Czar Belinda of Lindenwood, with 2-year-old Zagreus, sits at the outdoor bar July 16, 2022, with Alexis Perez-Lane of the Marine Villa neighborhood, with 8-month-old Blueberry, at Bar K in St. Louis.
ST. LOUIS — Bar K is facing eviction after its landlord filed a lawsuit against the combo bar and dog park last week.
Bar K, a sprawling bar, restaurant and event space designed for dogs and their human families, opened at 4565 McRee Avenue in the city’s Forest Park Southeast neighborhood in 2021.
Now, developer Green Street said Bar K owes almost $300,000 of back rent.
According to the lawsuit, Green Street sent the dog park business a notice of default for failure to pay rent in January. Bar K continued to not pay rent and was sent a second notice of default in August.
As of Aug. 14, Bar K owes its landlord $298,564 in rent, the suit says. Green Street is asking the court Bar K for rent and possession.
Green Street is headquartered at the 4565 McRee Avenue development, but city records show that development firm owes $130,498 in real estate taxes on the property for 2022 and $201,562 for 2023.
Bar K entered a lease agreement with Green Street for a portion of the property in March 2020. The lease was intended to run for 15 years. The venue boasts a two-acre outdoor park, three bars, indoor and outdoor eating areas, plus pet boarding and grooming services. In addition to its St. Louis location, Bar K also has parks in Kansas City and Oklahoma City.
Last year, Diversified partners, a real estate development and management firm, announced the acquisition of Bar K and promised the opening of 100 new Bar K dog parks. However, this deal later fell through.
Bar K did not respond to requests for comment. Green Street attorney Stephen Hoeplinger also did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A hearing is scheduled for Oct. 1.
View life in St. Louis through the Post-Dispatch photographers' lenses. Edited by Jenna Jones.
Bar K, which sought to combine a bar and restaurant with a dog park, announced it was permanently closing Tuesday.
Czar Belinda of Lindenwood, with 2-year-old Zagreus, sits at the outdoor bar July 16, 2022, with Alexis Perez-Lane of the Marine Villa neighborhood, with 8-month-old Blueberry, at Bar K in St. Louis.
