
Get to Know Krave!
Krave opened its doors in March 2015 to bring an authentic kava experience to the Chapel Hill area. Owner Elizabeth Gardner is a North Carolina native from the town of Hillsborough, and she is also a UNC-Chapel Hill alum. Gardner first discovered her love of kava on a birthday outing over four years ago. She had been searching for a safe alternative to an evening of drinking, and the kava experience she had in Florida was her inspiration.
Kava is a plant that grows naturally on the tropical islands of Vanuatu and Fiji in the South Pacific, where it has a history dating back over 1,500 years. In these lands, natural ingredients for distilling alcohol are scarce, so natives harvest the kava plant and make a tea from its roots, enjoying the beverage as a source of relaxation, socialization, and meditation.
The plant’s history includes use in sacred ceremonies and healing rituals, and it is also used as a natural method to treat conditions like anxiety, muscle spasms, tension, and insomnia. Kava is enjoyed more for its calming, relaxing effects than for its taste. The ground root has an earthy taste that celebrates its ties to the natural world from which each root first emerged. The kava served at Krave is done so in its native, traditional form—ground aged root fresh from the islands of the South Pacific with no additives.
In recent years, kava teas have grown in popularity across the United States and the world. Famous individuals and powerful world leaders including People John Paul II, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Hillary Clinton, and Lyndon B. Johnson have all been photographed drinking this traditional beverage (and their photos adorn some of Krave’s walls). The kava bar experience at Krave allows customers seeking an alcohol-free atmosphere to unwind without having to experience the unpleasant after-effects of a night spent drinking hard liquor or beer. Another plus? Unlike other bars, Krave is open to adults 18 years of age and older seven days a week.
Krave is a loungy type bar that doesn’t serve alcohol. Instead, we serve exotic roots, teas, cacao, coffees, and CBD beverages.
Greensboro is, in my opinion, the perfect NC City. Clearly everyone downtown is in renaissance mode. Progressive minds bringing modern advances into town. A mini cultural melting pot where everyone is so neighborly to each other. Not pretentious nor closed minded and focused on improving the quality of life for all residents. I hope to buy a home here too.
Besides meeting other business people, the chamber and DGI have supported us with every snag in dealing with city issues. I greatly appreciate both organizations and hope I can be a friend in need to others in turn.
Did you know?
We are expanding! Hopefully by the Endor next year we will have a 3rd location in Raleigh. Additionally, we have continued to advocate for our national industry by meeting w NC legislators and DC Senators. In May this year, we won a business excellence award by the Chapel Hill Carrboro Chamber of Commerce for Beat New Business.