Zero-Proof Cocktail Lounge To Open in Downtown Gulfport Next Month

Sober Bar will open next month at 3062 Beach Boulevard South in downtown Gulfport with zero-proof cocktails, kava, and specialty coffee. Owners Sean Hawthorne and Collin Horton have spent months renovating the 1,400-square-foot space into a New Orleans speakeasy-inspired lounge.

The idea started as a pop-up in 2025. The owners served drinks at markets throughout Tampa Bay. Gulfport's Tuesday Fresh Market became one of their regular stops, and demand grew for a brick-and-mortar spot.

"With the name Sober Bar, we want it to elicit some curiosity with our customers because the words 'sober' and 'bar' seem like two conflating ideas," said Hawthorne to St. Pete Rising. "I discovered the kava industry about five years ago when I decided to go sober for a while. I was looking for some sense of community and I found it at these kava bars."

The venue will operate differently throughout the day. Morning service functions as a coffee bar with espresso drinks, matcha, kava, and botanical teas. After a midday break, the space reopens as a dimly lit lounge focused on nonalcoholic cocktails.

Guests can order zero-proof cocktails made with alcohol alternatives from brands like Ritual and Free Spirits. The menu also includes kava-based drinks, botanical teas, and nonalcoholic beer and wine. Options include iced Thai kava coffee, matcha kava, green jasmine ketum tea, and a seasonal "kava nog."

Customers can add adaptogens and tinctures like lion's mane, ashwagandha, blue lotus, and kanna to their drinks. These ingredients help with focus, relaxation, or stress relief.

"I really love crafting a cocktail and putting a lot of intention into someone's drink," said Horton. "What we're doing is a bit more of an upscale experience … I want to bring that personalized experience to every single customer."

The interior features black walls with gold accents, chandeliers, banquet seating, and vinyl jazz records. The front room houses the café and bar, while a lounge area sits in the back. Outdoor seating is available on the patio and sidewalk.

Plans include live jazz musicians, game nights, and other themed events. A small, rotating menu of New Orleans-inspired dishes is also in development.

A soft opening is planned around Cinco de Mayo. The establishment opens seven days a week, with morning coffee service until midday and afternoon and evening hours that could run as late as 1 a.m. on weekends.