Friends open bar where patrons play games
Many groups of friends want to open a bar, but Rick Moore and Jesse Labbé did it.
Moore and Labbé are co-owners of the recently opened Dogmud Tavern on South Pear Orchard Road in the old Abner’s Famous Chicken Tenders building. They opened on April Fool’s Day and recently had a ribbon-cutting.
“Hopefully, people walk in and are wowed by our bright, fun and whimsical decor and atmosphere,” Moore said.
The venture was spawned out of one of their other ventures, Certifiable Studios, a board game company that designs and developes board games through the crowdfunding website Kickstarter. They founded the company in 2015 and have sold board games in 76 countries worldwide.
One of the perks of opening your own bar is getting to put a mark on things with creative decisions. Bar and food menu items, and the name of the establishment itself, come from references in the Certifiable portfolio. Specifically their Dungeons and Dragons inspired D6.
One of their salads is called “(Don’t Forget The) Vilo’s”, an inside joke about a handwriting-based misunderstanding.
The bar’s logo is another inside joke. Both of the proprietors proudly prefer “frou-frou” drinks, with an umbrella if possible. Labbé to ward off any guff from his friends made up a drink, the “dogmud,” as an excuse. When the bartender had never heard of it, Labbé would then get to “fall back” on his first choice.
“I got to be like, ‘See guys, I tried’ and still got to order what I wanted,” Labbé said with a laugh.
Soon it became a fake beer logo, the name of the tavern in D6 and finally, the name of their bar. Their logo is a version of the fake beer logo they had made as a joke.
Moore said that around 2017 they started a game night on the first Friday of every month at Certifiable. The event grew from a core group of friends to between 50 and 60 participants before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Now they host game night every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Friday and Saturday at their very own bar.
“We had always wanted to own a bar or restaurant or coffee shop,” Moore said. “Somewhere where we could create a fun environment for people to sit and play board games.”
Labbé said that they have cultivated a fun atmosphere that is infectious from table to table.
“For both gamers and non-gamers alike the No. 1 thing we hear from people is about our lively atmosphere,” Labbé said. “People like being around other people who are having a good time.”
Moore added, “We certainly don’t discourage good competitive energy.”
The bar features quick and familiar games such as Uno, classic and new board games and selections from the Certifiable Studios lineup. Patrons are also encouraged to bring their favorites from home. Moore said they encourage patrons to try new games and delve into some of the more complicated games from their library.
“We are delighted when we see someone break something out that might take them two and a half hours to play,” Moore said.
In addition, the bar hopes to show e-Sport events and Twitch streams. They also host a trivia night every Thursday.
The menu, which was developed with Basil’s Nathan Glenn as a consultant, features easy to handle fare that can be enjoyed while enjoying a board game.
Visit Dogmud Tavern at 681 South Pear Orchard Road or give them a call at 601-499-4932.