Meet Elizabeth Wake | Founder and Owner of a Non-Alcoholic Bar and Coffeehouse

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elizabeth Wake and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elizabeth, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
The Wakery was a concept I felt was missing in our local night life. The majority of local coffee shops close by 2 or 3pm, so it’s difficult for our college and post graduate students to find a place outside their home to study. After the pandemic a lot of people work remotely, and it’s nice to have a place with wi-fi and late hours. On the flip side, the local night life completely centers around alcohol. There are many reasons not to drink, and although I do enjoy an alcoholic beverage on occasion, I don’t always want to keep drinking all night long. I love the taste of a good cocktail, but I don’t always want the alcohol. When I was pregnant with my son, I felt excluded from holidays, weddings, celebrations, and fun outings – all because I couldn’t drink alcohol. I felt like Springfield needed a place where people could get a super fancy, complex drink, without the alcohol. Putting the two things together – late night coffee and meeting space with non-alcoholic bar seemed to fit several needs and worked as a joint concept. Since no one else was doing it, I decided to be the one to make it happen.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The non-alcoholic movement is gaining popularity, but fully non-alcoholic bars are few and far between. It was a big leap of faith to open The Wakery, as their aren’t many examples or success stories yet. I was a little worried at first that it was too big of a dream for my small city, but about a month after opening, I remember looking around the packed bar, and I didn’t know a single face in the crowd. I realized then that I had a following that supported the mission of the business itself, and it was bigger than my friends and family supporting me as a person. We’re only just hitting 6 months of being open, but things are going really well. Our themed events are always packed, to the point that I’ve been asked when we’ll be expanding!
I opened the business at the tail end of my graduate studies in Public Administration, and the crossover of Human Resources, Public Policy, Budget and Financial Administration, Marketing, and Fundraising helped me immensely in all that went into starting a new business. I took advantage of our local Small Business Development Center as well as a business innovation center with a beginners business cohort. Tapping into local resources is crucial when starting a local business.

Regarding my brand as a non-alcoholic bar, I try to make sure everyone knows that they are welcome, no matter if they’re fully sober, sober-curious, looking to drink less, or simply done drinking for the night. All can enjoy a delicious non-alcoholic beverage.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Starting at Luminary Kitchen and Provisions for a welcome dinner, we’d enjoy the finest local eats at this fantastic farm to fork restaurant. Following that, we’d grab a beer (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) at Buzz Bomb downtown and enjoy their great outdoor patio. If we wanted to stay somewhere other than my house, we’d definitely stay at the Pasfield House – a local bed and breakfast with the most beautiful suites with gorgeous walk out balconies in the heart of downtown. In the morning we’d get breakfast at our French bakery called Incredibly Delicious, an apt name, and hit the Lincoln Sites. For lunch it would be Thai food at Thai Kitchen then a trip out to New Salem for a blast from Lincoln’s past.
In the summer, we’d get dinner at the Levitt Amp series – a weekly concert in front of the Governor’s mansion. We’d grab bites, drinks, and treats from the food trucks lining the block and dance the night away with incredible acts.
When we’re ready to chill out, we’d head back to the Pasfield House to relax in the giant spa tub.
Over the weekend, we’d walk the downtown farmer’s market, sipping coffees from Custom Cup, getting loose leaf tea from Whimsy Tea, fresh fruits and veggies from market stands, and munch on a delicious crepe from the Copper Pot.
That evening we’d make our way to none other than The Wakery for delicious NA cocktails, beers, wines, coffees, and desserts.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
To my husband Jeff: who made me believe I could do this, and gave me the support I needed to make it happen.

Website: springfieldwakery.com

Instagram: springfieldwakery

Facebook: facebook.com/springfieldwakery

Image Credits
1221 Photography