“Thriving Non-Alcoholically: Sober Bar Challenges Cancer Risks with Joyful Celebrations”

• Hekate Café & Elixir Lounge provides a sober atmosphere in New York City.
• BI explored Hekate after the US Surgeon General’s report connecting alcohol and cancer.
• Despite the rise in alcohol consumption during the pandemic, a burgeoning sober-curious movement is underway.

Situated in Manhattan’s East Village, a sober bar presents an alternative to the typical boozy ambiance in New York City.

On a Saturday evening, Eliott Edge, the bar supervisor at Hekate Café and Elixir Lounge, greeted customers, informing newcomers that: “Everything — with a capital E — is alcohol-free.”

Business Insider returned to Hekate following US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy’s statement that alcohol is a primary factor in cancer and should carry warning labels similar to those on cigarette packages.

Edge, who has spent his career as a bartender, admitted he was intoxicated for five years continuously before seeking rehabilitation. Currently sober for two years and rebranding himself as a mocktail bartender, he was not surprised by the surgeon general’s announcement.

“The news isn’t new, but each time an authority figure makes an announcement, it encourages people to reevaluate their conduct,” Edge shared with BI. “Individuals will now contemplate their decisions in a new light.”

Katie Balevic.

Alcohol usage spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, with deaths from excessive drinking increasing nearly 30% from 2016 to 2020, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Elevated levels of heavy drinking persisted into 2022, well after the initial impact of the pandemic, according to the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Nonetheless, Gen Z consumes alcohol less than earlier generations, driving a rising interest in sober social interactions.

“It appears that there is a noticeable decline in alcohol consumption that those of us in the industry are keen to observe,” Edge stated. “If there is a silver lining to the pandemic, it is the tremendous rise of non-alcoholic options that have surged onto the market.”

Edge forecasted that every bar will need to offer non-alcoholic selections to stay competitive “because they will come to realize it’s like catering to vegetarians or vegans or gluten-free or dairy-free customers. It’s simply a different demographic to accommodate — and those that don’t adapt will become obsolete.”

While Hekate provides a completely sober experience, Edge highlighted that the bar serves as a “shining example” of the right approach.

Katie Balevic.

Drinks at Hekate cost approximately $13 for those paying in cash — somewhat lower than the typical cocktail price at a NYC bar.

However, Edge asserts that patrons visit bars for enjoyment, and with his establishment’s music, lighting, and ambiance, Hekate delivers that. The inviting bar, sharing its name with the Greek goddess of sorcery and witchcraft, is tastefully decorated.

“You don’t require alcohol,” Edge remarked. “Very little is needed to enjoy oneself. What we truly need is the liberty to have a good time, which is often what alcohol provides us. But how often does that enjoyable time culminate in chaos?”

Not only has he found greater happiness as a sober mocktail bartender, Edge observed that his patrons appear to be happier too, even if they just stop by for a mocktail or two before heading out for alcoholic beverages later on.

“My regulars look fabulous, you know? They don’t seem to be gradually deteriorating,” he noted. “I’m not witnessing altercations erupt between best friends. I’m not observing dates dissolve into, you know, pools of despair.”

Perhaps the best aspect?

“My restrooms are significantly tidier.”