Following the successful launch of its pop-up bottle shop during Dry July, Curious AF opened New Zealand’s first permanent alcohol-free liquor store on November 18. Located on Crummer road in Ponsonby Central, the brand offers a variety of non-alcoholic premixed cocktails, beer, wine and assorted glassware and accessories.
Curious AF’s range also features exclusive imported drinks, including Kin Euphorics, an non-alcoholic beverage brand co-founded by fashion model Bella Hadid, and Ghia, an Los Angeles based non-alcoholic aperitif brand spotlighted in Forbes and Vogue.
Designed by the architecture firm Wonder Group, the Ponsonby store features a glass-made exterior and a gallery-inspired display of Curious AF’s cans, which are contrasted against minimalist grey concrete walls.
Established in 2020 by Lisa King, who also founded Eat My Lunch, the brand’s products are available across 320 stores nationwide. Through its provision of sophisticated and adult non-alcoholic beverages, Curious AF aims to normalise and facilitate discussion around an alcohol-free lifestyle. This alternative approach is steadily on the rise, with alcohol consumption decreasing globally and the increasing momentum of the “sober curious” movement.
Looking forward, King hopes to use the Ponsonby space to host educational workshops on garnishing and making drinks. She also has plans to launch her brand into California and other American states.
