Downtown sober bar closes amid declining sales
A Downtown sober bar, which aimed to create a space for sober people in a bar environment, announced Sunday it was closing its doors.
The Dry Mill, which served nonalcoholic mocktails, was located Downtown at 79 S. 4th St. and closed its doors Saturday after over a year in business. In June of last year, owners David Payne and Colin Thomas raised more than $10,000 in a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to “create a resource” for those struggling with alcoholism.
They said in a Facebook post Sunday that they could not “continue to operate the business based on the current levels of customers.”
“It saddens us to say this, but unfortunately we have to shut our doors and close,” they wrote. “As owners of the business we take full responsibility and have to make the difficult decision to close.”
The Dry Mill was envisioned as a space where people who are sober or struggling with alcoholism could socialize in a bar environment, inspired by “sober bars” popping up in cities like Austin, Texas, and New York City.
“We witnessed people get sober in our building,” Payne and Thomas wrote. “Meeting each of you and learning your stories is the reason we opened The Dry Mill. Continue to normalize sobriety and give a helping hand to those in need.”
Payne and Thomas thanked those who supported the business and contributed to the Kickstarter campaign.
“We want to thank everyone for your support from the beginning,” they wrote. “From launching our Facebook page in June 2021, to the Kickstarter where many of you gave generously to make The Dry Mill a reality, you believed in us. We are very grateful for you and couldn’t have done it without you.”
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