Seattle welcomes its first exclusively non-alcoholic bottle shop
Breaking news!
Seattle is now home to an exclusively non-alcoholic bottle shop, Cheeky & Dry. The first of its kind in Western Washington, Cheeky offers a collection of zero-proof spirits, wine, beer, ready-to-drink options, mixers and more on a charming corner in the Phinney neighborhood.
But it’s more than just a bottle shop. While still in its soft opening, Cheeky plans on offering pop-up events, company team-building opportunities, and tastings to foster a sense of community and provide people with opportunities to socialize without alcohol.
Consumer demand is booming for no-and-low options, as Nielsen IQ reports a staggering 20.5% growth in the US n/a market year-over-year, hitting over $395 million in 2022. Many of the largest alcoholic brands and distributors are rushing to expand their non-alcoholic offerings, as alcoholic sales lag behind.
The rise of mindful drinking seems to be having an impact on all generations, though there is a clear decrase in alcohol consumption by younger generations, with Gen-Zers drinking on average 20% less than millenials, who also drink less than the previous generation. Most report the reason being an increased awareness of the dangers and effects of alcohol. I myself was shocked to learn about several studies in the past five-ten years that have put alcohol on the top of the list as a risk factor in several different types of cancer, specifically one of the leading risk factors in breast cancer for women. And that terrifying fact is not just for binge-drinkers, though the more you drink the higher the risk. Even having as few as 5 drinks per week can impact your risk for cancer, as reported by the CDC and WHO.
Taking note of these trends, Kirstin & Yura Vracko decided to take a big risk and open up Seattle's first non-alcoholic bottle shop. With dozens of alcohol-free bars, shops and events popping up all over the nation (check out this map from Zero Proof Nation), the timing seems perfect to let consumers dip their toe in the non-alcoholic market, whether they drink booze a lot, a little, or not at all. Interestingly enough, the growth in demand comes from consumers switching from both n/a drinks and alcohol. IWSR data indicates that 82% of non-alcoholic drinkers also consume alcohol, highlighting that moderate consumption trumps complete abstinence for most, myself included.
So whether you drink or not, come see what all the fuss is about and support an amazing local business. Cheeky’s grand opening is Saturday, November 18th, but the shop is now in their soft opening phase and visitors are welcome Tues-Sat, 11am-7pm. Cheers to Cheeky & Dry!
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