NORTH CENTER — A North Center bar where people can enjoy a pint or two with friends while their dogs play with other neighborhood pups is one step closer to opening.
Couple Morgan LaPorte and Scott Deady announced their plans last year to open The B-A-R at 2457 W. Montrose Ave.
On April 19, the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals signed off on a special use permit for The B-A-R “to establish a tavern with rear outdoor patio,” according to city records.
“We still have quite a journey ahead of us, but this was by far the biggest hurdle,” LaPorte said.
The couple still need a liquor license and expect to have their application reviewed by the full City Council sometime in May, they said. They hope to open their business, a first of its kind in Chicago, in the fall.
LaPorte and Deady, who live in the area, originally hoped to open the bar by the end of last year, but waiting for city approval delayed those plans, they said. They’re currently looking for additional investors in the business.
“We still have some hoops to jump through, but the significance of this step can’t be overstated. Through this process, we’ve learned that zoning can easily demolish a dream. We’re just thankful that ours remains intact and moving forward,” Deady said.
They signed a lease to take over the former location of Plants Inc. in January 2023 and have since been renovating the interior and navigating the city’s licensing process to open The B-A-R.
The name of the bar is a play on how dog owners spell out W-A-L-K when around their pets.
The couple got the idea for the business while visiting family in Little Rock, Arkansas, in early 2020 before the pandemic, LaPorte said. During that trip, LaPorte’s father took them to Bark Bar, Arkansas’ first off-leash dog park and restaurant, she said.
There are more than 50 restaurant and bars in the U.S. that feature an off-leash dog park — including The Barking Bodega in Arizona, Barkside in Michigan and Bark N Brew in Wisconsin.
The couple’s plans for The B-A-R don’t include an off-leash component due to the city’s rules about dogs in businesses, they said.
However, they are encouraging fans of the off-leash concept to ask local officials to consider changing the rules for four-legged patrons at bars, they said.
While there are dog-friendly bars and breweries in Chicago, having what’s essentially an indoor dog park with an attached bar hasn’t been done before in Chicago, LaPorte and Deady said.
“Why don’t off-leash dog bars exist in Chicago and what can we do to change that?,” LaPorte said.
The 2457 W. Montrose Ave. property had a large plant nursery in the rear. The open space had a lot of natural light and drains for irrigation spillover, Deady previously said.
The basic layout will remain but will be outfitted into an indoor dog park with seating and a bar for human customers. The drains will allow for the venue to be sanitized regularly, according to the couple’s plans.
Once The B-A-R is open, dog owners will need to apply for a membership that ranges from a $25 day pass to a $50 month pass. Dog owners will also need to show proof of vaccination for the pups. People who drop by The B-A-R for a beer without a dog don’t have to apply for membership.
For more information and updates about The B-A-R, visit chicagodogbar.com.
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