the country, where they often stopped and found similar concepts during their travels.
“Finding stuff to do with Sabre was easy on the West Coast. And then after we passed Kansas, it became a lot more difficult,” Travis May said.
Having the first of its kind here in Pittsburgh is exciting for the couple.
“It’s a little difficult to get off the ground because it’s a new concept, but the community has given us a great reception,” Alissa May said.
The customer demographic is mixed. “I thought it would be people in their late 20s and early 30s. But dogs are a great equalizer. And if you love your dog and want to talk about your dog, we’re the place. We’re seeing a lot of the same people,” Travis May said. “It’s social.”
The full bar features prosecco on tap, cocktails, wines and weekly trivia nights and other themed events.
In the works is a “Pawliday Market” scheduled for Dec. 7 that will include an ugly-sweater dog/owner contest and pics with Santa.
Giving back to local animal charities is a part of their business plan. Proceeds from pics with Santa will benefit Heart of Glass Rescue on the South Side.
The Mays are adjusting to the reality of seeing their hard work over the past three years come to fruition.
“It’s good. We put a lot of work into this and our blood sweat and tears. It’s great to see it operating and seeing repeat customers, to finally see a little community coming together,” Travis May said.
And Sabre appreciates coming with them to work, too: “We don’t have a backyard in the South Side,” Alissa said.
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com
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