The Pandemic Cocktail Habit Behind NYC’s Booze-Free Bottle Shop

Like so many people sent home from the office at the onset of the pandemic, Douglas Watters added a new ritual at the end of his workday: making and drinking cocktails. But the marketing executive quickly realized his rising alcohol consumption wasn’t compatible with his interest in health and fitness, so he started preparing his tipples sans booze. And within a few months, his fascination with the burgeoning “sober curious” movement turned into a business.

A year ago, Watters opened Spirited Away—New York’s first booze-free bottle shop. He had no prior experience in retail, but managed to take advantage of falling commercial rents as businesses closed, opting for a short-term lease on a storefront on Manhattan’s Lower East Side to sell his selection of nonalcoholic spirits.