Non-alcoholic shop opens downtown Barrie
A new non-alcoholic retailer, Sober Sips, has officially opened its doors on Dunlop Street West in downtown Barrie.
Co-owners Jeff and Shannon Cunningham say it all began as a weight-loss journey.
"I had a lot of weight to lose in 2022, and I had to make some tough personal decisions," said Jeff Cunningham. "Did I want to eat the calories or drink the calories?"
After choosing to eat the calories and stop drinking the calories, Jeff identified a gap in the local beverage market.
"I started stumbling across more and more non-alcoholic drinks," he added. "But there was nothing interesting, in my opinion, available within about a 100-kilometre radius of Barrie."
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
Starting as an online retailer in 2023, Sober Sips shipped non-alcoholic beers, wines, spirits, and more nationwide.
During the grand opening, the Cunningham's say they saw hundreds of customers right off the bat.
"Saturday was incredible," said Shannon Cunningham. "So many people telling us they're excited to see this here in Barrie. So tremendous support from the community."
According to NielsenIQ, the non-alcoholic market grew by more than 35 per cent worldwide in 2023 and 120 per cent over the past three years.
Similar trends are being noticed in Barrie and Simcoe County.
"I think there's a huge market for this," said Paul Markle, Executive Director of the Barrie Chamber of Commerce. "The number of people trying to chase sobriety -- I think this gives them lots of different options."
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) voiced their support for Sober Sips.
"People could still go out and have a good time and not have to potentially be impaired," said Andrew McLean, MADD's director for Simcoe County. "If you can promote not drinking and driving or anything like that or even drinking and boating, I think this is a good idea."
Mexhico, right next door to Sober Sips, is their first and only Simcoe County-based business customer. It offers a full menu of non-alcoholic beverages.
Sober Sips hopes to supply additional businesses in Barrie and Simcoe County.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.7013481.1724584964!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
German police say a man has turned himself in over Solingen knife attack that killed 3
A 26-year-old man has turned himself into police, saying he was responsible for the Solingen knife attack that left three dead and eight wounded at a festival marking the city’s 650th anniversary, German authorities announced early Sunday.
Israel and Hezbollah trade heavy fire before pulling back, jolting a region braced for war
Israel launched a wave of airstrikes across southern Lebanon early Sunday in what it said was a preemptive strike on Hezbollah. The militant group responded that it had launched hundreds of rockets and drones to avenge the killing of one of its top commanders last month.
Labour board orders rail workers back on the job as Teamsters vow to appeal
Freight trains must start rolling again first thing Monday morning, the federal labour board ruled Saturday as it ordered thousands of rail employees back to work to end a bitter contract dispute that shut down the country's two major railways.
Coating clothes with this simple material could cool your body by up to 8 degrees
Spending time outside during a heat wave can be sweaty, uncomfortable, even health-endangering, but scientists have come up with an innovation they say could provide relief: clothes that physically cool down the body.
Tropical Storm Hone increases to Category 1 hurricane strength while approaching Hawaii
Tropical Storm Hone increased to a Category 1 hurricane while continuing its steady approach toward Hawaii late Saturday, forecasters said.
2 separate bus accidents in Pakistan leave at least 35 people dead, officials say
Two separate bus accidents hours apart in Pakistan on Sunday left at least 35 people dead and dozens more injured, officials said.
Commercial truck plunges off bridge in B.C. Interior, driver unaccounted for, RCMP say
The driver of a semi truck and trailer that plunged off of a bridge in the B.C. Interior Saturday morning has not been located, according to police.
'Bank investigator' fraud spreading in eastern Ontario: What it is and how to avoid it
Ontario Provincial Police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre are warning people about fraudsters impersonating major Canadian banks.
Brother-in-law of man allegedly swarmed by teens says family reeling from loss
The brother-in-law of a homeless Toronto man who died after police allege he was attacked by a group of teen girls says his entire family is reeling from the loss.