In a city full of bars slinging beer, wine and spirits The Polished Pigeon is an anomaly. It’s an alcohol-free lounge.
Business and life partners Jess Culpepper and Deana Burnside opened the space earlier this year. Culpepper had been workshopping a business plan since 2017. When she got sober in 2018 the focus of the plan began to center on recovery.
She met Burnside, who was also sober-practicing, and the couple decided to craft a space for people that didn’t have the tempting presence of alcohol.
Their spot at 1450 Market Street (beneath Form 15 Apartments) was a former event space. Culpepper hasn’t been hanging flyers around town or doing major promotion. She preferred to build a rapport with regulars rather than one-time visitors.
“I didn’t want to be TikTok famous,” Culpepper said. “I’d rather have the same 25 people return because they love us.”
The first iteration of the bar’s menu featured beverages that simulated the feeling of drinking. Beverages had a carbonated buzz that tasted similar to their alcoholic counterparts.
Feedback revealed that the drinks could be triggering for sober customers.
“That’s not what I want,” Culpepper said. “We wanted to create a comfortable space for everyone.”
The menu shifted to drinks that were functional. With ingredients like Ashwagandha and Kava, some drinks boost your energy while others relax your muscles. Takeoff 2 is a menu offering made with homemade cold brew and spiritless espresso liqueur. It’s meant to tickle tastebuds.
The Polished Pigeon hosts a variety of community-building events. Culpepper and Burnside aim to draw a creative and LGBTQ+ crowd into the space, though all are welcome.
There’s an 18-plus drag show on the last Saturday of every month that features nine performers, hosted by the charismatic Amore Envy.
Artisan markets, energy healing and DJ nights are also held at The Polished Pigeon. Culpepper said the events are aimed at creating a symbiotic relationship with local artists. Many of the featured talents are her own employees. She gains inspiration for events from their skillsets.
Local patron Niall O’Driscoll has found refuge at The Polished Pigeon.
O’Driscoll is currently looking into recovery programs. When the outside world gets too scary, he said he feels uplifted by the bar staff. He said spending time at the bar keeps him on track.
“They have faith in me,” O’Driscoll said.
He’s become family to the owners, which was exactly Culpepper’s goal.
“It is so deeply ingrained in me to make sure people feel like they belong,” Culpepper said.
And what’s the meaning behind the term Polished Pigeon? It can be used to describe people in recovery. A pigeon is an everyday street bird, Culpepper wrote in a blog. And “polished” represents “the ability to change and grow and evolve.” SDSun
