Your dog is begging you to take them to this new dog park and taphouse

Hops N’ Paws is a dog park and taphouse in Idaho Falls. | Kaitlyn Hart, EastIdahoNews.com

IDAHO FALLS — If you’ve ever felt guilty leaving your dog at home, the owners of an Idaho Falls dog park have a solution for you.

The owners of Hops N’Paws at 1810 West Broadway Street have a place for dog lovers to socialize their pups, hang out with friends and family, and grab a beer, soda and a bite to eat all in one spot.

“We wanted an environment where you could come and hang out in a safe manner with your dog, and have a drink,” says co-owner Mandi Hamilton. “We just wanted good vibes.”

The owners say the community has been overwhelmingly welcoming, from local businesses donating playground equipment for the pups to locals stopping by every day to let their dogs get out their “zoomies” while they mingle with other dog moms and dads.

“Being from here and growing up in his area, most people feel the same way as we did — there’s not a lot of options for families to go somewhere and enjoy together,” says co-owner RD Sortor. “That’s why we pushed really hard to make sure this was a family-friendly and safe environment.”

After three weeks of operation, the owners say the response has been overwhelming, with many happy pups and owners feeling excited to have a new kind of business in eastern Idaho.

“I’m thrilled that we put this on the West side,” says co-owner David Collette. “The other day, I came over with my grandkids, and they played in the park, and then we played Uno. We have a lot of different games that the kids can play. We had a great time, and they really didn’t want to leave.”

Don’t have a dog? No problem. Hops N’ Paws is also a taphouse that offers an ever-changing selection of beer, wine, and canned drinks. It also has a non-alcoholic “dirty soda” bar for those who just need a place to unwind after a long day.

“You don’t necessarily have to have a dog to come here,” says Sortor. “We offer the soda bar and light snacks for people who don’t have a dog and just want a place to go relax.”

We would be amiss not to mention the dog park’s namesake and mascot, Hops, a 7-year-old springer spaniel who Hamilton says inspired her and the other owners to open their business.

“We named this place ‘Hops N’ Paws, so it works for the beer aspect, but it also works for my dog,” says Hamilton. “He is my best friend, and we wanted to create a space where he could make lots of friends and have a good time.”

The dog park includes an indoor area with TVs, a patio area for pet owners and their friends to watch their dogs while having a snack, and a small dog park for tinier pups to play comfortably.

“We saw (the idea) on TikTok about four years ago, and Mandi showed it to me, and she’s passionate about her dog and other people’s dogs,” says Sortor.

Each dog entry is $10, and monthly/yearly membership plans are available for those who want unlimited access to the park and other perks, like discounts on purchases and the future ability to get free dog daycare days and boarding.

“We are currently working on, and will open in the future, dog daycare and boarding as well,” says Sortor. “There are a lot of perks that come along with the membership that you wouldn’t necessarily get if you just pay the day pass.”

Hamilton says the park and taphouse have already begun hosting events and food truck nights, and plans to offer exciting new ways to play with your pups.

“We have a ‘Wine Down Wednesday’, so it’s a dollar off wine, and we’ll have different events,” says Hamilton. “We’ll have trivia in the fall, and things like breed meet-ups and little events for the dogs too.”

Hops’ N Paws is also hosting a “Bark in the Park” night at the Chukar’s game on Saturday, Aug. 30.

Hops N’ Paws is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Visit its Facebook and Instagram pages for more information.