Cheers to Pet-Care Success: Meet Tucker's Tap Yard

Clinking glasses. Paws romping through turf. The chaotic and joyful blend of human conversations and doggy yaps. These are the sounds you can expect on a normal day at Tucker's Tap Yard, a dog bar and off-leash dog park in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

“My husband and I started researching off-leash dog parks and bars in 2020. We opened in August 2022 in the sub-section of downtown Winston-Salem called Industry Hill," said Kim Parsons, co-owner of Tucker's Tap Yard.

Unlike traditional pet-care businesses, dog bars and parks require a unique layout—one that blends canine safety, human socialization, and the logistics of serving food and drinks. Luckily, Tucker's Tap Yard found a space that met these needs and more.

“Our building is a former auto body repair shop that we converted into our business so it has a ‘warehouse' feel with lots of garage doors leading out to play areas. We have over 20K of square feet in total and about 15K of that is pet turf," explained Parsons. “The building has a separate area for small dogs, private parties, a self-wash dog bath, and our large play Yard. We have about 20 staff members all of which are part-time. Our play yard is staffed with Yard Rangers who monitor overall Yard cleanliness and safe pup play."

Smarter Operations with Dog Bar Software

But with all that space, Tucker's Tap Yard needed a centralized way to organize customers, pups, and staff. They began searching for pet business software that could adapt to their dynamic structure.

“We wanted software that was flexible enough to potentially grow into dog daycare. We also wanted to be able to use it for our self-wash dog station, and we really liked the immunization reminders," said Parsons. “[With Gingr], it is very easy to see quickly when a customer is entering if they are all current on their vaccines, and we always let them know when they are close to expiration. Many customers say that we monitor it more closely than their vets."

Tailored Communication = Loyal Customers

One of the ways Tucker’s Tap Yard keeps guests coming back? Consistent communication. They use Gingr's pet marketing software tools to routinely send immunization reminders, newsletters, and other updates. These campaigns can be customized with pet parent data in Gingr, allowing for precise targeting based on services booked, visit frequency, and other variables.

“Every time we update a dog's vaccines, we send our customers an email that brings our spot and brand back to their minds!" Parsons said. “A few times, we have had to adjust our hours or close completely due to inclement weather. It is easy to send a quick email update and sort only customers that have visited our facility in the past 60 days to ensure only our active guests get notified."

Building Community, One Pup at a Time

In a world where many social spots don't allow dogs, Tucker's Tap Yard provides an outlet for community-seeking pet parents. As it approaches three years in business, Tucker's Tap Yard has served as the backdrop for surprise proposals, first dates, and friendship formations. It's a role Kim and her team feel honored to fill for their community. 

“Bringing folks together is very rewarding and [our customers] are so appreciative to have an easy special social gathering spot that they can bring their pups," said Parsons.

Dog bars create a space where pet parents can find community and pups can find their FBFF (Furry Best Friend Forever). Tucker's Tap Yard continues to master this combination, supported by Gingr's pet-care management tools that remove manual busywork and communication blockers from its daily operations. 

Experience a better way of running your pet-care business. Get a Gingr demo today!