Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeffrey Bracaglia.
Hi Jeffrey, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I opened Point 5 Lafayette in August of 2025 as a way to help the community drink less and hopefully get a little healthier. The non-alcoholic beverage industry has grown very fast and while there are limited options in traditional liquor stores, most products need to be ordered online. Not everyone wants to order a beverage they have never tasted especially with the minimum orders some companies require. At our store, you can come in and taste a wide variety of products prior to purchase.
I have been sober for over five years and the main thing that I have missed has been the social aspect of being in a bar. I wanted to give that option to other sober people. The bar is open for people to hang out during store hours and we will be open one Friday night a month to start as a “non-alcoholic bar”.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The biggest struggle is getting the word out about our store and what the products really are. A lot of people laugh it off and say it can’t taste good because they had a non-alcoholic beer twenty years ago that didn’t taste good. But they have come a long way since then. Also, not everything in the store is a one for one replacement of an alcoholic drink. We have wine, beer, spirits, and mocktails but also what we call “adaptogens and nootropics”. These are drinks made of healthy, all natural ingredients that can give you energy, help you relax at the end of the day or contain ingredients that help with memory or other health issues. So one of my main missions is to educate the public on the products.
As you know, we’re big fans of Point 5 Lafayette. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I want your readers to know that we are not just a store for people with alcohol issues. While that is a community that I am 100% here to help, there are plenty of other reasons people can’t or choose not to drink. Examples are pregnant women, people on medication, people who do not like alcohol or someone who just wants to drink less. We have options for everyone and we are here for everyone.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Supporting the community. I have seen alcohol negatively affect too many. And I have seen people who don’t drink looked down upon for it. Our products allow people who do not drink to have an adult drink that makes you feel like you are not missing out and are part of the crowd. And they allow people who do drink to drink a little less if that is what they want. The taste of their favorite drink is still there just without the alcohol.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://point5lafayette.com
- Instagram: Point5lafayette
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577608910890
