"Three years ago, I had the idea to open an alcohol-free bar in New York City. I don't drink, but I still wanted nightlife - dancing, music, meeting new people, getting out of the house on a Friday or Saturday night. What I didn't want was another alcohol-free space that was centered on wellness, meditation, or yoga. I wanted something that still felt like real nightlife, just without booze being the main event."
"Instead of signing a lease, I started testing the idea by hosting pop-up events. I'd take over coffee shops or other venues at night and turn them into alcohol-free bars for the evening. What started as an experiment quickly took on a life of its own. Over the past three years, I've collaborated with tons of venues, experimented with a variety of new formats, and thousands of people have come through our doors. That's been the most surprising part of all of this: the demand."
Sam Bail founded Bright Nights Social to host alcohol-free nightlife pop-ups in New York City. Bail, a data engineer who doesn't drink, wanted traditional nightlife elements—dancing, music, meeting new people—without alcohol as the centerpiece. Rather than open a permanent bar, Bail tested the concept through pop-up events that converted coffee shops and other venues into alcohol-free bars at night. Over three years the venture expanded through collaborations with many venues and varied formats, drawing thousands of attendees. Most attendees do not identify as sober or sober-curious; roughly 75% are not sober, primarily older Gen Z and very young millennials.
Read at Business Insider
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