NA/AF-Focused Ever AFter Will Open in Portland

If you’ve read this blog for a while, you know I’m a big fan of NA (non-alcoholic) drinking, in part because I do not drink alcohol myself (though I used to). Portland has become a place where accessing NA drinks at bars and restaurants—cocktails and beer, especially—is a relatively easy thing to do. Portland is also a place where people like to connect through identity (“I’m a non-drinker”) and community—and the community associated with NA has grown into a pretty sizable and healthy one. Ever AFter aims to support that community and provide access to products beloved by those who like to drink but eschew alcohol, in a welcoming and accessible space.

Ever AFter and Their Mission

Conceived by artist Ariel Dunitz-Johnson (they/them), “Ever AFter is an AF/NA (alcohol-free/non-alcoholic) bottle shop and tasting bar, dry goods mercantile and local gallery, and community space for classes, workshops, speaking series and events.” They see it as a classic welcoming “third space,” celebrating diversity, community, inclusivity, and accessibility (hello wheelchair-accessible spaces).

The hope is that the location they eventually find will, instead of being a tiny bottle shop, be a larger space with more seating, room to move, and an overall increased comfort level for everyone. They add, “Ever AFter will support people wherever they are on their journey—whether they identify as sober, sober curious, straight edge, wanting to support sober people in their lives, or have stopped, paused, or cut down on drinking for any reason.”

The plan is to open later this year here in Portland.

The Ever AFter Origin Story

Over on Instagram, Ariel shared some of the details on how Ever AFter came to be, which has been in progress since last August. They shared their dream of a bottle shop and community space with close friends and family, and it was met with much enthusiasm. After that, “things just really took off from there.”

They connected with Shelley Elkovich at For Better For Worse as well as Chris Marshall at Sans Bar. He created the first NA bar in the country in 2017. During their time at the Sans Academy, which offers a 10-week course for NA businesses to launch and grow, they honed their vision and purpose for the business. Things were going smoothly in the business-building process until a bit of a hiccup happened with trademarking the original name.

As Ariel says, “sometimes things happen for a reason”—a new name was chosen, and that is Ever AFter. Ariel remarked about the new name, that it “creates a sense of magic, hope, optimism, and forward thinking. A reminder that anything is possible and we can all write our own story.”

More About Ariel Dunitz-Johnson

Ariel—creative to their core—has been a professional artist for over 20 years, with an emphasis on realistic portraiture and storytelling (see more of their work at www.arieldraws.com), and produced curated art shows in SF for 15 of those years. This will no doubt be helpful when it comes to connecting with and bringing in speakers to the space.

“I understand the challenges of running a small business but have gotten a LOT of support in these initial phases of entrepreneurship from Shelley (at For Bitter For Worse) and Chris (from Sans Academy),” says Ariel” Also relevant: “I had a small Cottage Law food business for several years and love recipe development and the food and beverage industry!”

They continue, “Artist Lisa Congdon has been my co-collaborator from the start and is both an advisor and close friend of many years. Our aesthetics have really fun overlap and she’s generously designing the branding for Ever AFter: the interior is going to be so colorful, welcoming, and joyful.” If you’ve ever seen Lisa’s work, color plays a major role in her work. I have admired her artistic style for many years (and even proofread one of her wall calendars years ago with Chronicle Books).

What’s Next?

Look for a crowdfunding campaign soon to support the efforts in securing a physical space. “What I really want to do is bring folks from every corner of the NA community into fundraising for this space to come to life,” explains Ariel. “I want to try to do this without high interest loans or losing equity to outside investors, and I think together we can support this project with crowdfunding and seed money donations.”

Starting this summer, they plan to do some pop-up events, of course emphasizing AF/NA products and drinks. And their social media will highlight favorite NA brands, products, recipes, makers, and community leaders, as well as insights on a life without alcohol. You’ll get a chance to learn more about Ariel, as well.

For updates and to support the launch, head to the Ever AFter Instagram page. They add, “I’ll be sharing details about my team, upcoming events, giveaways, and crowdfunding as we start searching for our brick and mortar home. If you have ideas to collaborate or skills to lend, please reach out!”

Ever AFter [opening TBD]
Instagram