DC bars leaning into Dry January with mocktails

WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — For a lot of people, the start of the new year means new resolutions. That includes Dry January — cutting out alcohol for the month. It comes at a time when bars and restaurants are typically slower than usual. That's why lots of bars are doing sober specials this month. In D.C., a lot of social gatherings center around alcohol. In the new year, Dry January is popular, but it's not for everyone. 'I'm not doing it just because I feel like it's all about balance. And January is not a fun month, so you have to spice it up a little, have a drink or two,' said Sarah M. 'I am not doing it. I try not to drink too much in general, so why should January be any different?' said a man on the street. The bar Spark Social started as a completely sober space for eight months before introducing alcohol to the menu last month. 'I think that now is a great opportunity for us to not only, you know, serve the community that we've already been serving, but for a lot of people who wouldn't have come to Spark because, you know, they're looking for an alcoholic option,' said owner Nick Tsusaki. Tsusaki said people have been reevaluating their relationship with alcohol. 'Whether that means people being dry curious, looking to just try something new or take the whole month off and just give themselves, like, a little personal challenge. I'm personally doing that for the first time,' Tsusaki said. Others are doing the same. 'This is my first time doing it. Just because I want to cut out alcohol, maybe permanently. Seemed like a good excuse to try,' said Tara Moran. Tsusaki hopes January will be good for business. 'We're hoping to create an environment where people who are experimenting with dry January can come and try something new here.' Tsusaki said they did a poll on Instagram and it was about a 50-50 split of people participating in Dry January.