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A dog walking into a bar won’t just be the beginning of a joke anymore in Westfield.
Three Westfield residents plan to open Indiana’s first dog bar—called Crate Escapes—next year on John Dippel Blvd., on the southwest side of the Wheeler Road roundabout in Grand Park Village.
Crate Escapes is planned as a membership-based off-leash indoor/outdoor dog park, bar and dog care facility. Plans include a 10,000-square-foot indoor area and a two-acre outdoor space where dogs can run and play while their humans enjoy food, drinks, games and the sight of canines romping around.
Megan Schaffer is working to open Crate Escapes with her sister Jen Ehlers and brother-in-law Aaron Ehlers. They recently finalized a land purchase at Grand Park Village and hope to open Crate Escapes by fall 2024. More locations around central Indiana could follow in the coming years.
Schaffer, who owns a wedding photography business, has a background in animal care and first thought about opening a doggy daycare. However, the idea expanded over time as she realized there are a lack of places in Hamilton County where people can let their dogs play off-leash.
“When we would talk, I was always saying, ‘Oh, that’d be really cool. Like we have all this space, if we have a dog park area, maybe we could on weekends hold events or host things for more people to come,” Schaffer told IBJ. “And then the more we thought about it, the more that kind of spiraled into making that more of what the business was where it was a place that people could bring their dogs.”
Schaffer has five foster dogs, while her sister and brother-in-law have two of their own.
Indianapolis-based Hoerstman Design Shop LLC is working to design Crate Escapes, which will feature architecture in the same Cape Cod-style as the rest of Grand Park Village. Designs for Crate Escapes will go through the city of Westfield’s approval process.
Steve Henke, founder of Carmel-based Henke Development LLC, introduced plans in late 2012 for the 220-acre Grand Park Village.
Brad Henke, who handles development and brokerage for his family’s company, said Crate Escape’s future location near Grand Park Sports Campus, the Monon Trail and the Midland Trace Trail makes it a good fit for an area where people go for recreation.
“When we heard they were looking in the area, we just thought it would be a great opportunity for Grand Park,” Henke said. “We feel like it’s a really neat concept and a vibrant space and fun for all of the community to enjoy.”
While there are bars in central Indiana, such as Metazoa Brewing Co., that cater to guests who bring their dogs, Crate Escapes would be the first in the state to follow the dog bar model that is more common in the southern and southwestern United States.
Examples of dog bars include PG&J’s Dog Bar in Louisville and Fetch Park, which has four locations near Atlanta and another in Columbus, Georgia. Mutts Canine Cantina has five dog bars in Texas with five more in the works across the southwest.
“That was kind of nice to see that it is not a completely crazy idea, that they exist and they’re doing well and are kind of fun,” Schaffer said.
Schaffer and her team plan to operate Crate Escapes seven days a week with hours of 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 9 p.m. on Sundays.
People who want to visit with their dogs will first need to download the Crate Escapes app where they will create an account and complete their pup’s profile. Dogs will need to be up to date on their vaccinations and be properly socialized with other dogs and humans.
Only dogs 12 weeks and older will be allowed, and they will need to be spayed or neutered. The dog bar will also have three large bathing tubs for dirty dogs to clean up.
People will be allowed to have up to four dogs on a single membership, which will provide access to the bar and dog park. Annual memberships will be available for $250 paid at once or $25 paid monthly.
Memberships are not required, and owners will be able to purchase a day pass for $10 per dog on weekdays and $15 per dog on weekends. Monthly passes will be available for $35 per dog.
A separate dog park is also planned for smaller dogs who weigh under 25 pounds. Small dogs who are comfortable playing alongside larger dogs will also be allowed in the main dog park area.
Crate Escapes will also offer a doggy daycare service for people who want to drop off their dog for the day.
Drinks on Crate Escapes’ menu will include cocktails, wine from Westfield-based Urban Vines and Nashville-based Brown County Winery and craft beer. Three food vendors will sell barbecue, tacos and pizza for human guests, while pupsicles, meat balls, dog beer and cookies will be available for dogs.
Schaffer said she expects Crate Escapes will begin with about 15 to 20 employees and add more as needed. Positions will include managers, bartenders, receptionists, greeters and “rufferees.”
She added that she has received several requests from local businesses interested in sponsoring areas of the dog bar.
There are plans for a memory walk fundraiser in which people can purchase a brick with their name and/or their pet’s name. Money raised would go both to the dog park and a local animal rescue.
“We’re just wanting it to be a nice kind of community center for people to come watch games or listen to music,” Schaffer said. “There’s so many venues around this area that have just kind of a fun atmosphere when you’re looking to unwind after a day of work, and it’s a bummer when you’ve been working all day to not be able to bring your dog with you.”
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Love this concept…wish you all the best.