Richmond’s craft beer scene is about to get more dog friendly, at least it will if the folks at Hair of the Dog have anything to say about it.
Richmond’s craft beer scene is about to get more dog friendly, at least it will if the folks at Hair of the Dog have anything to say about it.
The idea is fairly simple: an indoor dog park with a sectioned off area for humans to socialize and imbibe while their beloved pets enjoy the company of other four-legged companions.
Ankit Mathur, the brains behind Hair of the Dog, moved into the fan with his new adopted puppy last year and RVA’s unreliable weather has been a burden ever since. “During the winter, the dog parks are closed early and it’s really cold, and in the summer is incredibly hot,” said Mathur. “I’m standing around watching my dog have fun while I’m freezing.”
Mathur thought it would be great if there was a place where he could let his dog run free while he gets work done, reads a book, or even has a beer. “I wanted to introduce the idea of it being a social environment,” said Mathur. “I want to make this a local community thing – with lots of local flavor and local craft beer… I want it to be a fun place for owners as well as their dogs.”
The specifics of the project are still being worked out – it can’t be easy to just make a bar where you can bring your dog, but Mathur hopes if he wins the contest, he’ll gain access to resources to solve these issues. “I want to work with local design firms to come up with these solutions.”
You can head over to the IE website and vote for Mathur’s idea here.
The start-up project is part of the IE RVA start-up competition through the Greater Richmond Chamber. With a cash prize of $10 grand, 6 months free office space, and a mess of other benefits, it’s an interesting opportunity for a local business to get on its feet.
Winners are picked by judges based on originality of the business idea, the innovative nature of the business, as well as the viability of the business.
If you receive the prize, you have to stay based here in RVA to help build the city’s creative community.
Previous finalists of the IE include Dragon Grips (self-powered heated bike handlebar covers) and BOHO Cycle Studio, an indoor cycling studio.
Good luck to Mathur, and may his craft beer dog park dreams become an RVA reality.
