Ashley McBryde brings non-alcoholic bar to Nashville as drinking dips
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Alcohol's grip on American life is continuing to loosen, and businesses are continuing to adjust with a growing selection of non-alcoholic options.
Why it matters: The NA trend is hitting Lower Broadway this month. Country star Ashley McBryde is making non-alcoholic entertainment the cornerstone of her Redemption Bar.
The big picture: Drinking has been trending downward for years, driven in part by young adults stepping away from alcohol.
- Nashville businesses are embracing the trend: Distilleries have added non-alcoholic options and Killjoy, a Nashville-based shop dedicated to non-alcoholic spirits, moved to East Nashville.
- Killjoy partnered with Gramps to host booze-free bar nights every Tuesday.
What she's saying: "When the opportunity to make my mark on Broadway came, I knew I wanted to create a space that champions what's made a difference in my life," McBryde said in a statement.
- "It was vital that I create a space where not drinking is the forethought — normalized."
Between the lines: McBryde said she is three years sober, and it has been challenging to find welcoming spaces.
- "The typical response to 'Do you have anything non-alcoholic?' is either: 'Why did you come to a bar if you aren't gonna drink?' or, 'You can have soda water and a lime, I guess," she said.
- "Some of my favorite places to socialize became wildly unaccommodating when the only thing that changed was what was in my cup."
State of play: Redemption Bar, which will be located on the fifth floor of Eric Church's honky-tonk Chiefs, opens Aug. 28.
- The menu will feature a series of zero-proof cocktails named after lyrics that inspired McBryde. Visitors will have the option to add alcohol if they choose.
Driving the news: The percentage of U.S. adults consuming alcohol has hit a new low, according to Gallup data released last week.
By the numbers: In 2025, just over half (54%) of U.S. adults reported having alcoholic beverages on occasion. Between 1997 and 2023, at least 60% said they drank.
- Meanwhile, the majority of Americans — a first for Gallup's trend — say drinking in moderation (one or two drinks a day) is bad for one's health.