PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE DOG PENN
The Strip District is going to the dogs.
This spring, Alissa and Travis May plan to unleash the hounds at a combination pup park and a full-service bar at 2514 Penn Ave. Serendipitously, the space once housed the Joseph Labriola Sausage Co.
Hopefully, my pal’s dachshund gets a discount.
The Dog Penn will feature a 2,600-square-foot indoor area with a turf floor with a specially designed drainage system. The outdoor space is nearly double the size of the building and will be lined with pergolas, Adirondack chairs, laptop charging stations, free Wi-Fi and a fence with portholes so pups can peek out onto Penn Avenue. Large windows are also being installed so canines can curl up in sunny spots for naps.
Humans can lap up beer, cider, wine and cocktails at the bar. Beverages will be served in metal cups to eliminate the risk of broken glass and bloody paws.
The business is all bar(k), with no bites made on the premises. A rotating pack of food trucks will provide the grub. The Mays also will encourage patrons to order take-out from nearby eateries.
You don’t have to be accompanied by a pooch to gain access to The Dog Penn, but if you do bring Fido along, you’ll have to register him online or at the front desk. Pet owners can drop in for $10 a day, buy a $40 monthly membership or get a yearly pass for about 300 bones.
Four-legged visitors will have to be well-behaved, spayed or neutered and up-to-date on their vaccines. While the site capacity hovers around 180 people, the owners will closely monitor the crowd to keep dander levels low. Employees known as “Scamp” Counselors will be on-hand during operating hours to ensure a tail-waggin’ good time is had by all.
The Mays plan to offer Yappy Hour specials, partner with local shelters and animal welfare organizations on fundraising and adoption events and host movie nights, crafting workshops and a live Puppy Bowl to coincide with the Big Game.
Artist No Ka ‘Oi will paint a mural on the side of the building featuring the Mays’ best friend, Saber, and other dogs they love. They may add fuzzy customers to the wall as well.
“Our vision is creating a fun community spot where you can come and you know your dog is going to be safe,” says Travis, who came to our interview wearing a shirt with a snapshot of Saber on it. “We want to get to know people and their pets.”
Alissa, who hails from Hollidaysburg, Pa., and Travis, a Seattle native, are South Side residents and service industry veterans who currently sling drinks at Pins Mechanical Co. and Sly Fox Brewing Co., respectively.
They didn’t always live a pup-friendly lifestyle.
The couple bounced between Seattle, Arizona, Alaska and Thailand for years, working at different bars and restaurants. When they finally decided to put down roots closer to Alissa’s family in the Keystone State, they piled Saber (a rescued mutt) and all of their worldly possessions into an RV and “ruffed” it on the road from Alaska to Pittsburgh.
Along the way, they stopped at numerous dog park/watering hole hybrids but didn’t find many past the Idaho border. Travis says a spot called Bark Social debuted in Philadelphia this month.
The couple doesn’t want their business to be a late-night spot for drunken party animals, but a laid-back place where folks and their furry friends can sit, stay and socialize while enjoying a little hair of the dog.
