Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandi Schmidt.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hi there! I am Brandi, and I am an alcoholic….in recovery! 4.5+ years, one day at a time. When I was first getting sober, I thought my “fun” was over, that I would never be able to have a crazy good time without alcohol. I had to relearn how to function in everyday society as a sober person. It was not easy, but as I grew, it got better. As I traveled my way down the sobriety highway, I found there were no stops to watch live music, play pool, or just hang out with friends that didn’t have alcohol all over the place. I wanted a fun, cool place to hang and have that crazy fun time…so I made one! Thus the Mocktail Lounge was born! I had a great friend help with all the little details of decor and menu items.
We had a blast coming up with recipes in my kitchen. Every Mocktail on the menu was developed by us! I tend to walk by faith and not be afraid of failure, so I took a chance and rented a space on main street St. Charles. It is a great location, right by all the other bars! I know we would stand out and I was ready for it. We signed the lease and quickly began getting the space ready. It took A LOT of hard work to clean and paint, patch, put in floors, etc… When it was completed we decorated it with tables, chairs, linens, chandeliers, feather and gold centerpieces, and a huge peony flower mural wall!
It is truly beautiful! We opened the doors in the middle of the pandemic, September 2020. It was a crazy dream to open a sober bar during a pandemic but here we are, one year later and still in business! I am so grateful to the amazing staff and patrons over this past year, thank you all so much!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road couldn’t have been any bumpier! The pandemic closed down St. Louis, not St. Charles though. Still, people did not come out. We didn’t have a product for “pickup” like a restaurant would so we waited it out. There were some really great people that came in and still supported The Lounge.
We had a great Halloween Party and New Year’s Eve bash! We even did some speed dating for Valentine! I have had to float the business a bit, but that is to be expected our first year. I am ok with it because I love it so much and I think there is a great need for a fun sober place. We are not only for those in sobriety but for anyone that wants to have a good time. Just because there isn’t booze doesn’t mean there isn’t fun!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
The Mocktail lounge is the first sober lounge in Missouri! We are paving the way and so excited to do it. We are nothing like any restaurant/bar you have encountered and yet we still have the same things. Great live entertainment, games, billiards, food, and drink….but you remember the night the next day!
We even have Karaoke.. I call it Sober-oke! It’s a blast! Throw your inhibitions to the side and get out there, raw and real! You can do it and I will be there to cheer you on!
Not only do I own the Lounge, but I also own a sober living home for women in St. Charles. A great team leads the charge and manages the house. It’s saving lives and I am so proud to have been a part of it.
During the day, I work for a medical device company. I have my degree in Biomedical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis. I am working on my master’s.
I am most proud of my kids; I have three. Bailey, Sylvia, and Madelyn. Each of them has a special place in my heart. I couldn’t be the person I am today without them. They are my reason for trying every day to make this world a little bit better.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I hope and pray we are around in 5-10years! I would love to franchise The Mocktail Lounge and spread to all the cities in the US and abroad. It’s a lofty dream, but I am a dreamer. I really believe that the epidemic of addiction is running out of control and this type of outlet is needed. I pray we can all come together and make a great, fun, world that we can all enjoy! (I realize how naïve that sounds)….it’s ok. You can think of me as naïve, I’d much rather be a naïve dreamer than in active addiction any day!
Pricing:
- Drinks $5-$9
- Food $1-$20
- Ballroom/Lounge room rentals range from $200/hr to $400/hr (see rental agreement on the website)
- Special Events – Prices vary
- Billiards — Free
- Live music — Free
- Karaoke – Free
- Fun – Free
Pricing:
- Drinks $5-$9
- Food $1-$15
- Ballroom/Lounge room rentals range from $200/hr to $400/hr
- Billiards — Free
- Live music — Free
Contact Info:
- Email: themocktailloungest. charles@gmail.com
- Website: www.the-mocktail-lounge.com
- Instagram: @loungemocktail
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themocktaillounge
- Twitter: the_mocktail-lounge-stcharles
Suggest a Story: VoyageSTL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
