Crafting a Sober Safe Haven: The Sans Bar Story with Chris Marshall

We're thrilled to have just wrapped up an incredibly inspiring episode of "Morning Smiles" with guest Chris Marshall. In today's talk, Chris shared his transformative journey from battling alcoholism to founding Sans Bar, North America's first all nonalcoholic bar. He threw light on the crucial role that the sober community played in his recovery and how it led to a passion for creating safe, inclusive social spaces. Together we discussed creating a movement for more non-alcoholic options that cater to everyone and normalize sobriety in our society. Tune in to this powerful conversation that's not just about abstaining from alcohol, but celebrating the richness of connections made and lives transformed in the process. Stay tuned for the full episode – because everyone deserves a place where they feel included and supported in their choices. #sobercurious #alcoholfree Here are a few noteworthy moments: — Chris Marshall [00:03:34 → 00:03:41] The Misconception of Alcohol as a Solution: "I kept demanding alcohol to do something it was not designed to do. It was never designed to give me anything. It was designed to numb my central nervous system. That is the point of it." — Chris Marshall [00:06:39 → 00:06:39] The Allure and Pitfalls of Alcohol: "I really just thought that if I just drank enough alcohol, and I mean this sincerely, and I mean this sincerely, I thought if I just drank enough alcohol, I could feel like I belonged. I could feel like I was a cool person. I really did believe that." — Chris Marshall [00:07:22 → 00:07:39] The Essence of a Good Bar: "If you can walk into Sans bar at any point on a Thursday, Friday night, and you close your eyes and it sounds like any other bar in America, that's how we know we're doing the right thing. We want this to look, sound, feel, maybe not smell, but we want it to be mostly a bar." — Chris Marshall [00:21:04 → 00:21:22] The Rise of Sober Bars: "It's about 75% of people that come to Sans Bar are not sober. They don't identify as being sober. Most times when we talk to folks. They are just taking a night off, or they're coming to downtown for a show and they're stopping in for drinks, or they were at a show and they're just kind of winding down and don't want to go home, don't want to have coffee."