The neon green and blue lights of Brew & Root illuminate the sidewalk of University Avenue.
Inside, people sit at the bar and surrounding tables, spreading out their laptops and coffee cups under low lighting. Alternative music streams through the speakers; the TV plays reruns of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.”
Brew & Root is a new coffee shop and kava bar that launched Jan. 1 at 615 W. University Ave. It serves coffee, tea, kombucha, kratom and kava.
Kava, a drink known for its relaxing effects, is a dried root that is made into a powder, which gets mixed into drinks and normally has a flavor added. It’s meant to be an alternative to alcohol, and kava bars serve as a sober option for a late night out. Brew & Root’s hours last until 1 a.m.
“Kratom and kava is supposed to be something that you’re supposed to sacrifice a different habit for a healthier habit,” said Beck Mansi, the 30-year-old co-owner of the shop.
While Florida doesn’t have a statewide age restriction to drink kava, Brew & Root requires customers to be at least 18 years old to enjoy. Florida requires customers to be at least 21 years old to drink kratom.
Beck owns Brew & Root alongside his brother, 36-year-old Haron Mansi. Beck worked in the kava and kratom industry in Tampa for six years. As he learned more about the drinks, he realized he wanted to see a place that was a healthier, sober bar.
Many kava bars also work as smoke shops, but Beck didn’t like that business model because it contradicted the emphasis on sobriety. Haron told Beck that with his experience and expertise, they should open their own kava bar. Haron always had Gainesville in mind because it was somewhere he wanted to eventually move.
To supplement the sober environment, Brew & Root serves coffee and food. Many kava bars don’t have a food option, the owners said, but they wanted theirs to be a place where people can hang out. The shop serves sandwiches and bakery items like muffins, cookies, croissants, cake pops and danishes.
“This is supposed to be a space where people can come sit down and study, focus,” Beck said. “Whenever you’re locked in like that, the chance of you wanting to get up and leave your computer is low. But people have to eat.”
Kava bars are popular for students to have a relaxed late-night space without alcohol in the mix. Brew & Root is open until 1 a.m., but Beck said he often stays open later until about 3 a.m., depending on what he and the customers are feeling.
Bella Scramoncin, a 22-year-old UF food and resource economics senior, first saw the sign for Brew & Root while driving around downtown Gainesville with her parents while they were visiting. She used to work at Kava Gator, another kava cafe, and was interested in trying a new kava bar in town.
“I think it’s kind of hard to balance being a student and also having a social life, and places like this are kind of the best of both worlds,” she said.
She described the environment as stress-free, complete with a relaxing lack of overhead lighting.
Ari Rabinovich, a 28-year-old urban planner for the city of Gainesville, is another regular at Brew & Root.
“I felt encouraged to want to keep coming back because it seemed like he [Beck] had a lot to add to the community and to add to the presence and availability of third spaces,” he said.
In this third space, everyone gets to know one another and gets a taste of each other's lives. Even Beck gets a chance to give or get advice about life.
Brew & Root plans to do more event nights in the future, including a kava bar staple: open mic nights. It’s open from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily.
Contact Teia Williams at twilliams@alligator.org. Follow her on X @teia_williams.
Teia Williams is a journalism student and in her second semester at The Alligator. She is a lifestyle and general assignment for The Avenue. In her free time she is constantly reading, going to concerts, or talking about her favorite celebrities.
