KavaClub makes its debut in Richmond (photo by Jay Paul)
Looking for the calming effects of a heady pot strain and the cheerful buzz of booze, all without puffing or imbibing? Kava root, a unique social de-stressor, is making its way to Richmond and may be the answer. The recently opened KavaClub at 1529 W. Main St. is the city’s first space serving nonalcoholic drinks made from the root of kava, a tall shrub in the pepper family with heart-shaped leaves that grows on islands in the western Pacific. Traditionally ground and added to cold water, the result is an earthy concoction that produces a calming state when consumed.
According to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, kava was introduced to Australian communities in the 1980s as a substitute for alcohol. The first kava bar in the U.S can be traced back to Boca Raton, Florida, over 20 years ago. As the food and beverage industry has experienced a shift toward more alcohol-free spirits and cocktails, KavaClub’s arrival to the region feels timely.
“There’s a lot of sober-curious people out there, whether they’re intentionally sober or just in this sober-curious state where they are kind of realizing, ‘Hey, alcohol is everywhere and embedded in my social scene,’ ” says KavaClub co-founder DJ Lee.
A Chicago native, Lee relocated to the area to attend the University of Richmond and study entrepreneurship. Recognizing the potential of kava and noticing a gap in the Richmond market, he seized the opportunity to introduce it. “We came across kava in Florida, and it stood out to us in a lot of different ways,” Lee says. “We kind of went down the rabbit hole and thought, what would it take to bring it to Virginia.”
KavaClub co-founder DJ Lee, manager Dale Barta and beverage director Bram Crowe-Getty (photo by Jay Paul)
Joining Lee and heading the beverage program is Bram Crowe-Getty, a longtime industry employee whose resume includes several Richmond breweries. When a friend of Crowe-Getty landed a job at KavaClub, which has taken over the shuttered Canon & Draw Brewing Co. space in the Fan, he decided to join them.
“This building is almost a metaphor of the changing of the times, with this almost saturation point of craft breweries, and people are really interested in having alternative experiences and a space to enjoy themselves without an alcohol-fueled environment,” Crowe-Getty says. “I think it’s really exciting to be on the forefront of introducing a new plant medicine to Richmond.”
Known by its scientific name, piper methysticum, which translates to “intoxicating pepper,” kava has been used for centuries and is heralded for being socially uplifting while relieving anxiety. The beverage is typically presented in a tanoa bowl and offered as a greeting or served during celebrations or ceremonies.
“The product is traditionally drunk with the root in water, and that’s how it is traditionally consumed across the world,” Lee says. “We have a farmer in Fiji who we will be sourcing most, if not all, of our product from.”
“The root is ground up into a powder, and that’s how we receive the product,” Crowe-Getty says. “We are putting that [into] a cheesecloth and adding water and essentially milking the cheesecloth, and that produces what DJ was talking about, that more pure form of kava that folks are used to tasting around the world.”
At KavaClub, guests who are 18 and older can experience the root straight up with water for an earthy, bitter beverage or mixed into a variety of playful libations. The menu will feature about six drinks inspired by familiar and popular cocktails, including a pina colada, a mojito and an espresso martini-like drink brewed with Rostov’s coffee dubbed KavaJava, in addition to rotating seasonal specials. Lee says their vision for the business is a comfortable, communal, almost cafe-style environment that encourages sociability without alcohol.
1 of 2
The inside of KavaClub is designed for hanging out (photo by Jay Paul)
2 of 2
Kavajito, a nonalcoholic, kava-spiked riff on the mojito. (photo by Jay Paul)
While kava is legal, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes that its use has been linked to liver damage, and that kava may cause headaches, dizziness and stomach distress. It is unregulated by the FDA. Kava should not be used if taking medication for anxiety, depression or Parkinson’s disease. The Complementary and Integrative Health Center also cautions against its use by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Both Lee and Crowe-Getty acknowledge the responsibility associated with introducing something new to consumers. “We’re very aware it’s natural for folks to have a different response or hesitancy about trying anything new, and I think part of what we’re really committed to is partnering with research universities and trying to be on the forefront of that knowledge base and then really remaining transparent with customers,” Crowe-Getty says, noting that their product has been lab tested.
Lee adds that KavaClub will be staffed with educated kavatenders who are ready to answer any questions from guests. Similar to marijuana strains, kava is often divided into two categories: Tudei, or “two-day,” is the traditional form of kava, earning its name for its potency, which can lead to deep sleep, while the noble category can be thought of as an everyday kava that spikes creativity. KavaClub will serve the latter.
“We serve what is called noble kava,” Crowe-Getty says. “The head strain is super pro-social and often described as … an open-heart energy. When I’ve seen gatherings of folks drinking kava and there is no alcohol around, there is a light, kind of welcoming energy that I really haven’t seen in other spaces, and I’m excited to welcome that here.”
KavaClub is open from 2 to 10 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, noon to 11 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.
