Dog lovers need to find new places to enjoy happy hour with their pooches because Bark Social has closed all of its locations, including Alexandria.
The beer garden and dog park venue announced on its Instagram pages that it closed at the end of business day on Thursday, November 21.
“We know this is abrupt, but as a small start-up, Bark Social relies on investors to fuel its growth,” said the company in its statement. “The company was in the middle of a growth round when financing that was expected fell through. To do right by its team members who are the heart and soul of the company, Bark Social has made the tough decision to close its doors today and will enter bankruptcy.”
Bark Social had five total locations, including Alexandria; Maryland locations in Bethesda, Baltimore, and Columbia; and Philadelphia. Bethesda opened as the company’s first premium dog bar in the mid-Atlantic region in spring 2021.
It added Alexandria, one of the region’s most dog-friendly communities to its list of locations after buying out Brewski’s Barkhaus — a 6,000-square-foot facility with a full kitchen on Howell Avenue — back in November 2023.
Bark Social required dogs to have either a $39.99 per month membership or day pass to enter the park. Dogs needed to be vaccinated and neutered or spayed. Each drinking-age adult was allowed up to two dependents, which included children and dogs. Kids were not allowed after 8 p.m.
The company’s website currently states its locations are “closed until further notice.”
If you want to bring your dogs to a brewery, here are some NoVA breweries that allow dogs.
Feature image of Bark Social in Bethesda by Jude Luellen
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