‘Sit, stay, drink.’ New Middle Georgia dog park and bar opens in downtown Macon

A new dog park unique to Middle Georgia celebrates its grand opening Friday.

Located at 695 Riverside Drive, Barks N Brews is an off-leash dog park and bar where beer and wine is served from an Airstream inside the 1.5 acre fenced outdoor space.

Owner Kate Lambert of Macon got the idea after visiting similar dog parks in Atlanta, Chattanooga and St. Petersburg.

She’s been working on the project for more than a year.

“I am thrilled that the grand opening is finally here,” said Lambert, a school teacher. “It has been a long time coming; a lot of work.

“We’ve had a lot of positive feedback about the grand opening … A lot of people calling and emailing that they’re excited that it’s finally, finally here.”

Gates will open at 5 p.m. with free admission for the grand opening only.

Grand opening details

Those who sign up for the $265 annual membership at the grand opening will get a 10% discount. Daily passes are $10, and there’s also a $30 monthly option.

Country music artist Megan Fowler is expected to perform from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Locally-owned Good Boy Goodies will offer their all-natural dog treats for sale, and there will be giveaways and a raffle from Fall Line Brewing Co.

Dog-park goers may also enjoy some Fall Line brews from the Airstream bar that will offer a combination of domestic and craft beers, canned wines and seltzers and non-alcoholic drinks as well.

The dog park amenities also include a fountain, dog agility equipment, picnic tables and stools and air-conditioned restrooms housed in a converted shipping container.

There’s also large galvanized tubs for dogs to take a dip in and water hoses to help keep dogs cool.

Additionally, the dog park has its own “ruferees,” employees who help manage the dog park.

“They walk around and make sure that dogs are all getting along well and if they aren’t, they step in and take care of that,” Lambert said. “They toss tennis balls and Frisbees. They hand out dog treats and they refill water bowls.”

Before you go

Here are some key rules dog owners need to know:

• Proof of vaccination is required before dogs may enter the park.
• Dogs over 1 year old must be spayed or neutered, and puppies have to be over 4 months old to come inside the park.
• Dogs must be friendly. Owners of dogs that show aggressive behavior will be asked to immediately remove their dogs from the park.
• Food, dog toys or treats and outside beverages are not allowed in the dog park.
• Smoking also is prohibited.

“First and foremost, we want to keep our dogs safe,” Lambert said.

Doggy day care

Once the dog park has been open for at least a month or two, Lambert plans to offer doggy day care.

“We do feel that there’s a need for day care, especially with so many people living downtown with dogs to have that option to drop your dog off for the day or for a few hours during the day to let them get that exercise and socialization,” she said.

For those living in a 5-mile radius of Barks N Brews in downtown Macon or the surrounding area, Lambert said she’d eventually like to offer “kind of like a concierge service” in which Barks N Brews employees would come to a participant’s homes, pick up their dog and take the dog to doggy day care in the morning.

Her dog, Tucker, an 11-year-old, yellow-lab and golden-retriever mix, is the first Barks N Brews member.

“He’s been watching me work on this for about a year now so I’m super excited for him to get out there with me on Friday and finally get to enjoy the fruits of our labor,” Lambert said.

For more information, check out Barks N Brews website or Facebook page.

This story was originally published September 16, 2021 at 5:00 AM.