{"id":42789,"date":"2026-01-11T13:11:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-11T13:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/usa\/a-man-spent-61000-to-transform-part-of-his-backyard-into-a-pub-he-could-enjoy-with-friends-and-family\/"},"modified":"2026-01-11T13:11:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-11T13:11:10","slug":"a-man-spent-61000-to-transform-part-of-his-backyard-into-a-pub-he-could-enjoy-with-friends-and-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/usa\/a-man-spent-61000-to-transform-part-of-his-backyard-into-a-pub-he-could-enjoy-with-friends-and-family\/","title":{"rendered":"A man spent $61,000 to transform part of his backyard into a pub he could enjoy with friends and family"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/69496ca764858d02d2173d6d?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Inside Stephen Hutyra&#039;s backyard pub.\"\/><figcaption>Inside Stephen Hutyra&#039;s pub, which he built in his backyard.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen Hutyra<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li>Stephen Hutyra built a pub complete with a bar, air conditioning, and more in his backyard.<\/li>\n<li>He created the space with the help of family members and a contractor over the course of five years.<\/li>\n<li>Now, he hosts friends and family at the $61,000 pub for holiday gatherings and other events.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Stephen Hutyra was scrolling Facebook in November 2020 when a post caught his attention.<\/p>\n<p>It showed a couple in England who&#039;d built a small pub in their backyard. Their design was simple, but inspiring.<\/p>\n<p>The 42-year-old program analyst, who lives in the small town of West, Texas, immediately started imagining what it&#039;d be like to have his own.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;We have a saying that everything is bigger and better in Texas,&quot; he told Business Insider. &quot;So I wanted our pub to be bigger and better than the one I saw in the picture.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Hutyra asked his wife if she&#039;d be on board, and as soon as she said yes, he began buying furniture on Facebook Marketplace \u2014 despite not having a structure yet.<\/p>\n<p>He later took out a bank loan, enlisted a contractor, and spent months perfecting his dream space. Now, Hutyra is the proud owner of The Thirsty Goat, a private pub built right in his backyard.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#039;s what it&#039;s like inside.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen Hutyra spent three years in England and grew to love its pub culture.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6957df7504eda4732f2e614a?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Stephen Hutyra in his backyard pub.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Stephen Hutyra<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Hutyra told Business Insider that he&#039;d joined the Navy right after high school and was first stationed in England. He lived in the seaside town of Newquay, where he&#039;d frequent its various nightlife spots.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I fell in love with all the pubs, and walking down the street to hang out with both Navy and local friends I&#039;d made,&quot; he said. &quot;I&#039;d really missed that part of my life.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>So when he saw a Facebook post about a UK couple building a small pub in their backyard, a lightbulb went off: Hutyra could create his own in his Texas backyard.<\/p>\n<p>In 2020, he decided to build a personal pub in an open section of his backyard.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6957dbe104eda4732f2e60ea?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Stephen Hutyra&#039;s backyard before his pub was built.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Stephen Hutyra<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>For years, the grassy area had been Hutyra&#039;s space to store wood and let the family dogs play.<\/p>\n<p>As soon as he envisioned a backyard pub, though, he knew the open land was the perfect spot.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I almost immediately started making floor plans, buying tables and chairs off Facebook Marketplace, decor off Amazon, and bar items on eBay,&quot; he said.<\/p>\n<p>Hutyra also started to virtually design the future pub. He spent hours on Facebook, Pinterest, and Google, where he found inspiration and added ideas to a PowerPoint presentation.<\/p>\n<p>Hutyra&#039;s plan was kicked into motion three years later in July 2023.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/695c1b9f64858d02d217c337?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Stephen Hutyra&#039;s backyard as construction began.\"\/><figcaption>Stephen Hutyra&#039;s backyard as construction began.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen Hutyra<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&quot;My wife and I were driving back from a vacation in Port Aransas on the Texas coastline, and I said we had to make a pit stop at a bank to sign some loan papers,&quot; Hutyra said. &quot;She asked what for, and I said, &#039;The pub. You gave me your blessing a long time ago.&#039;&quot;<\/p>\n<p>She laughed, Hutyra entered the bank, and the couple later left with a $44,320 loan. They also got a permit to build the structure.<\/p>\n<p>A month later, in August 2023, the Hutyras had a contractor on-site who broke ground and began building.<\/p>\n<p>A construction team got the project started.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6957df9d04eda4732f2e6150?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Stephen Hutyra as he started to build his backyard pub.\"\/><figcaption>Stephen Hutyra as he started to build his backyard pub.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen Hutyra<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Hutyra had never taken on a project of this size, so hiring a contractor was crucial.<\/p>\n<p>He first paid them $600 to draw actual building construction plans, inspired by the PowerPoint presentation Hutyra had put together.<\/p>\n<p>From there, the team helped run vital water and electricity lines, create the pub&#039;s concrete base, and craft its shell, framing, and roof. They also added foam insulation.<\/p>\n<p>Four months later, it was Hutyra&#039;s turn to take over.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/695c1d39832e0ef1ead72edb?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Stephen Hutyra&#039;s pub during construction.\"\/><figcaption>Stephen Hutyra&#039;s pub during construction.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen Hutyra<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Contractors worked until November 2023, at which point the pub was turned over to Hutyra.<\/p>\n<p>He got to work with the help of his son and father, who Hutyra described as a master carpenter and overall handyman, to complete the build.<\/p>\n<p>Together, they installed ceilings, painted walls, stained wood, added shelving, built the pub&#039;s bar, and more.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I had about three years to plan, so when the time came, I knew where I wanted everything to be,&quot; Hutyra said. &quot;I had it planned down to the light switches.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>By August 2025, Hutyra had completed all renovations.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/69496f4f04eda4732f2df71d?format=jpeg\" alt=\"The exterior of Stephen Hutyra&#039;s backyard pub.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Stephen Hutyra<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&quot;I had an original budget in my head, which turned out to be very lowball,&quot; Hutyra told Business Insider. &quot;I thought I could probably get it done for about $30,000.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>He quickly realized that wouldn&#039;t be possible. Still, he didn&#039;t give up on the build.<\/p>\n<p>Between buying materials, hiring a contractor, decorating, and more, Hutyra said he spent around $61,500 to complete the pub.<\/p>\n<p>Inside, Hutyra&#039;s pub looks like a scene from a Hallmark movie \u2014 a comparison he&#039;s heard from numerous friends and family members.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/69496f6264858d02d2173dd4?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Inside Stephen Hutyra&#039;s backyard pub.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Stephen Hutyra<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>When you enter the pub, you&#039;re greeted by a dark-wood bar with string-light decor and matching stools.<\/p>\n<p>There are also tables and chairs throughout, televisions above the door, and framed photos around the room.<\/p>\n<p>A chalkboard tells you which drinks are available, and if you visit during the holidays, you&#039;ll see glowing Christmas trees.<\/p>\n<p>Even the bathroom is decorated and themed.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/69496ca704eda4732f2df6b1?format=jpeg\" alt=\"The bathroom inside Stephen Hutyra&#039;s backyard pub.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Stephen Hutyra<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Similar to the rest of the bar, the bathroom has dark-wood panelling, framed photo decor, and running water.<\/p>\n<p>The most difficult part of construction was one of the most crucial.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/69496dbe04eda4732f2df6ef?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Inside Stephen Hutyra&#039;s backyard pub.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Stephen Hutyra<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&quot;All the shelving that goes around the top of the pub, I did myself, but the bar was probably the biggest challenge for me,&quot; Hutyra said. &quot;I had to make a lot of cuts at different angles, and make sure it was straight and level. It was a lot of work.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Like any good pub, Hutyra&#039;s has a catchy name: The Thirsty Goat.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/695c226264858d02d217c45e?format=jpeg\" alt=\"A sign displaying the name of Stephen Hutyra&#039;s backyard pub, The Thirsty Goat.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Stephen Hutyra<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Hutyra has spent 24 years in the Navy and currently serves as a chief petty officer. Naturally, the inspiration behind his pub&#039;s name came from his years of service.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;The goat is kind of like the official mascot for the Navy,&quot; he said. &quot;In the earlier days of the service, goats were kept aboard ships to provide fresh meat and milk to the crew. Other livestock didn&#039;t fare as well.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>The area where the goats were kept was named the Goat Locker, he said, and the phrase has stuck around for more than 200 years. Now, it&#039;s the name for the chief&#039;s working quarters.<\/p>\n<p>With that in mind, he named his pub The Thirsty Goat.<\/p>\n<p>Much of the pub honors Hutyra&#039;s family.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/695c208b832e0ef1ead72f61?format=jpeg\" alt=\"A framed photo of Stephen Hutyra&#039;s family&#039;s shed.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Stephen Hutyra<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&quot;I&#039;ve been in the reserves the last 19 years now, and I&#039;ve traveled the world and seen a lot of different places and things,&quot; Hutyra said. &quot;But I&#039;ve always returned to my hometown. After buying a house here, I&#039;ve really started to feel that family connection.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>So he wanted to feel it in his pub, too. Hutyra has a jar from 1903 that belonged to his great-grandmother, which now sits on his bar as a tip jar. The bar itself also has ties to his ancestors.<\/p>\n<p>As Hutyra was building his pub, a nearby homestead barn \u2014 built and owned by his great-great-great-grandfather around 1880 \u2014 was being demolished, so he salvaged some materials.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;The wood was actually in a remarkable condition,&quot; Hutyra said. &quot;I took floorboards from the second-story hayloft, which were under the roof of the barn, so they were out of the rain and weather.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;My father and I brought the wood back to his woodworking shop just across town, a few miles from my childhood home, where he still lives today,&quot; he added.<\/p>\n<p>Together, they turned that wood into the top of Hutyra&#039;s bar, which is now the focal point of his pub.<\/p>\n<p>Today, The Thirsty Goat serves as a hub for Hutyra&#039;s family celebrations.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/69496d8864858d02d2173d9a?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Inside Stephen Hutyra&#039;s backyard pub.\"\/><figcaption>\n<p>Stephen Hutyra<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Hutyra said that he and his wife always dreamed of owning a big house where they could have parties and host friends and family.<\/p>\n<p>Now, their personal pub has become that dream spot.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;We find ourselves sitting out here in the middle of the week until midnight, or until 2 or 3 a.m. on the weekends with family and friends,&quot; he said. &quot;We&#039;ve thoroughly enjoyed it since finishing back in August, but we&#039;re only just starting to see how much we&#039;re going to use it.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Read the original article on Business Insider<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Inside Stephen Hutyra&#039;s pub, which he built in his backyard. Stephen Hutyra Stephen Hutyra built a pub complete with a bar, air conditioning, and more in his backyard. He created the space with the help of family members and a contractor over the course of five years. Now, he hosts friends and family at the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-42789","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-usa"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42789","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42789"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42789\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42789"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42789"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42789"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}