Photograph by HATSUE
We all know the basic options for non-drinkers: soda, sparkling water, tea, or maybe a juice-based mocktail or two at the bottom of a cocktail menu. What if there was something more curated for those who want to enjoy a special drink, sans alcohol? Enter the NIL Bottle Shop, Cincinnati’s first exclusively nonalcoholic retail store.
While it’s a small space located in Painted Tree Boutiques in Symmes Township, owner Brady Mescher has big plans. He started NIL Distributing in November after noticing nonalcoholic options expanding in other cities and liquor distributors not giving enough attention to their zero-proof products.
Photograph by HATSUE
“[My wife and I] looked around and saw that no one had picked up on this trend,” he says. “We knew the void had to be filled. There are many reasons people are drinking less—healthier lifestyles, pregnancies, work schedules, being more present and focused at parties and events. Providing options that mimic full proof alternatives gives people a feeling of inclusion.”
In order to get alcohol-free beverages into the hands of the “sophisticated sober-curious,” Mescher opened the NIL Bottle Shop a month later—just in time for “Dry January.” He hoped to create a space where people could discover unique nonalcoholic options for any occasion.
“We thought Painted Tree would be a perfect spot to establish a ‘proof of concept,’ and we were right,” says Mescher, who noted that sales in the first month exceeded their goals.
The storefront offers a variety of handpicked products including N/A wines, drinks (like the Espresso Martini by Spiritless, one of Mescher’s favorites), craft spirits, and mocktails, as well as mixers.
While no one staffs the bottle shop, it’s clear that its contents are thoughtfully stocked on a regular basis, and there are informative signs with QR codes to answer questions about the products. To connect with customers, Mescher hopes to host tasting events and take NIL Distributing on the road to events around Cincinnati.
NIL Bottle Shop, Painted Tree Boutiques, 11315 Montgomery Rd., Symmes Twp, (859) 240-7207
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