BUCKTOWN — A new kind of social club designed for dogs and their owners is coming to the former Green Dolphin Street jazz club space this month.
Pup Social is a private, members-only canine club opening May 30 at 2200 N. Ashland Ave.
With amenities like supervised off-leash play, a coworking lounge, grooming services and a boutique retail area, the space aims to be a one-stop shop for people looking to bond with their pets and build community.
Founder Aly Udartseva began dreaming up the concept during the pandemic, when she was working in tech and helping organize dog-friendly events for a residential software startup.
During the pandemic, Udartseva pivoted to tech, leading engagement for a software startup where she began producing dog-centered events. These events sparked the initial idea for Pup Social, as Udartseva saw firsthand how deeply people wanted to build community around their pets.
Then, in a twist of fate, she got a dog herself on her last day of that job.
“His name is Ozzy,” she said. “He is, of course, the best dog ever, as every owner would say. And we’re all correct when we say that.”
That moment was the catalyst for Pup Social. Udartseva began looking at what life is really like for dog owners in the city, particularly about how much time, effort and coordination it takes to meet human and pet needs in an urban environment.
“The idea was rooted in the urban pet lifestyle,” she said. “What does it mean to be a dog owner in the city? It’s very different from owning a dog in the suburbs. When you don’t have a backyard — and most of us downtown don’t — you’re relying on a tiny patch of grass for your dog to go outside.”
While pets are getting pampered, people can too — Pup Social serves beer and wine and includes a human nail and hair salon, a boutique and a patio lounge.
It’s a social club for dogs and their people.
“It’s like a one-stop shop,” Udartseva said. “You could spend three hours here and accomplish more than you would in two days as a busy person and a dog owner. And your dog has a great time, too.”
Before Pup Social, the building at 2200 N. Ashland Ave. was best known as the longtime home of the Green Dolphin Street, a jazz club that later became a late-night nightclub with a troubled reputation. Renamed Rio in its final years, the venue faced repeated issues with violence, including a 2015 shooting that left two people dead.
The city ultimately shut the club down in 2017, calling it a threat to public safety.
A plan to turn the building into a cannabis dispensary was floated in 2023 but never came to fruition.
Udartseva, a first-generation immigrant from Russia, moved to the Chicago suburbs in 2005 and later earned dual business degrees from universities in Russia and Alaska, followed by an MBA from Roosevelt University.
Udartseva built a career in hospitality and events, eventually launching Art of Events, a boutique event company serving clients across the city.
But taking on the Green Dolphin space felt like a stretch, even for someone accustomed to planning ambitious experiences.
“If you’d told me four years ago that I’d be taking over the space of the historic Green Dolphin, I would have said, ‘That’s not real. That’s not realistic. How? With what funds?’” she said.
Before Udartseva hired a real estate broker, she spotted the building while browsing listings on her own. It seemed out of reach. But later, with a broker’s help, she learned the building might be available to lease — not just buy. That opened a door.
Even so, there were hurdles: zoning headaches, budget constraints, months of negotiation. But pieces kept falling into place.
“Every challenge only reinforced our vision and our commitment to making this concept a reality,” she said.
The response so far has been enthusiastic. Pup Social already has a membership waitlist.
Memberships range from a $99-per-month Social Pass to $1,499 annual plans that include VIP access to events, discounts on services and added perks for dogs and their humans.
Pup Social will celebrate its grand opening with an official ribbon-cutting 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. May 30, followed by an “After-Pawty” 4:30-8:30 p.m. Guests — and their vaccinated pups — are welcome.
For more information, visit Pup Social’s website.
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