How this Filipina kicked DUI to the curb and built her non-alcoholic bar in DC
Photo from bingebardc/Instagram
Cheers without the buzz dubbed as “NoLo” (no and low alcohol) is stealing the drinking scene and bringing Binge Bar in DC. into the spotlight. DC’s first bar with no alcohol, Binge is owned by Filipina Vergie Arandid, who ventured into this non-alcoholic spot after her DUI.
Fueled by the change of millennial and Gen Z’s drinking habits, we’re entering the era of no alcohol drinking. The “NoLo” movement is growing in the ever-evolving landscape of the alcohol industry.
In 2022, the no- and low-alcohol market witnessed a surge of $11 billion sales — with projections of a 33 percent uptick by 2026. With a 20 percent decrease in per capita of alcohol drinking Gen Zs are embracing “NoLo” more than their predecessors.
This is where Vergie “Gigi” Arandid’s Binge Bar come into perfect play. What started out as a constant alcohol consumption gives birth to a transformative power of resilience as Gigi turned a DUI setback into a positive force in DC.
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Where it all started
In 2002, at age 17, Gigi moved from the Philippines to Washington and enrolled in an English as a Second Language program in high school. Her classmates’ parties back then involved drinking — usually vodka or beer and to fit in, she drank with them.
Fast forward to adulthood, a Jack and Coke-induced night led to Gigi’s car crash and a police officer getting her breathalyzer reading of 00.21 percent. Her DUI was the eye-opener she needed — after her AA (Alcoholic Anonymous) meetings, she knew she needed something more for her sobriety.
Crafting a non-alcoholic experience at this bar in DC
Enter Binge Bar – the brainchild of Gigi, now a 38-year-old entrepreneur – that opened in February 2024, nestled at the H street corridor. It’s the perfect non-alcoholic bar in DC that weaves connections more than just sips of cocktails.
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Gigi and her team have curated a non-alcoholic spot for everyone — from the sober to those abstaining for religious purposes, and even pregnant women.
Binge Bar’s tagline “come as you are” echoes through this zero alcohol haven filled with veggies, fruits, distilled non-alcoholic drinks and botanicals. “What you drink here is essentially an extension of who you are,” said Gigi in an interview with the Washington Post.
This non-alcoholic bar in DC offers dry spinoffs of favorites like espresso martinis and concoctions like cucumber mangorita, pamper mint drink and green apple mule to name a few. Their secret ingredient? A dash of tonic water and citrus giving this spiritless drink its “pizazz,” according to Gigi.
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Flocking to the area are mostly Gen Zs who discovered the spot in TikTok. In their first year, Binge Bar has become more than just a venue. It’s also a community hub — hosting comedy shows, bingo, drag shows, speed dating and Christian trap listening parties, and even a nonalcoholic cocktail brewing class.
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In November 2023, they hosted an art show for Jaswant alongside spiritless beverages and Filipino bites like lumpia and leche flan. Gigi also believes that the “NoLo” movement is on its upward spiral. “It’s not a trend; it’s here to stay,” declared Gigi.
With this nonalcoholic bar’s food and events that caters to everyone (including vegans), Gigi’s business has proven that you can have a great time with neither a hangover nor a shred of regret over a DUI.
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