Chasing A Dream 

In 2020, Falk alumnus Tom Lafe was serving as Director of Integrated Marketing for the National Hockey League (NHL) when the pandemic interrupted his life and opened the door for a new dream. After ten years traveling across the country and developing marketing strategy and collateral for the NHL, Tom says the start of COVID was an opportunity to reevaluate what’s important and brainstorm ways to find deeper community fulfillment in life. “The idea that I kept coming back to was one I saw during my graduate studies on place-making: a combination dog-park-bar-restaurant.” 

Five years later, on June 7, 2025, Tom's idea came to life when Hound Haus opened its doors to the public in East Liberty, Pittsburgh. “What I set out to build in 2020 has evolved tremendously," he reflects. “When I first started working on it, it was meant to be a bar—a happy hour hangout where dogs were welcomed. It has since evolved into a gathering spot, one where neighbors, dog lovers, and community members can come, talk, socialize, work, and enjoy one another’s company.” 

While the dog-bar concept is becoming a common one, Tom adds, Hound Haus is a uniquely Pittsburgh establishment, built to welcome a diverse community and partner with local businesses like Catapult Culinary and Commonplace Coffee. “If there’s one thing Pittsburghers know,” Tom shares, “it’s authenticity. I am not seeking to build a cookie-cutter establishment but rather a place that is unique to Pittsburgh—one that Pittsburghers can be proud of, that feels like it was homegrown.” 

With over 10,000 square feet of backyard-style play space and stunning murals designed by a local artist and set designer, Hound Haus accomplishes just that. Open six days a week with indoor seating and an outdoor patio, it’s the perfect place for dog owners to gather and unwind or settle down for an afternoon of remote work. 

Pittsburgh Roots 

Tom’s time with the NHL was spent in New York, where he received an M.S. in Sports Management from New York University. Before moving to the big city, however, he was raised in Pittsburgh, where he attended Falk from third to eighth grade, graduated from Schenley High School in 2004, and received a B.A. in English Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. Both Falk and Schenley were formative experiences for him, serving as the starting point for lifelong friendships and interests. 

Falk was “big and small at the same time,” Tom remembers, and it “made you feel like you could grow at your own pace. I felt cared for, seen, like I had the space to be myself. It takes a special place and group of people to make me feel that way.” 

Even twenty-five years later, the bonds and memories built at Falk remain intact. In 2021, Tom visited the school with his son, whom he hopes will attend Falk when he starts kindergarten a couple of years from now. “Mr. Witting recognized me as soon as I walked in, even with a mask on and 20+ years in between when we’ve seen each other,” he says. Tom also had the chance to catch up with science teacher Eileen (Corcoran) Coughlin. The two started sixth grade at the same time, making Tom’s class her very first one at Falk.

“When I think about my son,” Tom reflects, “my wish for him is to have as good of an experience as I did at school. We all have hopes for our children, and my hope is that he gets an experience like the one I had at Falk.” 

Pursuing Passions 

In addition to founding Hound Haus, Tom serves as the Director of Ambassador Partnerships at the V Foundation, where he works with athletes, celebrities, and media personalities to raise money for critical cancer research. He’s also a published author at the Brooklyn Paper, where he had a stint writing a weekly sports column through the eyes of a streetwise pigeon and unofficial Brooklyn Nets mascot named Crummy.