The Barkery in South Portland closes after 4 months of business - EUROPE SAYS
A Maine restaurant and bar that included an indoor dog park has closed less than five months after it opened for business. The Barkery Restaurant and Dog Bar in South Portland, which had its grand opening on. . .
A Maine restaurant and bar that included an indoor dog park has closed less than five months after it opened for business. The Barkery Restaurant and Dog Bar in South Portland, which had its grand opening on Feb. 5, announced on social media that it was closed as of Monday, June 22. ”This is not the ending we hoped for, and it is not a decision we made lightly. It took nearly two years to bring The Barkery to life, and saying goodbye to this dream is deeply painful,” The Barkery’s owners said in a statement. “Thank you to every guest who came through our doors, brought your dogs to play, shared a meal with us, joined us for trivia, attended a fundraiser, celebrated with us, told a friend about us, or simply believed in what we were trying to build. ”Related video above: The Barkery’s grand openingThe owners said that while the dog bar industry is “an amazing one,” the business is also a newer concept and the runway is longer than The Barkery was able to carry financially. ”Moving beyond early adopters takes time. Educating the market takes time. Pushing past misunderstanding and misinformation takes time,” the owners said. “Unfortunately, we reached the point where the financial stress of that runway became too much for the business to overcome. ”The Barkery’s owners said they were incredibly proud of the work they were able to do in the community, namely supporting local rescues, shelters and youth organizations. According to the owners, The Barkery hosted two adoption events, held six fundraising events that raised more than $2,000 combined and raised an additional $350 through its own fundraising campaigns. ”We are so proud of our team, the community we created, the dogs we welcomed safely, and the local rescues, shelters, youth organizations, and partners we were able to support in our short time open,” the owners said. The owners said their top priority is helping The Barkery’s staff members land on their feet. ”If you know of job openings or opportunities that could help them, we would be incredibly grateful,” the owners said. SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine —A Maine restaurant and bar that included an indoor dog park has closed less than five months after it opened for business. The Barkery Restaurant and Dog Bar in South Portland, which hadits grand opening on Feb. 5, announced on social media that it was closed as of Monday, June 22. “This is not the ending we hoped for, and it is not a decision we made lightly. It took nearly two years to bring The Barkery to life, and saying goodbye to this dream is deeply painful,” The Barkery’s owners said in a statement. “Thank you to every guest who came through our doors, brought your dogs to play, shared a meal with us, joined us for trivia, attended a fundraiser, celebrated with us, told a friend about us, or simply believed in what we were trying to build. ”Related video above: The Barkery’s grand openingThe owners said that while the dog bar industry is “an amazing one,” the business is also a newer concept and the runway is longer than The Barkery was able to carry financially. “Moving beyond early adopters takes time. Educating the market takes time. Pushing past misunderstanding and misinformation takes time,” the owners said. “Unfortunately, we reached the point where the financial stress of that runway became too much for the business to overcome. ”The Barkery’s owners said they were incredibly proud of the work they were able to do in the community, namely supporting local rescues, shelters and youth organizations. According to the owners, The Barkery hosted two adoption events, held six fundraising events that raised more than $2,000 combined and raised an additional $350 through its own fundraising campaigns. “We are so proud of our team, the community we created, the dogs we welcomed safely, and the local rescues, shelters, youth organizations, and partners we were able to support in our short time open,” the owners said. The owners said their top priority is helping The Barkery’s staff members land on their feet. “If you know of job openings or opportunities that could help them, we would be incredibly grateful,” the owners said.