FROM ONE LITTLE SHOP TO A WHOLE NEW WAY OF DRINKING

Cheers To The Next AF Chapter

Our Curious AF Bottle Shop has always been more than just a place to buy a drink. It was a spark, one that helped ignite a whole new way of thinking about alcohol in Aotearoa. Back when going alcohol-free felt unfamiliar, we set out to make it feel exciting, bold, and totally normal, and our bottle shop was a fundamental part of kicking things off.

And now? The low/no alc movement’s arrived and here to stay. AF isn’t on the fringe anymore, it’s front and centre. And that’s not just us saying it, the recent Stats NZ study found beer, wine and spirits consumption has declined to the lowest level since data was first collected and supports a seismic cultural shift towards “mindful drinking”.

So we’re evolving too, and have made the decision to close our beloved Bottle Shop in Ponsonby.

Free AF is growing beyond our four walls and shifting all our focus to where people are looking for more choice when it comes to drinking; online, in supermarkets and on the menu at your favourite bars and restaurants, festivals and events. We want to focus on providing more kiwis the freedom to drink on their terms by having wider access to great AF cocktails.

It’s all part of our mission to make Free AF drinks easy to find, easy to love, and something to feel good about, whenever, wherever, and however you choose to drink.

So, if you’ve popped in for a taste, a purchase or “just to look” - thank you. You helped turn a bold AF idea into a real AF movement. And trust us, we’re only getting started.

Store will remain open until 31st August 2025. 

You can still find all your AF Faves for purchase on our website too.

Source: Stats NZ: Total NZ population 15 years and over total alcohol available for consumption (per head of population), year-end December 2023 (8.183 litres), and December 2024 (7.773 litres), accessed 26 February 2025:  Alcohol available for consumption: Year ended December 2024 | Stats NZ