Heaven is indeed a place on earth and it's opening to the public in summer 2019. Boozehounds Dog Bar—an off-leash pup park and boozy watering hole—is catering to pet parents in Central Florida with alcohol, a fenced in outdoor space, and welcoming "dogs + beer = happy humans" mantra.
Owners, Paul Jaszczenski and Lainie Pekich, designed the space out of necessity after bringing home their own German Shepherd puppy, Kaia. "Even when we did find a restaurant, [she] wasn't happy stuck under a table," Pekich told Food & Wine. "She was hot and miserable. When we took her to a dog park, Paul and I were bored, sweaty, and in need of a cocktail."
The pair decided then and there to open the dog park-bar mashup. Now, after nearly two years of prep, Boozehounds is finally ready to for its big debut. Sitting less than five miles outside of Downtown Orlando, the 2,000 square-foot space was created from repurposed shipping containers—a "neat and green" approach Jaszczenski was excited to incorporate. "I spent 20 years in the steel industry, so it makes sense," he continued. "But putting it together and finding the right architect has definitely taken time." The bar will also boast flat-screen TVs, a gas fire pit, and market lights.
According to Food & Wine, the menus are still in development, but will likely include a lineup of local and domestic beer, wine, and Bitters & Bombs Bartending cocktails. A chicken broth-based "dog beer" will also be on tap for your pooch and on-site food trucks are expected. "Everyone thought we were nuts when we told them about our idea,” Jaszczenski continued to the publication. "But we did a lot of research and realized there are similar concepts all across the country, just none in Central Florida. We traveled to a handful of them and learned what worked and what could be improved on."
Due to state-wide regulations, Florida requires that Boozehounds keep a record of off-leash dogs that come through the park. As such, membership and day passes between $10 and an annual $140 are required if you want your pup to run free. "Just as much as we want to become a place where dogs and owners can have a good time, we also want to promote local pet adoption," Pekich added. "Millennials don’t want kids right now. They want dogs, and we’re here for it."
Ummmm, SAME.
