Chris Marshall Created A Bar Where People Can Connect... Without Alcohol

Illustration: Benjamin Currie/HuffPost; Photo: Sans Bar, Getty In 2017, Chris Marshall, a former substance abuse counselor, opened up Sans Bar in Austin, Texas, one the first alcohol-free bars in the U.S. As someone who went to rehab at 23 years old and has been sober for 16 years, he has lent his expertise to building a sober community. I got around my friends and I felt, “OK, we’re all doing this.” The first time I drank alcohol, I absolutely hated it. My mom said, “Chris, I’ve made peace with the fact that you are not going to live much longer, if that’s your choice.” And it was my choice. “I just don’t know any other realm in which someone says, 'I don’t want something,' and there’s this group pressure to make them do something, to make them take the shot.” Whatever your relationship with alcohol is, you need spaces and products that make it easier for you to not drink for the night. I just don’t know any other realm in which someone says, “I don’t want something,” and there’s this group pressure to make them do something, to make them take the shot.