Solar Intentions should feel like 'a little midwest cozy hug'

One year into her sobriety, Morgan Martinez knew she wanted to create a space where people could be social and have a good time without the societal pressures of drinking. Now, two years in, her goal is within reach.

The founder of Hooligan Magazine, a Chicago-based arts-focused publication, Martinez is also the owner and founder of Solar Intentions, an astrology-themed sober bar slated to open around the end of spring or summer. Originally from Wisconsin, Martinez was inspired by Inmoxicated, a sober bar in Racine. Inmoxicated is still a place that Martinez loves and holds close to her heart, she says, and after her initial visit, she knew Chicago needed something similar.

“It wasn’t until a year in[to my sobriety] where, throughout the year, I was discovering a lot of sober-curious movements, brands, and companies that were dedicating themselves to making these nonalcoholic and alcohol-free spirits, beers, and wines and really diving into the beauty around that. . . . When I went [to Inmoxicated], something shifted inside of me,” she says.

Martinez wanted to create a sober bar that combined an alcohol-free environment with the artistic and expressive elements of Hooligan Magazine. The astrology theme of Solar Intentions comes from Martinez’s own connection with astrology and how, similar to her sobriety, following it has allowed her to see herself and the people she loves more clearly.

“I think as a queer person too, it’s very ingrained in us to use astrology as a means of connection,” she says. “And it comes into this greater meaning of—we’re all on this very driven path for something that’s sometimes bigger than ourselves, and I like that astrology kind of ties in the journey of sobriety with that. . . . Because astrology isn’t easy, and sobriety isn’t easy, but they all tie in this concept of something that works bigger than ourselves or for ourselves.”

Martinez was heavily inspired by the sober-curious movement, something she says got very popular during the pandemic. This movement involves people who are looking to reestablish their relationship with alcohol by breaking down the capitalist pressures that push people to consume alcohol—like happy hours, sporting events, yoga and wine nights—as well as learning how to live in the present without feeling the need to drink.

Solar Intentions
Opening date and location TBA
solarintentionsbar.com

“It somehow has been ingrained in these small, everyday things that we try to do, even with wellness,” Martinez says. “And a lot of it is because I think that, as a society, we’re disassociating from what we’re scared of. I think that everything, at the end of the day, if we’re mass consuming—whether it be alcohol, a drug, whatever you say—it’s always based off fear, and some of that fear has stemmed from resources we don’t have [or] that we don’t have the privilege to have.”

Martinez says that, at the end of the day, all people are really looking for is community
and acceptance.

“I saw this TED Talk recently where it was like, when we think about people who are addicted to nicotine, we blame the cigarettes,” she says. “But when we think about people who are addicted to alcohol, we blame the people. And alcohol is actually the most addicting substance that is so normalized in our society that we’re missing the point every day.”

When it comes to sobriety, Martinez encourages being “sober with intention.” Doing so highlights that sobriety is a choice, according to Martinez, and many people associate choosing sobriety with having an issue.

“Sobriety looks different for everybody,” she says, “and talking about it takes away the actual stigma that we’ve put [on] sobriety and the shame that people feel by choosing either a temporary bout of sobriety, whether it’s a choice or whether they need to. How do we eliminate that shame? I think a part of it is creating these spaces.”

Martinez can’t say the location of Solar Intentions at this time, but the space she’s considering is located in the Logan Square area. She’s planning on creating a maximalist dream—an earthy, open-space concept that will not only serve as a bar but also hold community events and space for artists to sell their work.

“I do want people to notice something different every time they’re there and to feel like they’re having fun,” she says. “They don’t need to dress a certain way. They don’t need to be a certain way. I want it to feel like a little midwest cozy hug.”

Nonalcoholic drinks such as beers and wines will be served alongside signature astrology-inspired drinks. Martinez will work with both a mixologist and an astrologer to bring these drinks to life. Some of these drinks, such as the Scorpio Spritz, have made their debut at pop-up events that Solar Intentions has participated in, such as their recent speakeasy at the Chicago Athletic Association.

Martinez says that, at the end of the day, all people are really looking for is community and acceptance.

For sober patrons who may find a mixed drink or bar setting to be uncomfortable, Martinez says that she and her staff will be trained in peer-to-peer training, which will prepare them on how to make a patron feel calm and safe when they may become triggered in this kind of environment.

“I did a Typeform [survey] before we launched our Kickstarter campaign to really get the momentum going and see who is interested in understanding more info,” she says, “and one of the questions I asked everyone was ‘Why are sober spaces important to you?’ The number one answer . . . was community pressure, eliminating pressure around socializing, actual connection. And those are the things that people can expect at Solar Intentions. A judgment-free zone. That’s not welcome here, you know what I mean? We’re all in this together.”

In her own journey, Martinez has found such peace from sobriety. She’s thankful for her supportive circle, and she’s been able to live a life where she is more present now than she’s ever been.

“I hope that with Solar Intentions, we can create this space where that community is just immediately there for people who want to explore,” Martinez says. “Even just a month or two of sobriety could change the trajectory of your life, especially if you’re someone who actively consumes.”