In my opinion, coffee shops have a potential money-making opportunity on their hands - establishing a zero-proof retail section or serving standout no-alcohol cocktails. Keep reading to learn about five locations in Tennessee, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, and Washington combining non-alcoholic beverage culture with craft coffee!

Coffee shops are generally alcohol-free spaces without being explicitly labeled as such.

Trust me when I say sober folks naturally gravitate to coffee shops. When I quit drinking in 2019, I went from being a bartender to a barista in an effort to support my recovery, and it worked!

In 2024, people usually expect to find a calm environment, elements of community, a thoughtful beverage experience, and even potential networking opportunities in coffee houses.

You being here on this blog tells me that you likely know non-alcoholic beverage culture continued to thrive and dominate global categories left and right in 2023. Coffee shops have the potential to join this movement and bring in a new crowd while offering something inclusive and aligned for current customers.

In other words, it’s a perfect match!

Sleepyhead Coffee - Chattanooga, Tennessee

@sleepyheadchatt

Now with two locations, one serving coffee and food, the other serving that combo **plus mocktails**, Sleepyhead started in 2018 as a coffee cart before opening its brick-and-mortar in the heart of Downtown Chattanooga.

As of early 2024, Sleepyhead’s alcohol-free cocktail menu includes a raspberry espresso martini, “Espresso Raztini,” a “Matcha Colada” with non-alcoholic rum and pineapple, the “Lavender Bliss” with lime, rosemary, and zero-proof gin, and MORE!

I’m obsessed with the blend of classic cocktail and coffee ingredients on this AF menu - it feels thoughtful and fresh. Brandon and Christian; business partners and co-owners of Sleepyhead, focus on creating inclusive environments in both of their Tennessee locations.

Soulberry Coffee House - Tacoma, Washington

@soulberrycoffeehouse

Soulberry is a coffee house by day and a dry speakeasy by night, serving house-roasted small-batch coffees, hand-crafted loose-leaf tea, and zero-proof cocktails.

From non-alcoholic wine, zero-proof spirits, small-batch ginger beer, and more, Soulberry Coffee House is stocking something for everyone. I suggest checking out their Instagram feed to explore the variety of non-alc product options and live music announcements.

With such an active booze-free community in Washington and coffee lovers everywhere, the coffee and alcohol-free combo seems like an easy “yes” for Washington business owners. Seattle is a national leader in the booming non-alcoholic beverage market. You’ve likely heard of Pathfinder, often considered a Pacific Northwest-style amaro, or Joyus, launched in 2021, the first non-alcoholic winery in the Pacific Northwest and the first 100% woman-owned and sober-owned nonalcoholic winery in the U.S.

Ghostlight Coffee - Dayton, Ohio

Ghostlight Coffee is one of the oldest coffee houses in Dayton, Ohio, and in late 2021 they added a zero-proof bottle shop! According to Dayton Daily News, owner “Anderson and his wife, Lezley Pisone, started serving zero-proof spirits at Ghostlight in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. They had started to delve into alcohol-free spirits at home and wanted to share what they discovered with the Dayton community.”

Ghostlight owners also saw the connection between coffee shop visitors and the consumers of alcohol-free products, all the way back in 2020 - and it’s worked for them! They started with a single shelf of products and now carry everything from spirits, wine, herbal elixirs, and more.

Agency - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

@agency.mke

Agency is an experimental hybrid (alcoholic/non-alcoholic) cocktail bar in Wisconsin. By day, the Agency space is a top-rated Milwaukee coffee heaven called Discourse, also created and run by the Agency team.

While not a bottle shop, Agency combines coffee and “NA culture” with its unique menu and day-to-night transformation. Run like a speakeasy, Agency’s menu stands out in that it’s one cocktail menu - all drinks can be made for both preferences, instead of having a “separate” zero-proof menu. I’m a big big fan of this menu style and was lucky enough to experience it on Agency’s soft opening night.

If you’re in Milwaukee, I highly suggest visiting Discourse for your morning/afternoon coffee and coming back to see the space transform at night into a high-vibe, inclusive cocktail bar. Ryan Castelaz and the Agency team are incredibly gifted when it comes to recipe crafting - because I’ve been there I can tell you it’s not at all your average coffee or zero-proof experience!

Memento Zero Proof - Fishers, Indiana

As an AF bar and coffee shop, Memento’s cozy space is helping its community “cherish moments, share stories, and celebrate life.” From specialty cocktails to adorable mugs, this colorful and lively shop is doing coffee and zero-proof lovers justice! Self-described as a “modern gothic lounge” in Indianapolis Monthly, the Fishers bar offers a rare find - non-alcoholic wine and spirit flights. While you’re there, grab a bite to eat - Memento is serving signature paninis, breakfast-style toasts, sweet pastries, and chips.

Indiana is also home to the Midwest’s OG NA bottle shop, Generation NA, and Loren’s Alcohol-Free Beverages with two Indiana locations.

Why Zero-Proof and Coffee?

After struggling through 2020 and 2021, many coffee shops were returning to pre-pandemic sales in 2022, with Millennials and Gen Z's popularity helping keep many afloat. As I said earlier, people expect a thoughtful community experience from coffee shops, and with twenty-somethings being less and less interested in booze and clubs, it’s no surprise Gen Z and Millennials have not only not abandoned their favorite coffee shops, they’re socializing and even working there. Alcohol-free and non-alcoholic beverage sellers and marketers are also trying to appeal to this same mindful audience.

Another reason? The zero-proof movement is making money! Beverage Daily reports that the global market is now worth over $13bn.

For coffee shop owners, adding a couple of specialty alcohol-free cocktails, NA beer or wine, or even a retail booze-free bottle section could be a new way to boost revenue while the demand for non-alc is growing and establish new loyal customers.

Do you know a coffee shop owner suited to embrace the zero-proof lifestyle movement? Share this post with them. 😊

Trend: Coffee Shops Embracing The Zero-Proof Lifestyle