CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Something unique is brewing at Good Spirits in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood.
“We're driving with nothing but passion but also making sure that we're learning, understanding and growing along the way,” said Hector Diaz.
In May 2022, Diaz and Adriana Gaspar entered the city's non-alcoholic beverage scene by appearing at several pop-ups to serve beers, wines and more — with no alcohol.
“Hector and I, we've always been passionate about cocktail culture,” Gaspar said. “We also have experience working in the spirits world.”
Both of their journeys with sobriety began a few years earlier; for Gaspar, it was when her father passed away.
“Sobriety was a huge part of his life,” Gaspar said. “I decided to become alcohol-free and sober as a way to honor him.”
Diaz’s journey began when he was diagnosed with kidney cancer.
“Reassessing my relationship with alcohol, being more mindful of it and trying to practice taking care of myself better really helped us push,” he said. “When we landed on that, we just kind of kept it going.”
In July 2023, the pair opened their non-alcoholic bar and bottle shop, In Good Spirits, at 858 N. Ashland Ave.
“We wanted to show folks that you can still have all the fun, engage with the community and meet people, without having to have that alcoholic drink in your hand,” Diaz said. “I think we're seeing it come to life.”
Diaz added that the community’s been “quite supportive” of the new venture and said the non-alcoholic bar is full of positivity and good energy. Gaspar echoed that sentiment.
"We're seeing some of the similar energy and behavior that you would see at a traditional bar," Gaspar said. "We love seeing that."
Diaz said the future — beyond their successful launch — might be hazy, but he and Gaspar are ready to soak up whatever comes their way.
“We come with incredible curiosity,” he said. “We want to learn, we want to continue understanding what the consumer wants, but we also want to grow the business and continue growing the awareness of the non-alcoholic space, itself.”
Serving up good spirits in West Town and online, In Good Spirits is Made In Chicago.
Related
Related
Listen to our new podcast Looped In: Chicago
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!