We had the good fortune of connecting with Joyci Borovsky and Joey Roberts and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joyci & Joey, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
Because we are non-alcoholic, people assume that we only serve people who can’t drink or have problems with alcohol. The reality is, around 85% of our customers drink our products as well as booze. They like to have some sort of nightlife but without major intoxication. “We also cater to people who are in recovery, people who are looking for a different type of buzz, students, medical professionals, police officers etc. Our bar is a place for EVERYONE, not just people who don’t drink. Several nights a week, our patrons visit us and are able to enjoy the social atmosphere, live music and ambiance of a bar setting without getting belligerent. They leave feeling good and uplifted while also knowing they’re safe to drive home. Don’t get us wrong, we like to drink; we aren’t against it at all. We just know how to party without it too!

What should our readers know about your business?
Our business is unique solely due to the fact that we are the only, non alcoholic bar in Wynwood. When we first opened, we only served Kava and Kratom based drinks. Now we have expanded our menu to include non alcoholic cocktails, medicinal mocktails, kava, kratom teas, coffee, matcha, cacao and more! We are currently operating with a limited menu due to Covid19, but hopefully we can get back to some normalcy soon so we can start offering everything on our menu and get back to having some cool events as well! Other than that, what sets us apart from other Kava bars (places that specifically only sell kava and kratom based drinks), is that we think, live & breath Syndicate. We are always working! Always coming up with new ideas, tasty concoctions, etc. Theres never a dull moment at Syndicate, we promise you that.

It’s definitely been a long, tough journey. As with all entrepreneurs, we’ve had some moments where we had to make tough decisions for our business and our business alone. Remembering that you cant please everyone is important. We’ve come across all sorts of different challenges, but owning a business is truly more about being a problem solver than anything else. Also, once we have a set goal in mind, nothing gets in the way of that. We don’t give up until we complete it. This is our child, our whole life. It takes a lot of work, but in the end, it’s worth every second!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First and foremost, we love the small, secluded beaches: Hobie Beach & Oleta River State Park. Oleta not only has a great small beach but also has great water sport rentals, BBQ grills, cabins and more! If you decide to rent some water gear, you can travel through the mangrove maze into the bay, right next to the sand bar. Theres always people, boat food trucks and music as long as the weather is nice! For food, check out Gyu-Kyku Japanese BBQ in Brickell, KYU in Wynwood, LA Sanwicherie in South Beach or for some small bite size foods and live jazz, Lagniappe in MidTown. For alcoholic drinks check out, Porterhouse in Sunny Isles Beach, Wood Tavern in Wynwood, Gramps in Wynwood and Kill your idol in South Beach for a great ladies night on Wednesdays. To get the full everglades experience there is no better outfit than Tigertail Airboat Tours. They are a family run business with an incredible sanctuary hidden in the glades, where they help rehab and save local animals including: gators, turtles and fish!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
None of this would be possible without the support of our community. The people who have supported us and continue to do so are the reason we are still here, especially during this pandemic – Covid-19. Another someone that wed like to mention, who very much deserves it is Natascha Diaz, our most veteran bartender and inventory supervisor. She has gone above and beyond in the two years that she has been with us and her loyalty, hard work and dedication to our team has helped us grow immensely.

Website: www.syndicatewynwood.com
Instagram: syndicatewynwoodmiami
Facebook: Syndicate Wynwood
Yelp: Syndicate Wynwood

Image Credits
Drink Photos : Memo, @memok3 instagram Group Photo : Tiffany Monique Bootywork Shoot, @therealtiffanymonique instagram Yoga Instructor : Alejandro Cortes @loki_flowski instagram Halloween Costume Winner : Princessa Capolupo @just.princesa instagram

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutMiami is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.