In mid-June during coronavirus madness, Ross O’Bryan and Patrick Verdugo opened up their bar, Two Shepherds Taproom. Two Shepherds is Tampa’s first dog bar that offers an indoor and outdoor setting all while your dog remains off-leash.
Their inspiration came from their own dogs but it seems as though pooches and drinks have become an increasingly popular combination for many other people. O’Bryan and Verdugo’s dog-centered establishment idea came from their own pups, one being a German Shepherd and the other an Australian Shepherd.
“The inspiration came about two years ago when my dog Hobbs was still a puppy,” O’Bryan said. “He had crazy amounts of energy and it was raining for about a week straight every day and we were stuck inside with nothing to do.”
O’Bryan looked up any sort of indoor dog park that would help their situation but amounted to nothing. Soon after, his idea of an indoor dog park was born and he and Verdugo decided to take it one step forward and incorporate a bar into their idea.
“I thought to myself, you know what? Someone needs to start this,” O’Bryan said. “We ended up combining it with what people love just as much as dogs and that’s beer.”
The bar’s atmosphere is aimed to make everyone feel comfortable and have a good time. A unique feature is that dogs are allowed off-leash once inside the facility. The only requirement they ask is that all dogs that come into the facility do so with proof of up to date vaccine records. Guests can either upload vaccine records online prior to their visit or present them at the time of entry. Entrance fees are only charged to the dogs so dog parents get in for free. You can also look into getting day passes, month memberships, or annual memberships for dogs as well.
Dog bars are on the rise throughout the country and many people are able to enjoy a day out with their beloved pets. Grover Scott is an avid dog bar attendee, having six dogs of his own Scott says he loves the experience they provide.
“My favorite aspect is being able to take the dogs out of the home to socialize with other dogs in a controlled environment where I can also enjoy a nice beverage,” Scott said. “We have a membership at the Dog Bar in St.Petersburg and we are really looking forward to going back after COVID.”
Many bars, dog-centered ones included, were not able to operate like they normally would due to the coronavirus pandemic. Scott and his dogs haven’t been to a dog bar since the beginning of the pandemic. Two Shepherds opened up in the middle of the pandemic and did not receive as much business as they could have prior to the lockdowns. O’Bryan, however, is hopeful and says dog bars and bars, in general, will bounce back. He says the pandemic has helped them by showing the public how dedicated they are to the health and safety of their guests.
“We’ve taken every precaution necessary to make sure that we are operating within the law’s guidelines,” O’Bryan said. “We’re wiping down all surfaces multiple times a day, masks are required, we’ve reduced seating for social distancing, and we have a large dog park so it’s easy for people to social distance.”
Two Shepherds Taproom is open seven days a week with flexible hours so that everyone has a chance to enjoy all that the bar offers. You can follow them on both Facebook and Instagram here.
