Sobriety Made Social: Chris Marshall’s Journey / EP 107

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I attended a Sans Bar event with my cousin Kristen, in Portland Oregon, for a book signing!

How Chris Marshall is Transforming Lives and Communities by Challenging Drinking Culture

A New Kind of Social Space

The tides are shifting in how we view friendship, connection, and nightlife. Across North America, a growing number of people are questioning the central role alcohol has played in their social lives and seeking spaces to connect that don’t require a drink in hand. Leading this movement is Chris Marshall, founder of Sans Bar—the first non-alcoholic bar in North America. But his journey to sparking an alcohol-free revolution is one of personal transformation, courage, and the pursuit of genuine connection.

From Isolation to Inspiration: Chris’s Personal Journey

For Chris Marshall, the roots of Sans Bar run deep into his own story of longing for belonging. As he shared on the Sober and Lit Podcast, even as a child, he felt “a degree or two off” from everyone else and struggled with anxiety and the effects of early trauma. Like so many, his search for connection and relief eventually led him to alcohol, which at just 16 years old quickly became a coping tool rather than a casual indulgence.

“It was something that for me was almost a religious experience,” Chris Marshall recalled, describing how that first drink gave him a fleeting but powerful sense of belonging. Yet, what started as a seeming solution to loneliness and anxiety fast became a source of deep pain, legal trouble, and eventual physical dependency—all before his mid-twenties.

It was only after reaching a critical low point, when his mother was faced with the reality that she might lose her son, that Chris Marshall chose a new path. Through treatment, and later consistent engagement in recovery communities, he re-discovered the very things he had once tried to find at the bottom of a bottle—connection, acceptance, and hope.

The Birth of Sans Bar: Filling the Social Void

Having tasted the true connection found in sobriety, Chris Marshall began work as a licensed counselor, helping others navigate addiction and recovery. Yet he noticed something missing: “We really fail to give people a playground or a gym to learn how to navigate those triggers and social cues,” he explained.

And so, Sans Bar was born. What began as a one-time pop-up in Austin became a permanent, thriving space built for “authentic connection and joyful socializing without alcohol.” It’s a place where patrons can not only enjoy a zero-proof beverage, but also learn—and practice—being fully present and engaged in social moments, sans alcohol.

As Chris Marshall put it: “Sans Bar did something for me. It reached back through time and healed all versions of me.”

Creating Community Beyond the Bottle

One of the essential lessons Chris Marshall emphasized is the importance of finding community on your alcohol-free journey. He encourages those new to sobriety or “sober curious” to seek out diverse spaces—online, in-person, traditional, and nontraditional—where they can safely be themselves.

“You can’t do this alone,” Chris Marshall urged listeners, noting that while activities like hiking or church groups satisfy the need for general human connection, specifically alcohol-free or sober communities are often vital for ongoing recovery and support.

The Alcohol-Free Future: Trends and Hope

What does Chris Marshall see for the future of the alcohol-free movement? The expansion of choices—both in drinks and types of social venues. While alcohol-free bars may take time to proliferate widely (they’re still a business challenge), regular bars and restaurants are increasingly offering robust mocktail menus and non-alcoholic options. Chris Marshall envisions a not-so-distant future where most bars will ask, “With or without alcohol?” as a default.

Living a Lit Life: Fulfillment Without Alcohol

Connection and community are at the heart of lasting sobriety, but so is joy. For Chris Marshall, the simple act of singing karaoke—alone or with others—has become a source of fun and fulfillment. He invites everyone to discover passions that bring true delight, unfiltered and unscripted.

As he continues to share his story through public speaking, writing, and initiatives like the Sans Bar Academy, Chris Marshall is proving that a social revolution doesn’t require a drink, only the courage to show up as yourself.

The Invitation to Join the Movement

The revolution sparked by Sans Bar is about more than removing alcohol; it’s about reclaiming the deep, genuine connections we’re all searching for. Whether you’re newly sober, sober curious, or simply seeking deeper relationships, Chris’s story and work offer an inspiring vision for what’s possible. The next time you think about socializing, ask yourself: what could you find—who could you become—without the drink? The answer might just surprise you.
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Website for Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

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