Your New Favorite Backyard Is Coming to Main Street

Something new is taking shape along East Main Street in Bexley. It starts with an empty lot. But that’s not how it’s going to stay.

This Saturday September 12th, the space will become The Bexley Yard, a lively new outdoor gathering place designed to give Bexley residents and visitors something the community has been waiting for: a place to slow down, grab a drink, sit under the trees, listen to music, and simply enjoy being outside.

And yes, you can bring the dog.... along with your latte from The Lion coffee shop!

MORE THAN A PATIO

Think of The Bexley Yard as the neighborhood backyard—but better. Located just steps from The Lion, Bexley’s cocktail destination, the Yard is being transformed into a welcoming green space where guests can enjoy DORA beverages from The Lion while taking advantage of an entirely different kind of experience. There will be picnic tables, benches, string lights, and plenty of room to stretch out in a completely fenced in park.

The goal isn't to create another conventional patio. It’s to create a place.

Just like The Lion, it's a place where someone can meet a friend after work for a cocktail. Where parents can relax while kids have room to move. Where neighbors can bump into each other. Where a Saturday afternoon can turn into an evening without anyone checking the clock.

And where your dog might leave with more friends than you do.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD BACKYARD

Great communities are built around gathering places. Bexley has plenty of beautiful streets, parks, restaurants and local businesses—but The Bexley Yard aims to add something different to the mix: an informal, flexible outdoor space that feels a little spontaneous. One day, it might be the perfect spot for a casual afternoon drink. Another night, the Yard could be filled with music, conversation and people gathering around picnic tables. Market-style pop-ups, food vendors and special events can bring an entirely new energy to the space. It’s designed to evolve. And that's part of the fun.

COME FOR THE COCKTAIL. STAY FOR THE YARD.

Of course, The Lion is still at the heart of the experience. Known for creative cocktails, thoughtful ingredients and a sophisticated-but-approachable atmosphere, The Lion brings its beverage program outdoors through the DORA experience. Grab your drink. Walk over to the Yard. Find a seat beneath the trees. Stay awhile.

The idea is simple—and that's exactly what makes it appealing. The Bexley Yard isn't trying to be a giant entertainment complex or another destination that requires a two-hour commitment. It's a neighborhood gathering place. Come for 30 minutes. Stay for three hours.

A LITTLE GREEN. A LITTLE SOCIAL. A LOT OF BEXLEY.

The design of The Bexley Yard is intentionally relaxed. Trees provide shade and character. String lights add a little magic after sunset. Picnic tables create communal seating and other gathering areas give people plenty of options. There’s room for conversation without feeling crowded. Bring a picnic blanket for your crew.

Room for a cocktail without needing a reservation. Room for a dog without feeling like you’re squeezing into someone else's space.

And room for the community to make the Yard its own.

SOMETHING IS ALWAYS HAPPENING

The best neighborhood gathering places have a certain unpredictability. You might come for an event and run into someone you haven't seen in months. You might stop by with the dog and end up meeting half the neighborhood. That’s the vision for The Bexley Yard. A calendar of events, pop-ups, music, food and community gatherings will help keep the space fresh and give people a reason to come back again and again. Because the Yard isn't meant to be experienced just once. It's meant to become part of your routine, like your morning coffee at The Lion.

BEXLEY, MEET YOUR NEW BACKYARD.

There is something uniquely appealing about an outdoor space that belongs to a neighborhood. No dress code. No complicated itinerary. No reason to overthink it. Just good drinks, good people, fresh air and a place to hang out. The Bexley Yard is taking an underused piece of property and turning it into something the community can actually experience—and hopefully, something people will come to think of as their own.

A place for date nights.

A place for friends.

A place for families.

A place for the after-work crowd.

A place for live music.

A place for local makers and vendors.

A place for dogs.

A place for absolutely nothing at all.

The Bexley Yard is opening this weekend. And Bexley just got a new backyard.