Dog owners in Central Texas are about to lose a local hot spot known for being a haven for dog play dates and ice-cold drinks, as a popular dog-friendly bar in Austin will soon close after 11 years in business. Yard Bar announced on social media that it will be closing its location in North Austin next month.
The last day of operation for the outdoor spot, known as a combination dog park and bar, will be Saturday, May 30. In a Facebook post, Yard Bar Owner Kristen Heaney Clark said that the “decision to close is purely a math problem. It is not a reflection of the deep love we have for the community of team members, people and pets who made Yard Bar the best dog park ever.”
Austin TV station KVUE reports that in a release, Clark said she and her team decided to close Yard Bar because they’ve “found it impossible to sustain operations” amid rising property taxes and the cost of labor, goods and insurance.
“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,” Heaney Clark said in a release. “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.”
The post concluded by inviting the Austin community to visit Yard Bar in its final days. KVUE reports that the local joint will offer $5 May passes with flexible options for guests who want to visit more than once before closing.
“We hope you’ll see us one time or one hundred times before we hang up our leashes,” Clark said. “We still have a lot to celebrate, and we’ll be sharing special events, offerings and ways to make the most of these final weeks together.”
The bar will also have drink specials every Thursday in May. Yard Bar is expected to host a “Dog Mom’s Day Party” on Saturday, May 9, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring pickle-forward food and drink specials, dog toys, live custom embroidery, and free bandanas for the first 500 guests.
Beginning May 4, Yard Bar’s hours of operation will be Monday through Friday from 3 to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. MySA reached out to Yard Bar for comment, but did not hear back at the time of publication.
Find it: 6700 Burnet Road, Austin, TX 78757