'Dog Tap House' Poised To Open In Tigard

Fido's, which the founder calls the "world's first dog tap house," is opening next week in Tigard (fittingly, as the year of the dog is about to start). The establishment will offer craft beer from the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere, like a lot of other taphouses.

Unlike other joints, patrons will be able to play with shelter dogs while having their brew. Besides selling beer, the taphouse's goal is to find homes for the dogs, according to owner Scott Porter.

Porter said he evaluated starting a taproom with a friend in 20141.

"After six months [of] research into the bar and taproom industry, I said no. They all looked similar, and it’s a brutal business I didn't want to invest in without some way to differentiate myself from competitors."

Then Porter visited a cat café in Portland in March 2015.

"The hybrid business model of coffee shop with adoptable cats piqued my curiosity," he said. "Why not do something similar, but for dogs?"

"Making the entire bar look like a museum to dogs, adding a third leg to the business that involved promoting and helping charities, making dogs and charities the entertainment — that evolved over the next 12 to 18 months, as I researched and built a business plan," Porter said. "I received overwhelmingly positive responses so I kept pressing forward."

Area nonprofits spend a lot of time fundraising, which takes away from their ability to find homes for shelter dogs, Porter said. This prompted him to promote and support dog-oriented charities within his business model. 

Fido's will donate a part of its profits to local rescue charities.

"It is Fido's goal to become the premier corporate donor in the United States," Porter said. 

The bar will be a venue for dog-themed events, with its patio used for dog demonstrations, art shows and book signings. Children will be welcome at Fido's, as will dogs.