A pub brand known as a hub for dog lovers in metropolitan Washington, D.C., abruptly shuttered all its canine-friendly venues despite opening its latest location just weeks ago.
Bark Social, the cafe and off-leash dog park chain, announced it would file for an unspecified type of bankruptcy and close down, according to a statement shared by the company.
After “financing unexpectedly fell through,” the business decided to close its five locations throughout the mid-Atlantic.
Initially launched in Bethesda, Maryland, the chain expanded regionally, and in October added a location in Columbia near the concert venue Merriweather Post Pavilion. It also operated spots in Alexandria, Virginia, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The company had planned to open a location in the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, in 2025, according to its website. Bark Social did not immediately respond to CoStar News' email and phone requests for comment.
The gated dog parks serving pub drinks and treats for the pups offered various membership tiers for joining with four-legged friends. The company has not said what is to become of those memberships.
It’s not the only retail chain in and around the District to unexpectedly cease operations this year. In April, the upscale corner store chain Foxtrot announced it would close, though earlier this fall it said it's scheduled to reopen locations in Chicago and Dallas through 2025.
Exactly what type of retail may replace the various Bark Social sites remains to be seen.
An online petition looking to show potential investors how much the venues were valued garnered more than 1,000 signatures as of Nov. 26.
“The closure of Bark Social is such a loss for my very social dog who loved spending time there,” one person wrote.
Others quickly took to social media to express their disappointment on the sudden shutdown. Evan Glass, a council member in Maryland’s Montgomery County, said on the social media platform X that he was stunned.