Many dog playdates will have to be relocated after May as Yard Bar, a bar designed specifically to cater to canines and their people, closes. The bar's last day will be May 30, a press release confirms.
Yard Bar opened in 2015, when founder Kristen Heaney Clark decided it was time to upgrade how dog owners socialize. It created a new category in Austin: hospitality for dogs and people, with a membership model.
According to the release, the membership model was not something the business could keep up with. Yard Bar closed because "it has found it impossible to sustain operations while also keeping up with rising property taxes, cost of labor, insurance, cost of goods, and more."
A statement from Clark clarifies the message: “I want people to understand that we're not closing because Yard Bar failed. We're closing because the economics of this location have grown faster than what any business at our scale can reasonably absorb. She also explained, “There's a ceiling to what you can charge for the experience we provide, and we've been bumping against it for a while now.”
May will be packed with ways to say goodbye, from special pricing and flexible passes for the final month (starting at $5), to Thirsty Thursdays ($5 draft beers) and savings on Yard Bar merch like baseball caps, dog collars, and leashes. There will also be two events to attend.
On May 9, the Dog Mom's Day Party will bring together partners Grillo's Pickles, Tito's, and Double with pickle-themed food and drinks, custom embroidered bandanas, and more to check out for dogs and people. Finally on closing day, May 30, Last Call at Yard Bar: One More Round for the Hounds will serve as a "final hoorah." All that's revealed so far are the date and the name.
As Yard Bar winds down, its service hours will change. Starting May 4, it'll be open from 3-9 pm Mondays through Fridays, and 11 am to 9 pm Saturdays and Sundays.
“This is a bittersweet moment. I’m so proud of what we built here—not just a business, but a community. People came here to play, to work, to relax, and along the way, real friendships were formed. That matters,” said Clark. “Right now, I’m most focused on closing this chapter with integrity and taking care of our team and our members. I know this moment will naturally lead to conversations about what’s next for me, and I’m open to that. I’m listening for the next opportunity that gets under my skin the way Yard Bar did—the kind of thing I simply can’t say no to.”
