[01:00:00:00 - 01:00:04:22]
 (Music)

[01:00:08:00 - 01:01:07:15]
Sylvia
 Dry January, sober October, sober curious. It's a movement that's only been growing in recent years, fueled by self-reflection during the COVID-19 pandemic, and mounting concerns for health and wellness. You're probably noticing a lot more non-alcoholic options when you go to the grocery store or out with friends. One spot right here in Chicago is at the forefront. In Good Spirits was founded by Adriana Gospar and Hector Diaz, partners in business and life. At their West Town location, you can find everything from non-alcoholic wine, beers, tequilas, gins, bourbons, and so much more that tastes like the real thing. In today's episode of Supper with Sylvia, I speak to the couple about the growing sober curious movement, their top picks for non-alcoholic liquors that taste legit, and what options you have if you still want to feel different without the alcohol buzz. Yes, we are talking adaptogens and so much more now.

[01:01:10:08 - 01:01:19:15]
Sylvia
 Hector and Adriana, thank you for joining us on our podcast. So great to see you guys. Adriana, I met you when I came to visit the store. Hector, this is my first time meeting you.

[01:01:20:21 - 01:01:22:06]
Sylvia
 So thanks for joining us.

[01:01:23:11 - 01:01:24:18]
Hector
 Thank you so much for having us.

[01:01:24:18 - 01:01:37:16]
Sylvia
 So the name of your place is in Good Spirits. It's located in West Town. And you guys, I understand, started doing pop-ups early on. But tell me how this all came about. And Adriana, let's start with you.

[01:01:38:18 - 01:01:52:22]
Adriana
 Absolutely. So it's kind of a long story. And it begins with my own personal sobriety journey, which I began in November of 2020. So this year, it's going to be five years.

[01:01:54:15 - 01:02:15:12]
Adriana
 And basically, I began this alcohol-free lifestyle. And through that, I discovered-- we discovered this world of non-alcoholic beverages and just how expansive it is, how many options there are. So it really started off as a hobby of discovering all these different types of non-alcoholic beverages.

[01:02:16:21 - 01:02:26:01]
Adriana
 From there, Hector went through his own journey where he decided to go on his alcohol-free lifestyle as well.

[01:02:27:04 - 01:02:29:13]
Adriana
 And I can let him speak more on it.

[01:02:29:13 - 01:02:34:07]
Sylvia
 But it was-- Yeah, Hector, tell us about that, because your stories is interesting as well.

[01:02:35:12 - 01:02:39:00]
Hector
 Thank you. So just to kind of piggyback off of Adriana,

[01:02:40:07 - 01:02:55:08]
Hector
 obviously, it all started with her and her choice to kind of pursue this journey of drinking no more alcohol. And so that was obviously inspirational. And being my partner as well, just being a part of it,

[01:02:57:21 - 01:03:12:19]
Hector
 you're just kind of-- you're with each other. You're going out. You see everything. You want to be in support. You want to be part of it. So that kind of started it for myself. And then three years ago, actually, now, it's literally three years in March of 2022. I was diagnosed with kidney cancer.

[01:03:13:20 - 01:03:17:00]
Hector
 And I had to go into surgery immediately.

[01:03:19:00 - 01:03:33:12]
Hector
 Thankfully, since then, I've been cancer-free. But obviously, that was a very seismic, life-changing event that happened in our lives, really. And I think that allowed us-- that, for me,

[01:03:35:00 - 01:03:37:16]
Hector
 made me want to assess a lot of my lifestyle changes.

[01:03:39:03 - 01:03:49:20]
Hector
 I think health became just more top of mind after that. And I think alcohol was at the top of the list of things that I probably felt like I should take a break from and not participate as much in.

[01:03:50:22 - 01:04:01:12]
Hector
 And I think that propelled us. And I think we are already having conversations about this space. We were very passionate about it. Our backgrounds come from beverage and marketing. And we're very--

[01:04:02:18 - 01:04:27:07]
Hector
 cocktail culture is definitely something that we've always been very passionate about. And so once these things kind of just happen in our lives, I think that really propelled us to say, hey, let's go all in on this. And like you mentioned, Sylvia, we started doing pop-ups for about a year before really setting out our long-term goal, which was to open our own physical space and kind of our headquarters where we would bring in good spirits to life.

[01:04:27:07 - 01:04:40:00]
Sylvia
 Which is such a cute location. So you start doing these pop-ups. And you're probably experimenting, thinking to yourself, let's give this a shot. Let's see how this goes. What kind of reception did you get? And were you surprised?

[01:04:41:00 - 01:05:04:04]
Adriana
 Absolutely. So from the get-go, the reception was great. I think the reception that we received from our pop-ups, which was overwhelmingly positive and a lot of interest, that's what propelled us to open the brick and mortar. And as Hector mentioned, just create a home for ourselves where we can have more of these events and community.

[01:05:06:04 - 01:05:12:15]
Adriana
 And even then, once we opened the shop, the reception has also been overwhelmingly positive.

[01:05:12:15 - 01:06:26:08]
Hector
 Just to piggyback off Adriana, the long-term goal for us was always to open up our own space. And I think getting an idea-- obviously, it's a big endeavor. And it was something that was challenging for us, going into it, just making sure we felt it was right. And once we started doing a few events and big partners that we had a chance to partner with, started reaching out to us to be there and be a part of the experience. And consumers, not only just learning, but understanding what the space meant, I think that was really great for us to see. And when we did our launch, we almost even-- Adriana put together some content when we were going to go live in Toronto Store. And it went viral in the city. And we had such an overwhelming support on our opening. And honestly, it hasn't wavered since. If anything, we just had our biggest month ever in January. Obviously, dry January continues to be a bigger moment. I think there's more visibility on it and more people entering the space, which we love to see. And not to mention, Adriana and I were just talking about how even now we see people who were-- the first time coming into our shop in January, right, be like, I'm giving a break. I'm taking the month off from drinking.

[01:06:27:12 - 01:06:51:18]
Hector
 We're in March. And people are coming back saying, I liked it so much. There's some of the stuff that I had was so good. I'm just going to keep it going. And it's a super rewarding feeling. And they get to ask us as folks who've-- we've had everything that you-- when you come to our store, we've tried everything. And so just navigating and helping them offer more options has just been an incredibly rewarding experience so far.

[01:06:51:18 - 01:07:11:18]
Sylvia
 Yeah, you have quite the selection. When I was in there, it's amazing. You have non-alcoholic wines and sparkling wines. You've got spirits. And I think that probably is what really makes you stand out. I think I even saw non-alcoholic tequila. So let's get into this.

[01:07:13:03 - 01:07:25:06]
Sylvia
 Where do you find your product? And how do you choose? Is there a large selection out there for you to make sure you have the best in products to offer that are as close to the real thing as possible?

[01:07:27:05 - 01:08:04:18]
Adriana
 Yeah, absolutely. The space, as I mentioned, there's so many options. There's so much out there. So we always tell people that we have a curated selection. So everything that's here, we have tried ourselves. And we enjoy. We feel positive about backing it and being able to tell people about it. So we always tell people, this is a curated selection because there is so much out there. And as time goes on, there are more and more options. And then that's kind of how we select products. We're always trying new things, bringing in what we really like ourselves.

[01:08:05:19 - 01:08:32:00]
Adriana
 And we're also just passionate about the space. We're curious about what's popping up, what's out there. So a lot of that comes with just really enjoying the space and staying up to date with all new brands, new releases, anything that's going on in the space where we usually on top of it. So we'll always have the new and latest, but also the greatest, I would say.

[01:08:32:00 - 01:08:39:14]
Sylvia
 So let's talk about the difference because I came in and bought some-- I love sparkling champagnes and wines.

[01:08:40:19 - 01:09:10:06]
Sylvia
 And so I came in and got some. And yours is very different than-- I remember when we used to celebrate New Year's Eve and my girls were little, I would go and buy the Martinelli sparkling stuff at the grocery store, right? Because obviously, it was non-alcoholic. But this does not taste like that. And that's what everybody says is, it's non-alcoholic. Doesn't it just taste like grape juice? So tell me what the difference is between what you sell and the stuff that's been in the grocery stores for years that's considered non-alcoholic.

[01:09:11:17 - 01:09:31:19]
Hector
 Yeah, that's a great call out. And it's definitely been really awesome to see, especially when we do tastings, getting an opportunity for people to try these things and understand the nuances and the complexity that comes with it. And wine is such a fascinating category within the non-alcoholic space. It continues to grow. It continues to improve and get better in quality.

[01:09:32:21 - 01:09:48:12]
Hector
 So these brands that are out here, and a lot of them are small brands that are very passionate, like we are just trying to get off the ground and put out the best product that they believe is out, makes our jobs easier, right? And in terms of how they differ,

[01:09:49:13 - 01:10:32:03]
Hector
 really the wines that you talk about from the grocery stores, really just could be juices and things of that nature, probably don't go through what has now become more of a popular term, which is the alkalized wine. I think that's a big portion of the wines that you're seeing now in the NA space. Really what that means is these wines are sourcing grapes from similar regions, just like traditional wines, right? From France, from all parts of Europe, even in California. And the best thing about it is they go through the traditional wine making process, right? They go through the same process that a wine would be made. I think the extra kicker that changes things is once they start de-alkalizing, they go through a de-alkalization process

[01:10:33:06 - 01:11:13:07]
Hector
 that is not cheap. And obviously you could tell because I think the brands that do a really good job, they're using a premium, you know, a process of de-alkalizing them. And in that process, I think why it's so expensive and why it's also newer technology is they're allowing to remove the alcohol without removing a lot of the complexity of the product, the viscosity, the tannins, whether it's a red or a white wine. And so they go through an additional process. And so sometimes I think when you think about price point, that's something that comes to play. It just goes through an additional process that people just may not be aware of. And that's obviously part of our education. That's what we do. And that's what we, you know, we come and communicate to consumers. I think once they get a chance to try it, especially when we do samples,

[01:11:14:10 - 01:11:57:18]
Hector
 then they see, they realize like, wow, this tastes like the real thing. And you know, it's intentional. And these brands obviously want to make sure they put out the best product out there. So, you know, that's kind of how it goes. And like Adriana mentioned just a little while ago, you know, there's tons of wines in the space. And I think in the past, you know, we've had a lot of wine in the past. And I think some will, you know, not be there in terms of the quality caliber. And that's why it's so important for, you know, us. And Adriana is a big part of it in terms of sourcing and trying the wines and seeing what fits best. What are consumers talking about on social media? What is trending, you know, so that we can carry and come to our place because at the end of the day, it's about the experience, right? So people are coming in. I like you say, if you had something you liked or if the wine specifically, someone has a Blanc de Blanc that they really enjoyed, they're going to come back for more, right?

[01:12:01:02 - 01:12:05:09]
Hector
 That we got it right, you know, in terms of what do they want to deliver it, bringing it to hosting or having it at home.

[01:12:05:09 - 01:12:25:20]
Sylvia
 You brought up such a good point, Hector. Those were two questions you've already answered for me that I was going to ask. And that is, you know, what is the alcoholized wine? And the other one is, why is it so expensive? Why is it equivalent to the wine with the alcohol? So Adriana, maybe that's something you also want to address because I'm sure you guys hear that all the time.

[01:12:27:06 - 01:12:40:02]
Adriana
 Yeah, absolutely. Like Hector mentioned, it's not only new technology, but it's also an added step from like a traditional wine. For example, with the wine specifically,

[01:12:41:13 - 01:13:51:11]
Adriana
 I think it's also really interesting that we as a society place value on the ethanol and alcohol. So we think that when we're buying a bottle of wine or a bottle of like a tequila, like we're placing the value in that and the ingredient that is going to intoxicate someone. I think sometimes it does help to look at it more of just like, this is a really nice beverage and maybe not really think about what's missing from it, but just think about, you know, in general, it's got a great story. There's storytelling behind the brand. You know, there's, you know, with the wines, you know, they're coming from regions. They're coming from places where they're already making traditional wine. So I think sometimes we're placing too much emphasis on what's not in the liquid versus all the other amazing things that are in this brand or this liquid itself. And I think with that in mind too, going beyond the wines, we also carry functional beverages, which are,

[01:13:52:12 - 01:14:16:04]
Adriana
 you know, again, ready to drink cocktails or spirits or wines that have a function. So they have adaptogens that either help you relax or help give you energy or help with focus. So I think sometimes when people are looking for something that, you know, is going to alter our moods, we do like to point them in that direction as well.

[01:14:17:05 - 01:14:47:11]
Sylvia
 Okay, let's talk about that. Cause that's a whole nother thing, I think, that a lot of people aren't familiar with adaptogens. You go to a lot of bars now, everybody is serving non-alcoholic and there are options. I went to a new restaurant recently and I didn't want alcohol that night. So I said to them, "What's a good alternative?" And so they said, "Well, do you want something that's going to make you feel a little more awake or do you want something that's going to relax you more?" And I didn't really understand that. So explain to us what that means.

[01:14:47:11 - 01:14:58:05]
Adriana
 Yeah, that's awesome that they have those options at most restaurants these days. So that's really good to hear that the category is growing in that sense,

[01:14:59:12 - 01:15:11:17]
Adriana
 and especially with the adaptogens. And it is kind of a new concept to us, I would say. So there is a lot of education and yeah, Hector, I'll let you explain this one.

[01:15:11:17 - 01:15:54:17]
Hector
 Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think it's, I'm glad Adriana brought up adaptogens because functional is becoming quite large in our store and what we carry and what consumers come in asking for. And if you really think about adaptogens, I think people have known them traditionally in almost in like supplements form and really what they are, they're herbs and they provide functional benefits to you, right? And so when you mentioned being at a bar and someone's saying, "Do you want to wake up or do you want to kind of relax?" There's different adaptogens that can offer those functions for you essentially, right? So just coming to mind,

[01:15:55:17 - 01:16:18:19]
Hector
 brands love to use things such as lion's mane mushroom, right? And you've seen the evolution of it because when we first opened our space, functional mushrooms, people were a little curious. They didn't really fully understand it. They thought, is this something like psilocybin or is it gonna give me something of an altered mood? Really functional mushrooms are more about the health benefits that have them, right?

[01:16:19:23 - 01:16:26:10]
Hector
 Lion's mane has proven to be used for mental clarity and can also help for almost relaxing as well.

[01:16:27:10 - 01:17:55:22]
Hector
 There's other brands that use Rishi mushroom or a very popular one called Ashwagandha, right? To relax and de-stress and take away from the anxiety, right? Whether it's, and the great thing is that they work in different functions, right? Like you can use something as ilthanine or ashwagandha to relax you if you wanna wind down and hang out at home. And it almost like replaces like what maybe a glass of red wine would do when you're winding down your night, right? At the same time, what it could also provide for you if you are in a bar setting or in a social setting is because it has these relaxing properties. Maybe they give you that sense of almost like liquid courage, right? Where you're kind of relaxing, you're less stressed out, and now you're more willing to participate in social activities and communicate and meet someone new. And so these are the things that I think brands are coming out with over the last few years that have captivated consumers. I think obviously there's nothing, there's absolutely wonderful to see a craft, a non-alcoholic take on a Negroni that has a lot of the bitterness and similar taste profiles of an alcoholic Negroni. But at the same time, I think consumers also, we want more. So having that functional kick to it is fascinating to them. And I think we see that as a growing space, right? It's fun, it's new, it's unique. And we could definitely see, we've obviously, since we've opened our space, have continued to grow that selection, listening to our consumers, listening to the media and what people want. And so that's been awesome and a part of our business as well.

[01:17:55:22 - 01:18:19:08]
Sylvia
 Okay, I would love to talk about some of the products that you guys have. I saw a tequila bottle in there that was absolutely beautiful and various prices. And tell me about the bottle, I think it was tequila. It's the actor who also had a taco place. And I think he has his own non-alcoholic tequila and you guys sell it, right?

[01:18:20:10 - 01:18:21:07]
Hector
 Oh yes, we do.

[01:18:23:09 - 01:18:29:09]
Hector
 So yeah, I'm like, I wonder if, I think we were, I think we might've been, we're out of stock at the moment of it. You're out of it.

[01:18:29:09 - 01:18:32:22]
Sylvia
 That bottle in the label was absolutely beautiful.

[01:18:34:02 - 01:18:51:14]
Adriana
 I have another one that we can actually show you. It is an alcoholic tequila, it's called Amave. And it is actually owned by Lewis Hamilton, which is a pretty famous F1 racer. And that bottle is absolutely beautiful as well.

[01:18:51:14 - 01:19:08:03]
Sylvia
 Oh, grab it for me, would you? And I know that not everybody's gonna be watching this on YouTube, but for those who are, you'll get to see, and you can see the background, Adriana's background there with some of the things that they have. This is Hector, one of yours and Adriana's favorite tequilas, is that correct?

[01:19:08:03 - 01:19:08:23]
Hector
 Yes, it is.

[01:19:10:05 - 01:20:18:00]
Hector
 It's there, there's a few that we like. We're big fans of the tequilas-based Mezcal. You know, I've always been a big fan of the smoke and obviously tequilas where it comes from. But yeah, that's Amave. That's been, it's a newer entry into the category. They've been around maybe about a year, year and a half tops. Actually, Adriana and I were in Mexico City last year around the time that they still hadn't launched yet. We had the privilege of having an event where we did a cocktail workshop at Soul House down in Mexico City before they, around the time that they opened. And we got a chance to meet with some of the folks from the team and they had us try the samples before it went live. And what's so fascinating about them is they partnered with, you know, really a big distillery in Mexico. They go through the same tequila making process using real agave. Wow. And then they remove the alcohol. And I think, why Adriana also wanted to call it, obviously it's popular with a consumer and it does really well. But also it just goes to show the, I think the horizon and the ceiling to this space, right? Now you have really big known celebrities. You know, Lewis Hamilton is great. He has a very authentic story. He doesn't drink alcohol. And so for him to, you know, get behind this space,

[01:20:19:01 - 01:20:24:16]
Hector
 it just does wonders for it, right? It just drives immediate awareness to consumers that may not have even known about the category itself.

[01:20:25:16 - 01:20:27:00]
Sylvia
 And we'll be right back.

[01:20:29:07 - 01:20:35:12]
Hector
 At Marianos, we love how every product has a story and some of the best stories come from right here in Chicago.

[01:20:35:12 - 01:20:43:04]
Hector
 That's why we started We Love Local. It's our way of shining a light on small businesses and farmers and food makers who pour their hearts into what they do.

[01:20:43:04 - 01:20:49:07]
Hector
 When you see a local item on our shelves, you know you're supporting someone's dream and keeping our community strong.

[01:20:49:07 - 01:20:59:04]
Hector
 From family recipes passed down for generations to brand new ideas born in neighborhood kitchens, We Love Local brings those stories to your table because when local thrives, we all do.

[01:20:59:04 - 01:21:02:17]
Hector
 Marianos is a proud sponsor of the Supper with Sylvia podcast.

[01:21:04:16 - 01:21:06:03]
Sylvia
 Adrian, how much is that bottle?

[01:21:07:05 - 01:21:21:01]
Adriana
 So this bottle is $42 and this is their take on a reposado. We also have, the brand has this other one that is a take on a blanco and then this one is 37.

[01:21:21:01 - 01:21:38:09]
Sylvia
 Okay. Wow. You know, it's amazing to me, and this is really answering the question, why are the prices in some cases equivalent? It's amazing to me that they're going through the whole process that they normally go through and then they're removing the alcohol.

[01:21:38:09 - 01:21:54:13]
Adriana
 Exactly. So it's one extra process that a traditional tequila and this one specifically, Hector mentioned it a little bit but they also work with a master distiller. His name is Ivan Saldana, or you have Saper.

[01:21:56:01 - 01:22:03:23]
Adriana
 And yeah, so this master distiller also has worked on a number of traditional tequilas that are household names.

[01:22:03:23 - 01:22:09:12]
Sylvia
 Wow. Okay. And how close does that really taste to the real thing would you say?

[01:22:10:20 - 01:23:35:13]
Hector
 Yeah. I mean, I think, you know, one of the things about NA Spirit Alternatives is by design, you know, they're meant for cocktail making, right? For non-alcoholic cocktail making more so, right? I think the big thing that we always want to communicate and that's why education is so important is there is no ethanol in these brands, right? And so I think a lot of the times people expect that big bite, or especially if they're drinking something neater on the rocks, there is a big bite when you drink it on its own, if there's real tequila versus not, right? But a lot of the flavor profiles, like for example, the age version has the vanilla notes, the oak notes that you would get from a traditional reposado, right? It still has the earthy agave flavor profile that you would get, right? Cause at the end of the day, it is made with real agave. I think that the only difference is you're always gonna, you know, set expectations in terms of that big bite that you might not get. And that's why a lot of the brands, when we do, you know, events with them or in general us as our education, we always want to tell consumers that. And they always say by design, you know, best made in cocktails. And I think, you know, once you have them in a margarita or Paloma, you really, you know, the flavor profiles really come to life and they shine, which is really amazing and really great to see, especially if the consumers, and I know Al Mabe has been one of those brands that people went online, they found it, they came here and they've come back for it before, multiple times, they take it to parties and stuff like that, just cause it's done really well for them.

[01:23:35:13 - 01:23:43:02]
Sylvia
 I love that. This is actually really exciting. And you guys jumped into this world just a few years ago.

[01:23:44:12 - 01:24:24:15]
Sylvia
 A couple of things are going on right now, you know, besides dry January, sober October, the surgeon general last year declared that, you know, drinking alcohol can cause certain types of cancer, puts you at higher risk, which surprised a lot of people. And then Hector, you're talking about ethanol. And I, when I hear that word, I think of gasoline. I mean, there's so many things about alcohol that we should not be partaking in. And so here you are in this movement that is a really exciting time that I understand is really being grown by the Gen Zers, who really are trying to be leading a more healthy lifestyle than their parents.

[01:24:25:23 - 01:24:32:12]
Sylvia
 Where do you see this going? Do you feel like it's going to explode even more so? And I'll start with you Adriana.

[01:24:33:22 - 01:25:07:23]
Adriana
 Yeah, I think we hear that a lot. I think the common denominator for us, it isn't just one specific generation. I think the one thing that a lot of our consumers have in common is that they are people who still drink, but they just want to drink less. So they're coming to us to get an alcoholic wine that they can drink during the week. So now they're only drinking the traditional version on the weekends. And I think that's what we are seeing the most of.

[01:25:09:01 - 01:25:35:21]
Sylvia
 Okay, you just nailed me. That's who I am. I don't drink on school nights, I always joke. I save it, right? Exactly. And I love that I have access now because of you guys in other places. I have alternatives because a lot of cases when you get home from work and you just want to relax, the first thought is, "Oh, I love having a nice glass of champagne, but I don't like the way it makes me feel. Even one glass will prevent me from being excused to not work out the next morning."

[01:25:36:23 - 01:25:44:04]
Sylvia
 So it's so great. And I think you guys have really jumped onto something here. So for people who are listening,

[01:25:45:11 - 01:25:54:11]
Sylvia
 is there a favorite? You told me about one of your favorite tequilas. What about common things that people might use in cocktails? Like, what do you like? What's your favorite gin?

[01:25:55:13 - 01:26:00:23]
Sylvia
 What's your favorite whiskey that's non-alcoholic? Give us some tips for those.

[01:26:02:11 - 01:26:37:16]
Adriana
 Yeah, absolutely. I think just kind of continuing what I just mentioned, one of our favorites and also our customer favorites is a spirit called Three Spirit Nightcap. So that one falls under the functional category and it has some notes that are similar to whiskey in the sense that it's woody and oaky. It's a dark spirit, so you can make whiskey at Jason cocktails with it. It's not a one-to-one replacement, but some notes are similar. And then it does have those adaptogens that help you relax. So I think people really gravitate towards that one.

[01:26:37:16 - 01:26:39:21]
Sylvia
 Okay. And that, how about gin?

[01:26:41:11 - 01:26:45:20]
Hector
 I think for gin, there's a few great brands out there that are coming into the space.

[01:26:47:03 - 01:27:15:11]
Hector
 I think one that comes to mind is a brand like Cut Above or a brand like Monday. These small brands that were early entrance into the space, they deliver a liquid that's both citrusy or there's some juniper that I think people wanna see and experience while they're making their cocktails. I think another one that's really popular, Liars, they make their own gin, but they also do a gin and tonic, which isn't a ready to drink can that's easy to go. And people seem to really like it as well in terms of the bitterness that it brings to the table.

[01:27:16:16 - 01:27:34:07]
Hector
 So yeah, and I think what we're so excited about is the growth that's to come, right? I think you mentioned, or you asked earlier about, where do we see the space and how do we feel about it? It's honestly, it's very exciting and exhilarating for us because when we jumped onto the space,

[01:27:35:07 - 01:28:12:18]
Hector
 we knew it was out and there was momentum growing, but to see that momentum even continue to grow at a faster rate now has been just incredible to see. And I think if anything, I think it continues to evolve because there's more brands that are, they're wanting to get into the space, it's gonna be more normalized, we believe. And we're excited for it. We're excited to continue driving education because that's just such a big piece of what we do, but also continue to normalize non-alcohol. Like Adriana mentioned earlier, alcohol is so centered around social and everything, society.

[01:28:13:19 - 01:28:25:00]
Hector
 And now to kind of challenge that a little bit and finding more occasions where to drink non-alcoholic beverages is amazing. And so we're really excited for it and we hope for the best for the space.

[01:28:25:00 - 01:28:46:20]
Sylvia
 Yeah, and tell us, you guys have events and what's that like, especially in the summertime. Do people like to come out and socialize at your place? I have to say, your design is very unique. It's actually beautiful. It's a small, intimate place. It feels very comfortable. And I imagine people love kind of just hanging out. What's the reception to that?

[01:28:46:20 - 01:29:06:12]
Adriana
 Yeah, absolutely. So the community aspect is a big part of what we do. And it's definitely something that we just want to continue to champion. So we do have all sorts of events. We're actually planning our spring calendar now. Some of the things that we do are happy hours,

[01:29:07:13 - 01:29:41:01]
Adriana
 mixers for people to like mingle. We have mocktail making workshops. Once the weather is a little bit nicer, we do a walk club. And yeah, I think when people embark on a sobriety journey, it can be kind of like a personal and just like a individual or like even like an isolating experience. So we definitely want to be a place that people can come to and socialize with other people that may be on an alcohol-free journey or just wanting to try new things.

[01:29:42:13 - 01:29:49:21]
Sylvia
 I bet people are so grateful when they find you. I'm sure you have heard people say, thank goodness you guys are here.

[01:29:51:19 - 01:30:10:06]
Hector
 Thank you, thank you. We appreciate that comment. And yeah, I think that's what makes what we do every day so rewarding. And honestly, for us, it was a big passion for us and something we feel very strongly about obviously. And we took a big leap and wanted to do something like this.

[01:30:11:06 - 01:30:27:22]
Hector
 And even at the beginning, there was a lot, there was still so much just unknown about this space. But for now, over the last almost two years, it'll be the summer, people constantly coming in and thanking us for existing and thanking us for being here and just for offering all these options and bringing this to light.

[01:30:29:03 - 01:30:32:08]
Hector
 It just, you know, you can't beat that, right? And it just makes everything so rewarding.

[01:30:32:08 - 01:30:45:14]
Sylvia
 I can believe that. I'm sure you hear that a lot. So we covered almost everything except we didn't talk about beer. Do you guys sell non-alcoholic beer for our beer lovers who are listening? What do you recommend?

[01:30:46:15 - 01:30:57:11]
Adriana
 Yeah, absolutely. So we do have non-alcoholic beer and the amazing thing about beer is that I think that is one of the categories that tastes,

[01:30:59:13 - 01:31:03:11]
Adriana
 that tastes almost exactly like it's traditional option.

[01:31:04:18 - 01:31:18:02]
Adriana
 So I think beer lovers have tons of options to choose from. Let me see right behind us is our beer category. And yeah, so one that I would love to talk about I think is "Gears Beer."

[01:31:19:02 - 01:31:24:14]
Adriana
 "Gears Beer?" "Gears Beer." So they have a Pilsner and then a classic,

[01:31:26:12 - 01:31:26:19]
Adriana
 classic.

[01:31:26:19 - 01:31:28:18]
Hector
 It's a pale ale and a Pilsner, yep.

[01:31:28:18 - 01:31:41:00]
Adriana
 Yeah, okay. Pilsner and a classic pale. And they are also a Chicago brand. They are brewed in Logan Square. And yeah, I think they are a great option if you haven't tried something new to check out.

[01:31:41:00 - 01:31:46:04]
Hector
 Yeah, we love supporting obviously local businesses. You know, Visitor is another brand that comes to mind.

[01:31:47:05 - 01:32:17:06]
Hector
 You know, they have two different expressions as well. More of a traditional auger and then an IPA that was more recent. But yeah, both Chicago based brands. And even like a brand like Go Brewing that you might see in the corner of Adjourna behind you. You know, they're based out of Naperville and they've exploded into the scene over the last few years. So yeah, beer is like one of those that people are just really getting to. Obviously, I'm sure you're familiar with brands like Athletic, that brand continues to seek growth. And it's just really awesome to see it resonating with consumers.

[01:32:17:06 - 01:32:20:12]
Sylvia
 That's super cool. So does the beer process,

[01:32:21:18 - 01:32:25:10]
Sylvia
 is it similar to the de-alcoholization in the wines?

[01:32:26:11 - 01:32:45:13]
Hector
 Yeah, it's its own system obviously within beer because it's brewed differently versus the wine making process. But it's in the same regards of using a technology to de-alcoholize it. And you know, the brands are doing it really well because when you try an IPA, the bitterness is still there. Sours,

[01:32:47:00 - 01:33:11:13]
Hector
 IPAs, kind of all over the place. And now even brands are doing so much new innovation that are just like these really unique flavor profiles that when Adjourna and I are like early this week, we were trying beers, we just got in and we're like, this is incredible. Like we obviously wanna be versed when we tell consumers like, cause they'll be like, what does this taste like, right? And it might not be what you expect, it says something on the label, but we wanna make sure we're trying to communicate as best as we can.

[01:33:11:13 - 01:33:24:00]
Sylvia
 So for people who don't have access to come to your place, say maybe they live outside of Chicago, how do they take advantage of some of the products that you mentioned so that they can enjoy them as well?

[01:33:25:09 - 01:33:39:15]
Adriana
 Yeah, I think the best way probably would be if you're outside of Chicago, probably the best way to get your hands on these products is purchasing directly from the brands. I think all of the brands, they are also direct to consumer.

[01:33:40:16 - 01:33:44:12]
Adriana
 So you can just go ahead and order through them and on their websites.

[01:33:44:12 - 01:33:55:13]
Sylvia
 Okay, good to know. And so tell me what comes next for the two of you, what's happening in the future, what are your plans, are you gonna expand, are you gonna open up other locations? What are you working on?

[01:33:55:13 - 01:34:46:22]
Adriana
 I would say right now we are re-imagining this space a little bit. We just, this shelf that you see behind me, we just had this custom bill, we just installed it about a week ago. So this has really given us the opportunity to bring in more brands and more product. So I think right now we are focusing on our current space and just growing our selection to be able to offer more to our consumers. We are making it cozier, we brought in a couple of couches, again, so that people have that option to feel a little bit more comfortable in here, just feel like they can relax, sit down. So we are, I would say, just re-imagining things within this space, at least for now.

[01:34:48:12 - 01:35:15:01]
Sylvia
 And Hector, final words about what do you want people to know about this whole non-alcoholic movement, those who are listening that have never been able to take advantage of it, those who maybe have struggled with alcohol and are trying to figure out how to work around it. You guys have had experiences, personal experiences of your own, you've dealt with customers who have gone through this. So final words on just the whole non-alcoholic movement, if you will.

[01:35:15:01 - 01:35:51:13]
Hector
 Yeah, that's a great one. I mean, it's tough to encapsulate all in a little bit. I think for us, really what we used to push a lot when we first started and what we continue to talk about is, we should all be curious. I think that's always great. Curiosity is a wonderful thing and I think it's what led us into this space and it's what leads consumers who are curious, either sober curious or really feel like they don't have an outlet or don't know which way to navigate in terms of their drinking consumption. I think for us, it's always been really important to find balance, to be mindful.

[01:35:52:20 - 01:35:58:18]
Hector
 And I think this space has continued to gain in quality

[01:35:59:21 - 01:36:23:04]
Hector
 and we're obviously trying to be at the forefront of it and bring quality things and quality products to it. So I think anyone that's curious to try new things, who wants to be curious, I don't think you'd be disappointed. I think there's a little bit for everyone and you're continuing to see that expand and you continue to see that grow. And so, we hope that you give it a shot, even try it out, put on your friends.

[01:36:24:08 - 01:36:30:14]
Hector
 I think it's an exciting time right now. And yeah, I think that would kind of capture it a little bit.

[01:36:30:14 - 01:37:00:00]
Sylvia
 Well, beautifully said. And it's great that there's alternatives today that were never available before because it makes that whole sober curious movement a whole lot easier. So Hector and Adriana, best of luck. I hope to see you guys expand with multiple locations because I think what you're doing is such a great thing and you are so well versed on the products that you sell. And I can tell that you're passionate about this. So thank you for sharing. We really appreciate what you guys have come on to talk to us about today.

[01:37:00:00 - 01:37:02:06]
Adriana
 Thank you. Thank you so much for having us.

[01:37:02:06 - 01:37:03:18]
Hector
 Yeah, thank you so much for having us.

[01:37:03:18 - 01:37:07:11]
Sylvia
 I'll be stopping by again soon for some of that tequila. Take care.

[01:37:07:11 - 01:37:09:06]
Hector
 Amazing, thank you so much. Perfect, see you soon.

[01:37:09:06 - 01:37:22:12]
Sylvia
 This podcast is produced by Jane Stephens and Jennifer Waters, original music and audio engineering, Donnie Cutting, social media, Magali Blasdell, promotions and marketing, Julie Lokun and The Mediacasters.

[01:37:22:12 - 01:37:24:13]
 (Upbeat Music)