Hidden Gems: Meet Vincent Cartagine of The Chillroom

Today we’d like to introduce you to Vincent Cartagine

Vincent, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Our journey starts in 2019 when our Cousin Robert and his wife Lynn came to Arizona to visit. They started to tell us about this new business they started and it was a non alcoholic lounge called The Chillroom. Describing what it is and their main product is Kava and Kratom. We were unfamiliar with Kava and Kratom since it is not a wide spread product that is used in Arizona like it is in Florida.

We started asking questions as to how it works, what is Kava/Kratom and so on. I personally was a bar fly. Loved going out, drinking and bar hoping. So I did not fully understand why you would to go a bar without alcohol. Like you’re just drinking juice or soda in the dark. Robert said come to Florida and check it out and see if it something we might want to do in Arizona.

My brother Anthony and I took a trip to Florida and see what it was about and we were both shocked at how great it was. The community they have grown was amazing and welcoming, the drinks were great and the effects from the drinks were outstanding. Going from thinking it is just juice and soda to a whole other world where natural teas and root drinks can get you a great feeling with no hangover sold me.

We started talking about what to do next but then covid hit and like everyone else. Everything was put on hold.

We came back to the idea of opening the bar around 2022. I had quit my job and was working odd jobs till i figured out what to do. Then the idea of moving to Florida came up so i can learn everything and see if owning a bar was a fit. The experience in Florida was top notch and confirmed this is something we as a family can run and start our own community in Arizona. Came back the summer of 2023, bar was built and we officially opened in Oct 2023 and have not looked back since.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Since Arizona is new to Kava and Kratom and also new to non alcoholic lounges, it was turned more into a teaching process for customers and figuring out ways to explain to them what we are. Either people get it and want to try a drink or you get people looking for alcohol confused about how we do not serve alcohol since we do look like a bar. It has been an interesting process to figure out the best way to explaining what we are and what we can do to get people to try the drinks even if they are looking for alcohol.

Another struggle has been trying to manage the day to day and personal life. When you work in a standard job or corporate job (i cam from the corporate world) you have numbers to hit, someone telling what to do or someone to go to to help you if you have questions. When you own your own business that is all out the window. You are your own boss, everything falls on you and if something is broken, you get to fix it. It was been great being able to have that control but when you are lost or something comes up that you do not understand then where do you go? We got lucky and Marina Castillo came into the bar and has been our guide through this process.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Chillroom?
We are an alcohol free lounge that serves teas, cocktails, alcohol free beers/wines and other items that still create a buzz or uplifting feeling.

We are trying to grow a business that is trying to help out the people that do not/can not be around alcohol or chose not to because of personal/preference. It has been great meeting these people and them telling us how great the place is and how they feel they are being noticed. Instead of going out to a bar and drinking a soda and being ostracized at the events or group outings. We try our best to recreate the bar feeling and social aspects of a bar but cutting out the bs that surrounds alcohol.

We try to find as many products that create that buzz the natural way so people do not feel like they are drinking something for the sake of it. Non alcoholic products are not marketed as big as other items are so we want to show people what is out there. It is a growing market for non alcoholic products, especially with beer/liquor companies now seeing there is a shift in how people try to socialize.

We take pride in trying to find the best products for people and do the best we can educate people in their new sober journey to make the transition as easy as possible. It is a scary process especially when you are on your own or do not have the know how on where to even start. Come in and see what is out there and take the steps for your personal growth or just something new to try

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I’m one of those people that does not rely on luck. It all comes down to what energy you put out in the world and it can either be negative or positive. As long as you stay positive through the bad or the tough times, things can sort themselves out when you stay the course. Just remember what you started the business/venture for, see the growth in what you’ve done (large or small) and remember, this is something that is not easy. If you are expecting a walk in the park then it will be tough journey, especially through the hard time where you do question what you got yourself into.

Luck does have a part in it when it comes to who walks through that door, if you try something new and it is an instant hit or just putting the energy out there for a possible growth opportunity. It can all fall on luck or just what you do to better yourself and the situation you are in.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thechillroomtempe.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechillroomtempeaz/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1sTj-6phPKOdu27AvQ8Vt-ZD48FEXlXbwna2ff6ALCYAi9-HuEnBMxwN0_aem_ktjZH36xtlNwBS-A-eeioQ
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thechillroomtempeAZ
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-chill-room-tempe?osq=The+Chill+Room