Millis board approves all‑alcohol license for dog‑centric bar pending final town permits

The Millis Select Board voted unanimously Sept. 29 to approve an application for an on‑premises all‑alcohol license for Lapdog LLC, doing business as Wagabrew (described in the application also as Wagaburu Dog Park), at 1380 Main Street.

Attorney Jim Heffernan, representing the applicant, and an on‑site representative described the business as a hybrid dog‑park, coffee shop and bar that will sell locally produced beer, spirits and coffee and use a single controlled entrance to manage patrons and animals. Heffernan said the applicant will submit a supplemental site plan showing the fenced outdoor dog area to clarify where alcohol will be allowed for investigators from the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC).

The board opened the public hearing, heard the applicant describe construction progress and site security measures, asked for clarification on hours and outdoor service, then closed the hearing. The board then moved to approve the license “pending final approval of all town permits and satisfactory final inspections,” a condition its motion places on municipal permitting and on required inspections.

Why it matters: The applicant said the business model focuses on local vendors, fenced outdoor recreation for dogs and a controlled entrance to reduce the risk of animals leaving the site. The board’s approval allows the ABCC application process to proceed; the state commission issues the final license after local approval and state review.

Key details and next steps: The applicant said construction is under way, with plumbing, electrical and framing in place, and estimated a target opening in the first quarter of 2026. The board and the applicant discussed hours (the applicant clarified bar opening times as 12 p.m. on weekend days in the application) and the importance of showing precisely which indoor and outdoor areas will be designated for alcohol service to avoid ABCC enforcement.

The board recorded the approval as conditional on the applicant obtaining all town permits and passing final inspections before opening.

Quotes: "One of the things the ABCC is going to want to see specifically is exactly where you are," Attorney Jim Heffernan told the Select Board, urging the applicant to delineate indoor and outdoor alcohol areas in the site plans.

Ending: With local approval granted, the applicant will submit the supplemental site plan and pursue the remaining town permits and state ABCC final approval before opening.