sa国际传媒官网网页入口

Bartending was always a fallback for Ryan Brown, an sa国际传媒官网网页入口 resident of many trades, including real estate finance, tourism, owning a beverage business and stay-at-home parenting.

It was his return to the bar space, following a stint as a stay-at-home dad, that provided a sobering realization: He wanted to own a business again and he wanted the venture to be alcohol-free.

鈥淚 stopped drinking and that鈥檚 when I noticed that there weren鈥檛 any solely nonalcoholic-centered spaces,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been bartending for 15 or 16 years, so I was like, 鈥榊eah, I can take that knowledge and apply it and create this whole new thing that isn鈥檛 centered around alcohol.鈥欌��

With experience owning a kombucha business and a love of tea, Brown decided to launch Lost Cultures Tea Bar in late 2023. The business offers late hours and single-origin Asian teas 鈥� sourced from a particular region or harvest, with no added flavors or blends 鈥� in addition to kombucha, coffee, and craft nonalcoholic beers, wines and cocktails, also known as mocktails.

Nonalcoholic options are popping up more and more on drink menus as fewer Americans are choosing to drink alcohol. says the percentage of adults in the United States who said they consume alcohol fell to 54% last year, the lowest percentage recorded throughout Gallup鈥檚 90-year history of tracking domestic drinking behavior.

Alcohol consumption has declined steadily since 2022, which saw 67% of people report drinking alcohol, the Gallup data says. Those who are drinking alcohol have also reported less consumption, with consumers drinking a little more than two drinks per week last year 鈥� down from a little over three drinks in 2024 and four drinks in 2023.

Alcohol sales are also down, dropping significantly since 2021, according to from IWSR, formerly known as International Wine and Spirits Record.

Industry experts say the decline is the result of a variety of factors, including research indicating that alcohol consumption is , amid economic uncertainty and emerging health consciousness among consumers.

The alcohol downturn has hit the craft beer industry particularly hard, with brewery closings outpacing openings nationally for the second year in a row and openings declining for the fourth consecutive year in 2025, according to a from the Brewers Association.

New Mexico has felt the squeeze, with one of the state鈥檚 largest brewers, Bosque Brewing Co., closing all of its taprooms in December. Other local breweries and restaurants have adapted by adding nonalcoholic options to the menu. Nexus Blue Smokehouse introduced a full mocktail menu early last year, Santa Fe Brewing Co. launched its first nonalcoholic craft beer in December and Ex Novo Brewing Co. debuted a nonalcoholic electrolyte hop water the same month.

In a sea full of spaces with alcohol in the mix, Brown wanted Lost Cultures Tea Bar to offer something different 鈥� a space for those who don鈥檛 drink alcohol but still like to socialize and go out.

鈥淛ust connection, intention, vibes and community鈥� is how Brown described the business in a recent TikTok video panning a room full of people during a paint night event Lost Cultures hosted.

鈥淓veryone has their choice to do what they want, but it鈥檚 not the only answer and it鈥檚 not the only option out there,鈥� Brown said.

Brown said he witnessed how deeply people associate socializing with alcohol every time he would make his decision not to drink known and was peppered with questions and peer pressure. He hoped his business would break that association and make everyone feel welcome.

鈥淚 wanted to make tea a little more accessible to people, as well as show people that you can enjoy yourselves and have fun without alcohol,鈥� Brown said.

A coffee shop-style atmosphere with late hours and community events is how Brown keeps the business approachable. A Nutcracker paint event, plant swaps, art and puzzle nights, book club gatherings and yoga sessions are just some of the affairs Lost Cultures has hosted.

鈥淚t鈥檚 whatever the community brings forward,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淛ust let us know your group size, and as long as it鈥檚 not way more than we can fit, we鈥檙e happy to accommodate you. We鈥檙e not going to charge you; just bring people in and have a good time.鈥�

January is always a busy time for the business, Brown said, as many people pursue a one-month, alcohol-free journey often referred to as Dry January. But the rising popularity of nonalcoholic beverages is something Brown said isn鈥檛 going anywhere at the end of the month.

鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely here to stay,鈥� Brown said.

As for how the trend has translated into business, Brown said Lost Cultures experienced a 鈥渕ajor spike鈥� when it first opened, but business tapered off a bit once other local restaurants and bars started offering nonalcoholic options. More recently, business appears to be stabilizing and trending upward again, but at a steadier pace, Brown said.

While he鈥檚 seen nonalcoholic options in sa国际传媒官网网页入口 increase over the last few years, he thinks there鈥檚 still plenty of room, need and demand for more sober spaces and businesses in the city.

Brown鈥檚 optimistic about growing the business, its menu and events heading into the future 鈥� but he鈥檚 most excited about further building a community that he was hopeful but surprised to discover when he started Lost Cultures.

鈥淢aybe six years ago, being sober was something that was looked down upon and frowned upon for some weird reason, and I think that made people feel very isolated,鈥� Brown said.

While sobriety is a cornerstone of the local tea bar, connection is the intended outcome, Brown said.

鈥淚f you want to be sober, be sober and don鈥檛 feel ashamed to do so. If you want to drink, drink and don鈥檛 feel ashamed,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淚 just want people to feel like they can be themselves and meet and connect with others.鈥�

Kylie Garcia covers retail and real estate for the Journal. You can reach her at kgarcia@abqjournal.com.