Memphis’s next great bar experience is fusing the best of the city and a trip across the pond. Steve Minter and Jay Bauder are opening a brand-new concept called Dog & Bone in Overton Square later this year and its blend of sports, music, great drink, quality food, and a welcoming atmosphere promise to make it a neighborhood favorite.
Minter and Bauder are establishing their pub in a 1,760 square foot space located at 2116 Madison Avenue. Minter very generously set aside some time to fill What Now Memphis in on all of Dog & Bone’s salient details. He explains that the concept’s goal is “to bring a warm environment to the centre of the community, offering the kind of atmosphere and surroundings of a typical British pub, with traditional food and an environment to fit many different occasions, from sporting events and personal celebrations to a quiet pint!”
The perfect location was pivotal to establishing the tavern. Minter explains that the storefront provided the unique ambiance he and Bauder wanted to ground Dog & Bone in; he states “Most of the spaces we were looking at were more suited to a sports or neighborhood bar, but when we saw the ‘little yellow house’ on Overton Square was available, we knew it ticked all the boxes. A building that looked like it could be a pub, with a great patio (which a British pub would call a Beer Garden), in a community setting, exactly where a pub should be.”
Dog & Bone will be welcoming to any and all visitors; Minter explains that he and Bauder are excited about welcoming a wide range of guests. “The thing we look forward to most is the variety of patrons and reasons for their visit,” he says. “Some will be for sports events, especially European soccer and rugby (along with the staple American sports), some will make their first visit for a few social drinks, some for a quiet drink in the corner. We aim to cater for all.”
While American bar patrons may be accustomed to the presence of sports, they may be pleasantly surprised by the powerful presence of music at Dog & Bone. Minter states: “The one constant will be the subtle backdrop of music, many British, but also American classics. The reason we became friends in the first place was our mutual love of music and soccer, so music is prominent in the pub, including influencing the decor.”
Of course, visitors will be very invested in Dog & Bones’ food and drink offerings. Minter assures future regulars that they have plenty to look forward to, saying “Dog & Bone will have a small but targeted menu, with British and American classics along with a few special menu items we think Memphians will love. Drinks will also be what you would experience in a typical British pub, beers from UK, Europe and the US along with a handful of cocktails, wine and spirits.”
Memphis can look forward to stopping in for a drink, a bite, and bonhomie at Dog & Bone this summer. The bar is destined to become a neighborhood staple-as Minter explains: “We look forward to becoming part of that community! We are intentionally NOT a theme pub, of which there are many, but an environment and atmosphere similar to a pub you would experience in the UK.”
