How Zero-Proof is Redefining the Bottle Shop

Customer with Matthew Hawes at Better Sunday

When Boisson, a leading US-based non-alcoholic beverage retailer announced that it was shutting down its brick-and-mortar stores and filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, it looked as if the idea of a zero-proof bottle shop was maybe a bit premature. The company has since closed all nine of its retail locations and is now focusing instead on wholesale distribution and ecommerce. But with restaurants and bars just starting to catch on to the appeal of zero-proof adult beverages, there is a real demand for places where curious imbibers can try the many zero-proof beverages that are starting to appear, and while Boisson may have exited the retail space, smaller shops are thriving.

Zero Proof Enthusiasts Become Evangelists

Retail Takeaways

Start small, don't expand too quickly
Sell what you believe in
Focus on the smaller craft brands
Offer samples (no liquor license needed!)
Provide a high level of service and information
Consider wellness beverages
Become a community social hub

Stepping into the breach are adventurous entrepreneurs like Brianda Gonzalez of The New Bar (with locations in Los Angeles and San Francisco) and Matthew Hawes of Better Sunday (San Francisco). "I have always been passionate about health and wellness, which is why I decided to open The New Bar," says Gonzalez, adding "I wanted to create a space where people could come together to nourish their bodies and souls."

Gonzalez grew up in the tiny town of Avalon on Catalina Island (off the coast of Los Angeles) where there are 16 bars in a one square mile radius and hospitality is in her blood. Her journey to zero-proof advocate began when her bartender father got sick and could no longer consume alcohol. That was when she first discovered the wide variety of zero-proof wine, beer, and spirits becoming available. "I ordered a bunch of products, some were awesome and some were really not awesome," she says. Her marketing background (from working at a Silicon Valley web analytics startup) helped her to identify a gap in the market. "It felt to me like there should be a place where you can go and have really great drinks that have been tasted by a human, with a more objective view of the whole category."

Brianda Gonzalez at The New Bar in San Francisco

The New Bar is that place. Like the Apple Store, you come here to try things for yourself, get educated, and just hang out, if you feel like it. It's a bottle shop with a built-in bar and a wide range of zero-proof beverages on offer. When choosing products to offer her customers, Gonzalez leans heavily on her own taste. "I'm always thinking about the quality of the ingredients, the people behind the product, and the care that went into producing it," she says. "Is it truly something that delivers an adult sophisticated beverage experience?"

Setting the Bar

Matthew Hawes pours drinks at Better Sunday

Matthew Hawes, who has worked as a bartender, personal trainer, and cannabis entrepreneur bills his store as a bottle shop come social club, and like Gonzalez, he encourages his customers to spend time in the shop, getting to know him, discovering new drinks, and even fostering personal relationships with each other.

"Alcohol is so ubiquitous," Hawes says. "We drink when we're happy. We drink when we're sad. We drink when our team loses. When we get married, there's a toast." Drinking too much alcohol or smoking too much weed is bad for you so what do you do when you still enjoy the social aspect? Zero-proof drinks offer an alternative, but Hawes wanted to go further than just carrying de-alcoholized wine or gin and whisky alternatives, by including beverages that include certain ingredients that can actually make you feel something.

A Road to Wellness

Hawes turned to adaptogens. What's an adaptogen? A substance used in herbal medicine that practitioners say can help you ride the spectrum from relaxed to energized, without the harmful effects of alcohol or weed. Nor will you have a bad trip on adaptogens. The drinks Hawes carries at Better Sunday aren't energy drinks (which are commonly made of artificial chemicals and contain lots of sugar). But they may be a good alternative. Adaptogens have a rocky history with the Food & Drug Administration which has yet to confirm their efficacy but are legal and now found in many alcohol alternatives. "What I want to focus on here are cocktails that are made from real ingredients, like berries, leaves, and seeds" says Hawes. Learn more about how adaptogens are showing up in cocktails.

Hawes stocks items like The Pathfinder (also available at The New Bar), the first amaro-like beverage that is distilled from hemp seeds. The Pathfinder also contains healthy doses of vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients. Read more about The Pathfinder. And kava (not to be confused with cava, the Spanish bubbly) which, according to Web MD, is is an herbal remedy that's made from the roots of Piper methysticum–a type of plant found in the islands of the Pacific Ocean. Its name literally means “intoxicating pepper" and people in the Pacific Islands like Fiji and Tonga have used it for hundreds of years at social gatherings and as traditional medicine. They dry out the roots or crush them into a powder, then they add water and drink the mixture.

Normally, kava is an unappealing murky brownish liquid, but Leilo, the brand he carries has found a way to turn it into a tasty flavored sparkling water with flavors like lemon ginger, pina colada, and raspberry hibiscus. While the psychoactive aspect is up for debate, I can report feeling very relaxed after drinking it and there's no denying that the beverage is delicious.

Both Hawes and Gonzalez are working to demystify the category of zero-proof beverages, products that seem to require a lot of education "It felt to me like there should be a place where you can go and have really great drinks that have been taste tested by a human, with a more objective view of the whole category," she says.

Shelf Space

While major brands like Heineken, Guinness, and Tanqueray now have zero-proof products, Gonzalez and Hawes champion the lesser-known companies that are having trouble getting shelf space at BevMo or Whole Foods. "I think a lot of the passion for the space is coming from smaller brands," says Gonzalez. They want their stores to be gathering places where people can linger and learn more about zero-proof beverages. "I think of us as more than just a retailer, says Gonzalez, "We do a lot of programming in our stores. We're a platform and a community, so there are always events, special tastings, and collabs."