Boisson, the non-alcoholic beverage retailer, is expanding to Los Angeles County with three new sites.
The New York-based company recently made its West Coast debut with a new location in Brentwood at 11762 San Vicente Boulevard. Now, Boisson, led by co-founders Nick Bodkins and Barrie Arnold, is getting ready to open two, possibly three new locations within Los Angeles County. To start, the company is set to open in Beverly Hills at 9414 Brighton Way and Studio City at 12330 Ventura Boulevard in the next few weeks, possibly next month. The former will replace The Private Room, while the latter will replace Thread Eyebrows.
Once these new locations open, Boisson has plans to open additional stores in major markets across the U.S and internationally. Earlier this year, 632 Western Partners submitted documents to the Los Angeles City Planning Department to open a new restaurant called Boisson in Wilshire Center-Koreatown at 632 N. Western Ave. The proposed 2,071-square-foot restaurant will have a 265-square-foot patio. It is unclear whether or not these two businesses are related.
These new Southern California locations are only the beginning for the company, which started in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic when many people were reconsidering their drinking habits. It didn’t take long before ownership was able to expand to five storefronts throughout New York City. Customers interested in trying non–alcoholic spirits in a judgment-free zone can find Katy Perry’s De Soi, Blake Lively’s Betty Buzz, and other various non-alcoholic wines, beers, spritzers, and spirits. The business also offers tastings at every location, as well as special events with brands, tastemakers, and partners.
Recently the company raised a $12M seed round, bringing the company’s valuation to $47M. This fundraiser, the largest seed round for a non-alcoholic brand to date, will support the brand as it expands its store footprint to Los Angeles. The round was co-led by Connect Ventures, global venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates (NEA), and Blue Scorpion Investments. Additional investors include Undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou, Midnight Ventures, and Red Krypton.
“The demand for non-alcoholic beverages has grown significantly over the last year, and we are excited to use these funds to expand our presence and begin partnering with restaurants and hospitality organizations,” says Bodkins, CEO of Boisson. “We believe the N/A category will become a mainstay in the food & beverage industry and are committed to providing sophisticated zero-proof sips to consumers whether they’re staying at home or enjoying an evening out.”
