Today we’d like to introduce you to Sam Carter.
Hi Sam, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Four years ago, while working a job neither of us particularly liked Kevin Knutson and I (Kevin is the other primary owner and operator), stumbled across a video of a similar concept to Unleashed that was located in a different city. We joked somewhat about opening a similar place in Minneapolis and went as far as contacting city officials to see how doable it was. It fell away for some time before we picked it up seriously a year later and began looking for locations. We found one and had an offer in place to buy a building before the offer fell through.
At that point, we gave up. However, a year later our realtor contacted us with a location right next to the Minneapolis farmers market that would be perfect. We spent 6 months renovating the space and working through city loopholes as a one of a kind concept. Six weeks before the first Covid closure we opened and it was a huge success. We like other businesses grinded through the Covid closures and restrictions. We have finally been open for our longest consecutive period since our grand opening in 2020.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being a first of its kind concept in this market, we have had our struggles. First was working with city officials and the city council to get the idea green lit. Luckily we had some awesome advocates in the city and on the council who greased the wheels a bit to get us where we needed to be.
Then six weeks after opening everything came to a halt with the Covid shutdowns. While this situation was bad for all businesses I think it is especially hard on those that literally just opened. Fortunately again we had some awesome people on our team, Our investors who helped fund the company bent over backwards to help us stay afloat. The bank we used had a super helpful team that got us in a position to receive every loan and grant we could get. Our landlord gave us as much wiggle room as he could to help us out. Most importantly our customers returned when we were allowed to reopen and spread the word about our concept to their friends. I would say it has not been a smooth road, however, we had it better than many based on the people we had around us.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Unleashed Hounds and Hops is Minnesota’s first and only indoor/outdoor dog park, taproom and eatery.
What sets us apart from others is the value we place not only on the customer but their dog. Minneapolis is a very dog friendly city with tons of awesome dog friendly spots. However, we are not dog friendly but dog focused. Unleashed is about providing an experience that is as fun for your dog as the bar/dining experience is for you. We go above and beyond to ensure that the dog has the best experience possible. On top of that we have a craft beer menu focusing on local brews and a food menu that is focused on house made fare and local products.
It’s really hard to convey what a night at Unleashed is like. Usually, the best way to understand is to come see for yourself. I would want people to know that Unleashed is not just for dog owners, but dog lovers! Anyone is welcome to come eat drink and play. It’s an awesome place for people to get a dog fix who do not have one at home.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Besides being a completely unique concept in the state, I think we stay true to who we are at our core. You will get very little of the fake customer service experience that you might expect at most bars/restaurants. We like to have a good time and make jokes. I feel that many of our regulars feel like they are hanging out with friends when they are with us and our staff. Additionally, we hire people who LOVE dogs. People who come to Unleashed feel the love when they come in, because there is nothing us and our staff like to do more than play around with and watch puppies. It really is an awesome time!
Contact Info:
- Email: unleashedhoundsandhops@gmail.com
- Website: unleashedhoundsandhops.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unleashedhoundsandhops/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HoundsandHops
- Other: https://www.opentable.com/r/unleashed-hounds-and-hops-minneapolis?lang=EN&ref=18014&sp=ppc_g_us_restaurants&cmid=12654419026&aid=121768135418&tid=kwd-1136511840693&locp=9019658&loci=&mt=&nw=g&d=c&cid=512582935912&pos=&gclid=CjwKCAiA1aiMBhAUEiwACw25MSj20Q6jVmEQGthg0Z1TilkD5qfABc4Y1DqSp_Pp750Jko7jbtob-xoCMUsQAvD_BwE
