These operators are tireless in their efforts to introduce customers to new products they’ll love, and they’re positive that NA products will only gain ground with consumers. “I definitely think it’s not a fad,” Storms says. Victoria Watters, who’s married to Douglas Watters and runs the NA newsletter Dry Atlas, predicts that alcohol will soon see a dramatic fall from grace. “I think alcohol is going to have its reckoning on the level of the big cigarette companies,” she says.
On the other hand, opening a nonalcoholic bottle shop out of passion means many operators don’t have experience running a small business. Storms sold eyewear, Vracko and Watters were in marketing, and Dooling worked in real estate. “I’m not a retail guy or anything like that,” he says. Entering the retail space as novices forced these bottle shop owners to face a steep learning curve.
Running a first-time venture means that profitability isn’t always in the cards. Some shops, like Vracko’s Cheeky & Dry, were immediately popular and financially bolstered by the holiday season, followed by a busy Dry January. Others, like Dooling’s Dray or Vroom’s Dear Dry Drinkery are in the black month over month, but they invest profits back into the business. (“I’m not getting rich yet,” Dooling says, “but I will, don’t worry.”) Some brick and mortar locations, like Bendición Bottle Shop in Chicago, have moved online, or else closed outright.
Despite the looming threat of big box stores undercutting prices and the challenges of making a profit on nonalcoholic products, most NA bottle shop owners Bon Appétit spoke to seemed optimistic. They mentioned ways that their businesses might evolve—events and newsletters—and the strength of the growing market for nonalcoholic drinks.
For some operators the business is about more than revenue. A brick and mortar location, Storms says, is important to maintain as a safe space to explore sobriety. “There were some people who would break down crying because they realized they could drink anything in the store,” they say.
Though these independent NA bottle shop owners don’t have a universal, clear-cut path to success, operators will continue to evangelize for spirit-free drinks until they can’t anymore. “I have taken out so many personal loans, and I’m just trying to keep my head above water,” Storms says. “But I absolutely love what we do, otherwise I wouldn’t do it.”
Nonalcoholic cocktails aren’t just a stand-in for the real thing—they mark a new world of flavors. Here’s how to explore the best in spirit-free drinks so you can make any gathering inclusive, tasty, and memorable.
