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Eric Hollender, MBA '16, turned an entrepreneurial vision into Taps & Tails, a thriving space for dogs and their humans. The enterprise celebrated four years in business over the weekend with plans to expand.
When Eric Hollender, MBA '16, found himself trudging through another frigid Cleveland winter with his dog, a simple question sparked a business revolution: Why isn't there an indoor dog park in Cleveland?
"The tough part is that if you're a dog lover and live in downtown Lakewood, you're really close to the lake. That wind coming off the lake just hits differently," said Hollender. "When I had a puppy, those two things combined are what made me think: 'This is crazy, with all the technology that we have nowadays, why am I coming home from work after working 9-10 hours and then having to freeze my butt off to walk the dog?'"
That moment of frustration led Hollender and his wife, Lisa, to create Taps & Tails, Ohio's first "dog bar" — a 10,000+ square foot indoor/outdoor hybrid facility that combines a dog park, doggie daycare, restaurant and full-service bar where both humans and their canine companions can socialize comfortably year-round.
Hollender credits his Baldwin Wallace MBA experience with providing the perspective and leadership skills needed to transform his idea into a successful business.
"The MBA helped me look at things from a higher level point of view," he said. "When you make a decision, you understand how that's impacting the entire business system. It might be a good thing for your department but a bad thing for two other departments."
This systems-thinking approach proved invaluable as he researched and developed his business concept. He quickly discovered why indoor dog parks were scarce — they weren't financially viable as standalone ventures.
"It's just not a profitable venture," said Hollender. "Then it kind of snowballed from there. We said, 'If we're going to build something that can work as an indoor dog park, why can't we offer doggy daycare?' Then, 'What if we tack on a cafe, a restaurant, or a bar?'"
Just as the Taps & Tails concept began taking shape in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to derail the entire venture.
"We had started to do the paperwork for the build-out," said Hollender. "In March of 2020, all of a sudden, all these businesses were closed."
Rather than abandoning their dream, he and his wife recognized an opportunity in the changing social landscape. Their spacious outdoor area would be perfect for socially distanced gatherings, and they believed in their business model enough to persevere.
"We decided to move forward," he said. "We felt pretty good about where we were going because we had a giant outdoor area people could hang out in."
Opening in 2021, Taps & Tails has since become a beloved community hub. The facility features nearly 8,000 square feet of outdoor play space and 2,500 square feet of heated indoor space, complete with obstacle courses and toys. Trained staff ensures safe play while owners enjoy themed cocktails at the full-service bar.
Like many new business owners, Hollender embraced the learning process and constant evolution needed to thrive.
"It's trial and error. With entrepreneurship and business in general, don't be scared to fail. You have to take calculated risks," said Hollender.
This willingness to pivot and adjust has been key to the business's success. Taps & Tails also experiments with various events to discover what resonates with their community.
"When we have a hair-brained idea like dog prom, and we're like, 'Let's see if this is going to work, or if people are going to think it's stupid.' It was a success. So we said, 'Let's do this every year.'"
Marking its fourth year in operation this month, Taps & Tails has established itself as more than just a novelty but a genuine solution for dog owners across Northeast Ohio. As Hollender reflects on the growth of the dog bar concept nationwide, he sees Taps & Tails as part of a larger trend that's reshaping how pet owners socialize.
"At the time that we started thinking about this in 2019, there were maybe only four or five that I could find across the country on the internet," said Hollender. "Fast forward to 2025, it seems like they're popping up in almost every major metropolitan city."
Building on this success, the Hollenders plan to expand with a second location on Cleveland's east side, with details forthcoming.
"I think that it's definitely a growing concept. I think people are starting to realize that there's a better way to take care of your dog, other than to do it in a super cold, uncomfortable environment."
Through innovative thinking, calculated risk-taking and relentless perseverance, Hollender built a thriving community where dogs and humans can socialize comfortably, regardless of Cleveland's notorious weather.
