SARAH FENSKE
Owners Joe Schiro, Stephen Walters and Laurie and Kevin Simpson announced the news on Facebook yesterday, saying they planned to open "a dog friendly, energetic, fun & family friendly venue." And for that, it's hard to imagine a better location — the standalone building has a decent sized fenced yard and is directly across the street from the Frenchtown Dog Park.
The four friends are all St. Louis natives. In their post, they say they'll have an off-leash area for dogs, as well as "a kitchen run by professionals who have recently had rave reviews by the RFT."
Their Facebook post continues, "We will have space for corporate events, TVs to watch the ballgame, or an area for you to just hang out with your 4 legged friend. We will be partnering with local companies, dog trainers, pet supply stores, & local charities to provide services for dogs, including health check ups & rescue opportunities."
Reached by email, Walters declined a phone interview on behalf of the group, saying they want to get construction done before doing any media interviews. "We are grateful to the Soulard neighborhood for their welcoming support and are looking forward to being able to contribute to the community in any way we can," he added.
While it's just one block from Soulard's main drag, the 10th Street location is on a quiet block that proved problematic for Tropical Liqueurs. The slushy bar opened in the summer of 2015 and closed a year and a half later after the city revoked its liquor license following complaints from neighbors — and charges of racism from the owners. Trops has since reopened in a much larger space in the Grove.
But the DogHaus may prove a better fit. For one thing, the block is already frequented by dog lovers. For another, the owners seem to be positioning the place as less "bar" and more "community hangout."
For more information on the DogHaus, check out its Facebook page.
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