Ann Arbor's Brillig Pop-Up Dry Bar Doesn't Serve Alcohol and I Love the Idea

The Brillig Dry Bar in Ann Arbor, Michigan is about to change your idea of a big night out. Nic Sims, a former chef, came up with the idea for the bar to provide non-drinkers with the atmosphere of a bar without the temptation of alcohol. According to MLive, Sims describes a dry bar as “an alcohol-free place for conversation and connection.” She goes on to explain: “I haven’t had a drink in 20 years, and I know a lot of people who don’t drink. I love to go out on a weekend, but not in a bar. I wanted a bar-like convivial atmosphere, with snacks, drinks, and conversation, without being a bar.”

Sims launched Brillig Dry Bar on December 5 at Mighty Good Coffee, her husband's Ann Arbor coffee shop, and had a full house. After a successful first night, Sims opened it again on December 26. The goal is to have the dry bar be a regular event and with the positive response and attention the dry bar has been receiving, it’ll hopefully spread around the country. In lieu of alcohol, Brillig Dry Bar serves up drinks such as Brooklyn Egg Cream, Pomegranate-Rosemary Soda and Pumpkin Spice Chiller. There's little something for everybody (except alcohol).

If the idea of a dry bar sounds odd or redundant to you, you aren’t thinking of the positive ways it could effect your night out. Here are some advantages:

1. Safe spaces for people who can’t drink.

Pregnant people want to have fun with their friends too. So do people who are recovering alcoholics. So do people who just want to hang out with their friends while sober without being strangely pressured to have a drink, true story. For some reason, there is an odd sense of having to drink when you’re out, that can be easily avoided when there aren’t any alcoholic beverages to be tempted by or pressured with.

2. Fewer drunk people to deal with.

Face it, we can all be a little obnoxious when we’re drunk, and that’s putting it mildly. Not having to worry about the behavior of others or your behavior under the influence takes the edge off the night.

3. No hangover the following day.

Imagine going out with your friends, having a good night and fun conversation and then waking up the next morning without regretting everything. Imagine. Your body will thank you for a night at a dry bar.