Looking for a new place to spend time with your four-legged friends? Look no further. Good Dog Park & Bar, a new dog park with a bar extension, will be opening a location along Birmingham’s Rotary Trail in spring 2022.

We spoke with the team behind Good Dog Park & Bar to learn more about this exciting new addition to Birmingham.

Say hello to Alabama’s first dog park and bar

Good Dog will combine all the fun of visiting a park with your fur-ever friend with the social aspects of your favorite bar. The business was created by three Alabama entrepreneurs: Clint Carmichael, Jeff Hardwick and Bobby Morgan.

Clint Carmichael was inspired to start Good Dog after struggling to find a safe, fun place for his dogs to play.

“Unfortunately, the typical dog park has no turf and requires no proof of your dog’s vaccinations, so you don’t know that it’s safe for your dog to interact with other dogs in the park. At Good Dog, we have an eight-foot perimeter fence and require owners to provide proof of updated vaccinations—such as DHLPP, Bordetella, & Rabies—before entering the park, so you know it’s a safe environment for dogs and humans alike.”
Clint Carmichael, Co-Owner, Good Dog Park & Bar

In addition to the fence and vaccination requirements, Good Dog is taking special precautions to make sure their four- and two-legged guests have a safe & enjoyable visit. For example, Good Dog will always have at least one “Bark Ranger” on duty: a dog-trained staff member who will monitor the park to keep it safe and clean.

“We visited several dog park & bar concepts in nearby cities, and the environment is very relaxed. We want to bring that same energy to Birmingham with Good Dog. We’ll have calm, light music in the background and a wide open space for all the dogs and people to play.”
Bobby Morgan, Director of Operations, Good Dog Park & Bar

Fun Fact: Good Dog plans to open several new locations throughout Alabama! Next up is Auburn, which is set to open in spring 2022. In the near future, Good Dog will open locations in Huntsville and Tuscaloosa.

Here’s how it works

You don’t need to bring a four-legged friend to visit Good Dog! The park & bar is open to anyone, as long as you fill out a guest pass. If you are bringing along your pup, you’ll either need to purchase a $10 day pass or take a look at Good Dog’s membership service.

Good Dog will offer monthly or yearly memberships with a ton of perks, including:

Unlimited access to the park during park hours
Access to ALL future Good Dog locations: Birmingham, Auburn, Huntsville and Tuscaloosa
Access to a member’s only line to enter the park
Discounts on beverages
Exclusive members only events
Access to community-minded people and dogs together to connect in a fun, safe, creative space

Once inside, guests are invited to play with their dogs, socialize with other owners and grab a drink. Good Dog plans to stock their bar with individual wines, popular seltzers and 11-12 beer selections from local breweries. In addition, Good Dog will offer coffee & cold brew in the mornings.

“The location we chose in Birmingham really couldn’t be any better. We’re right next to Rotary Trail, which is already incredibly dog-friendly and easily connects us to Railroad Park. Our building is very fun & lively, with a ton of space inside. And since the building is covered, you can take your dog to our park even if it’s raining outside.”
Clint Carmichael, Co-Owner, Good Dog Park & Bar

During the week, Good Dog will offer daycare services for dogs. Don’t want to leave your furry friend at home while you go to work? Drop them off at Good Dog for a guaranteed day of excitement and socialization with other pups.

And the best part? Good Dog will be giving back 1% of sales to local animal charities, including Hand in Paw and Underdog Rescue of Alabama.

What’s next for Good Dog Park & Bar?

Dog Park in Auburn — A rendering of Good Dog Park & Bar’s upcoming location in Auburn. (Good Dog Park & Bar)

Good Dog Park & Bar: Website | Instagram | Facebook
Address: 101 23rd Street South, Birmingham, AL 35233

Crews are already hard at work to transform the old warehouse into a bright, exciting environment for humans and dogs alike. According to the owners, Good Dog is hoping to open by May 2022—although construction delays are always a possibility.

“Soon, we’re going to start selling founding memberships to Good Dog, so keep an eye out for updates on our Instagram and Facebook channels. We’re so excited to offer this experience to Birmingham, and we really want to help the community and make a positive impact here.
Clint Carmichael, Co-Owner, Good Dog Park & Bar

In addition to Birmingham, Good Dog will be opening a second location in Auburn this spring, and has plans to open in Huntsville and Tuscaloosa in the near future.

Excited to check out Good Dog Park & Bar? Tag us @bhamnow to let us know and don’t forget to follow @gooddog_birmingham to learn more!