(COLORADO SPRINGS) — It’s almost time to ring in the new year, and if you’re looking for a way to celebrate while still feeling like your best self on Jan. 1, we’ve got you covered.
To start 2025 off on the right foot you might want to try out Gratitude. You may know it better as a feeling, but it’s also a zero-proof beverages and Kava bar in Colorado Springs.
While you won’t find liquor there, you can find mocktails that rival the real thing. They even serve up CBD, and other relaxing herbs like Kava. They describe Kava as a ceremonial beverage native to the Pacific Islands, affecting the body much like anti-anxiety medicine does.
“Kind of like muscle relax, very calm. When I first started drinking Kava, I would go to the Kava bar by myself and get into conversations with people I had never met, and have two hour conversations and lose track of time. I mean, it’s cool. Very cool,” said Co-owner Rob Templin.
The owners said they wanted to create a social space for adults in Colorado Springs that isn’t centered around getting drunk.
“One of the biggest things lacking nowadays is community. Building community just builds more compassionate people. People who are more kind to their neighbors. So that’s one of the big targets,” said Templin.
Templin’s battle with cancer left him with a new battle, addiction. He fought it and won, but was left feeling like he didn’t have a place in this world–so he created one.
“You don’t have to be in recovery to enjoy this place. You can be sober curious. You can just be not wanting to drink, and still come out and have a good time. You can bring a board game, we’ve got board games here. I think it’s really important to have a space that’s not work and not home that you feel comfortable [in],” said Templin.
You can check out their menu by clicking here.
Doors open for their New Year’s celebration on Dec. 31 at 2:00 p.m., complete with a Frank Sinatra tribute–music starts at 9:00 p.m.–and a mobsters ball theme. They say last call will be around 12:15 a.m. on Jan. 1.

