Bark Social—Washington DC Area’s First “Dog Bar”—Launches by Giving Back to Local Pet Charities
Bark Social, the first membership-based dog bar in the Mid-Atlantic region, will open its doors this fall at North Bethesda’s Pike & Rose with local pet charities in mind. A 25,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor craft beer and coffee bar featuring a professionally monitored off-leash dog park, Bark Social has launched the “Give Back” T-shirt, a fundraiser that will donate $6 from each T-shirt sold to its non-profit partners.
The group of nonprofit organizations include five local dog nonprofit organizations; Montgomery County Humane Society, Humane Rescue Alliance, Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation, Montgomery County Partners For Animal Well-Being (MCPAW). In addition, Bark Social is partnering with one national organization, Tails of Valor Paws of Honor, an organization providing trained service dogs to veterans and their families so that they can better manage post-combat physical and psychological issues.
Founders Luke Silverman and Jeff Kurtzman made giving back to the local community and dog non-profits a critical part of Bark Social’s mission. Kurtzman is a seasoned social entrepreneur and familiar with purpose-driven ventures. Kurtzman co-founded Better World Books (BWB), which has donated 26.5 million books and $28.4M for literacy and libraries since its founding in 2003. In addition to BWB, Kurtzman also was the CEO of Aid Through Trade, one of the leaders in the fair-trade fashion industry and employs about 200 female artisans in Nepal.
“We believe in giving back to our local communities and the animals that bring endless amounts of joy to our lives. Bark Social is committed to creating positive change, and it’s exciting that we’re able to support these important organizations by offering the Give Back T-shirt before we open,” said Silverman.
“Give Back” T-Shirts are available for online purchase and at Bark Social’s pop-up store location at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda (opening this July).