While Gulfport already has an established kava bar downtown in Low Tide, Sober Bar is carving out a slightly different niche.
Hawthorne said the goal is to have the communal feel of traditional kava bars with a more elevated bar-style atmosphere and presentation.
During the day, Sober Bar will operate more like a coffee bar, serving espresso drinks, matcha, kava, and botantical teas.
After a quick midday break, the space will reopen in the afternoon as a low-lit lounge, shifting into a more elevated evening vibe built around nonalcoholic cocktails.
Guests can order zero-proof cocktails made with alcohol alternatives from brands like Ritual and Free Spirits, along with kava-based drinks, botanical teas, and nonalcoholic beer and wine.
Some of the more unique offerings come from the duo’s market days, where they experimented with combinations like iced Thai kava coffee, matcha kava, green jasmine ketum tea, and even a seasonal “kava nog.”
That experimentation will carry over into the permanent space.
Customers can also add adaptogens and tinctures, ingredients like lion’s mane, ashwagandha, blue lotus, and kanna, designed to support things like focus, relaxation, or stress relief.
Horton, who has worked at several local kava bars and restaurants, helped develop the menu and is focused on pushing the experience beyond what most people expect from a typical kava bar.