A nonalcoholic, or zero-proof, bottle shop may have seemed like an oxymoron, but Ryan Curran has made it a reality for a new generation of nondrinking Americans. “I quit drinking about three years ago,” says Curran, 2007 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, “and I found out that there really wasn’t a place that had a well-curated section of nonalcoholic beer, wine, and spirits.” Curran’s new store, Hudson Dry, provides high-quality, zero-proof drinks to the increasing number of Americans looking for alternatives to alcohol.
Hudson Dry opened the doors of 421 Warren Street in Hudson on July 13. Curran, a Connecticut native, has travelled as far as San Francisco in his career, but returned to the East Coast for this new venture. “Hudson is a really incredible place for new businesses,” says Curran. “It’s like an incubator. You can come to Hudson and try something out to see if it works.”
The store will function as a wine and liquor store, without bar service, offering drinks from more well known brands, such as American nonalcoholic beer producer Athletic Brewing Company, as well as less-known zero-proof options. The store will feature imported goods, such as alcohol-free spirits from Australia-based Lyre’s and nonalcoholic gin options from UK-based Tanqueray. “The US is a little behind in producing nonalcoholic products,” says Curran. “Europeans and Canadians are definitely ahead of the game in terms of the number of offerings and the quality.”
Curran is confident that the US’s zero-proof market will continue to expand and catch up to their foreign counterparts. Data from Gallup shows that Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012, consume less alcohol than any other generation in the past 90 years, with only 54 percent consuming alcohol. Curran states that those interested in Hudson Dry have been a diverse group, however, ranging from people training for a marathon to those expecting a baby. “There’s younger generations for sure,” he says, “but I think as people are finding out that there’s high-quality alternatives, we’re turning other age demographics into fans.”
Curran does not see Hudson Dry as competing with alcoholic bars and bottle shops, but rather as its own niche experience. “People will make their own decisions about what they want to drink,” says Curran. “What I want to do is show people that there are alternatives that are just as delicious.” While liquor stores are banned by law from selling cocktail ingredients, Hudson Dry has the advantage of selling tonic water, lime, ginger beer, ice, and club soda.
Hudson Dry is not simply a place to enjoy zero-proof products and purchase ingredients, according to Curran, but a place where people can spend time and create bonds with others looking for different experiences. “I call the people that will come into the shop guests and not necessarily customers,” says Curran. “I want them to feel that this is an experience of hospitality.”
The building that houses Hudson Dry was built in the 1860s, during a boom in industrial development in Hudson. Through 14 months of renovation, the original details of the building, such as brick and stone work, have been restored. The historic elements are balanced with modern steel to create the curated and distinct ambiance of Hudson Dry.
Curran hopes zero-proof alcohol becomes more widely spread across the country. He has plans for collaborations with local restaurants and sees the potential for multiple locations in the future. “For now, the focus is definitely on offering spectacular products and providing a warm environment that helps people embrace what’s relatively new,” he says.
Hudson Dry is located at 421 Warren Street in Hudson and is open Thursday to Monday 10am to 7pm.
