An Ohio man built an outdoor 'bar' for his neighborhood squirrels to snack on cashews and pecans
- Hilliard, Ohio, resident Michael Dutko helped solve his neighbors' squirrel problem by creating a gathering place for the furry animals.
- Dutko crafted what he's calling "The Nutty Bar," a wooden structure that looks like a real-life bar — but instead of beer, it dispenses nuts like cashews and almonds.
- A woodworker by hobby, Dutko spent more than 16 hours designing, building, and sanding the bar and posted a YouTube video of the process on August 7.
- After receiving an overwhelming response on social media, Dutko told Insider that he's applied to patent "The Nutty Bar" and plans to sell the structures for between $175 and $200.
In what started as an act of neighborly kindness, one man ended up creating an entire outdoor "bar" just for squirrels.
Dutko, a woodworker by hobby, decided to create the squirrel structure after his neighbors in Hilliard, Ohio, struggled to bird-watch with too many of the rodents around.
"I noticed my neighbor and her daughter bird-watching with binoculars, and they were really getting into it, but the squirrels kept getting in their way," Dutko told Insider.
Dutko started building the outdoor squirrel structure — which he's now dubbed "The Nutty Bar" — in mid-July.
At "The Nutty Bar," instead of clinking beer glasses, the furry animals can sit around and enjoy pistachios, cashews, almonds, and other legumes and nuts.
Dutko documented his creative process in a video he posted on his YouTube channel on August 7.
Many YouTube users were enthralled with Dutko's video, and some commented on his meticulous woodworking skills.
"That was one of the cutest things I have ever seen. It is about time squirrels get their own hangout," one user wrote.
Dutko said the building process took about 16 hours. He spent five and a half hours cutting the wood, eight hours designing and building, and three hours painting and finishing it.
Dutko's squirrel bar has cleverly named offerings inspired by beer, including Cashew Dunkel, Peanut Pilsner, Almond Ale, Pistachio Pale Ale, Walnut Sout, Sunflower Saison, and Pecan Porter.
The structure is complete with a gendered restroom sign, which Dutko said he jokingly titled "Nuts" and "No Nuts."
Since sharing his detailed squirrel structure, Dutko has received so much interest in "The Nutty Bar" and decided to apply to patent the product. It's currently in the patent-pending stage.
Dutko plans to sell the creations for between $175 and $200 and continue building unique structures as part of his small business.
Perhaps more importantly, Dutko said that the backyard "bar" has made his bird-watching neighbors very happy.