The Boozy Mutt, a new indoor-outdoor off-the-leash dog park, bar, and restaurant located in the former North Star Bar at 2639 Poplar Street, is set to open late spring 2023, with newlywed entrepreneurs Sam and Allison Mattiola at the helm.
“Myself and Allison are really excited to be a part of the Philadelphia community,” Sam Mattiola tells What Now Philadelphia. “We’ve always had an entrepreneurial drive, and just to have an opportunity to do that in our city, and to get to give back to the people here, is something we’re really looking forward to doing.”
Sitting at 7,500 square feet and two stories, the facility hosts 140 seats and an “interactive new concept [that] invites dog owners and dog lovers alike to spend quality time together in a safe, fun, and upscale environment,” according to a press release shared with What Now Philadelphia. “Humans get to enjoy the ambiance, elevated bar food, and upscale beverages while their furry friends socialize.”
According to Sam Mattiola, the elevated bar food consists of a “healthy twist” on classic pub grub such as fries and wings, but that ultimately “cultivates a crowd of members or regulars who come in two or three times a week and [don’t] hate themselves at the end of the week for having eaten with us.”
Meanwhile, although they haven’t completely pinned down the beverage program, Sam says it’ll feature a full bar menu with a “little bit of an upscale cocktail vibe, and then we’re definitely going for a local beer vibe.”
And of course, there will also be a menu of treats for The Boozy Mutt’s non-human customers to indulge in.
Inspiration for The Boozy Mutt comes from the Mattiola’s dog, Buda, whom the couple adopted “shortly after the pandemic began,” only to “quickly become familiar with the many challenges associated with owning a dog in the city.”
As a result, Sam and Allison “set out to create a space where friends could come together without feeling guilty about leaving their dogs at home,” adding, “The concept of combining the best parts of a dog park with our favorite neighborhood gastropub was too exciting to ignore.”
As Allison explains, “One of our favorite things to do as a couple is host our friends, family, and their dogs at our home. We want nothing more than to create a place that fosters the same welcoming and fun experience for our community. Not to mention, we are honored to be the next tenants in the legendary former North Star Bar.”
