Hekate Café & Elixir Lounge closing amid rising competition in sober bar scene

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Hekate Café & Elixir Lounge is closing on Avenue B. 

The cafe-bar at 167 Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street opened in January 2022 as a sober-friendly space serving coffee, teas and "magical elixirs," along with hosting community events. 

 Hekate was at the forefront of the alcohol-free movement, more widely embraced today in NYC. 

 Owner Abby Ehmann (below), who also operates Lucky Bar across the street, said the closure is due to financial constraints.

"We aren't making enough money," she said, noting that more bars now offer low-ABV and nonalcoholic options, increasing competition in the space. 

Ehmann said the lease runs through September, though the closing date is still TBD and could come sooner. 

In the meantime, she is moving ahead with a new project: Ehmann said she is signing a lease for the multi-level B Scene at 50 Avenue B between Third Street and Fourth Street, with work on the space — including cleaning, pest control, painting and soundproofing — set to begin. 

All of Hekate's sober events will transition to the new venue, with team members Gene Almonte and Eliott Edge also making the move.

As previously reported, Hekate aimed to create a warm, "feminine energy"-infused space with an emphasis on the mystical — a niche that helped define its run on Avenue B.