He didn’t expect the Giants to win. Nobody did. It was Super Bowl Sunday, the Patriots were undefeated, and Justin Gurland was sitting in rehab on the opposite side of the country from everyone he loved. But the Giants pulled off a ridiculous, against-all-odds victory — and for a 25-year-old heroin addict who’d just landed in detox on his golden birthday, that tiny sports miracle became something bigger: proof that outcomes aren’t fixed, and maybe his life wasn’t either.
Justin explains to me on The Sober Curator Podcast that he didn’t know any sober people when he got clean. None. So his brain did what a lot of ours do: it told him sobriety would be boring, lonely, and gray. The irony? That was already his life. “I was an isolator,” he says. “I’d withdrawn from life. I was worried about what people would think… and I wasn’t even in touch with anyone.”
What changed was people. His younger sister had finally said, “I can’t do this anymore,” and forced a real conversation. His family rallied. The treatment center gave structure. Then the Giants gave him a little laugh in group when he said, “I don’t know what God is, but I know that happened and I can hold onto it.” Sometimes hope is tiny and weird and wrapped in football. But it’s still hope.
Fast-forward 17 years. Justin has built a career helping families in recovery. He’s seen the heartbreak and the beauty. He’s also seen the exhaustion. Social work is holy and it’s heavy. When he felt himself burning out, he didn’t walk away from recovery — he asked a different question:
What if I built a place for people who are doing well?
Not in crisis. Not in active withdrawal. Not in the wreckage stage. People who just… don’t drink. People who did Dry January and loved it. People who live in New York City and want to go out on a Friday and not stand in a bar clutching club soda like a prop. “That community is enormous,” he says. “And honestly, they need people more than we do — because we, in recovery, already have our crew.”
That’s the seed for The Maze.
It’s opening in Flatiron — 24th between 5th and 6th — on purpose. Central, easy for uptown/downtown/Jersey folks, and in a neighborhood that already feels cool. It’ll be closed Mondays, open Tues–Sun for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a main dining room, lounge with couches, TVs, and a pool table, plus a speakeasy-style room for private events and sober hangs up to around 35 people, and full buyouts on Mondays. In other words: it functions like the places New Yorkers already love… just alcohol-free.
And yes, it’s pretty. Justin cares about design. He told me he didn’t want it to feel sterile or like a museum — he wanted a place you actually want to sit in. Green shows up in the space because it’s his favorite color (also: kind of on-brand for growth, money, and Manhattan), and the whole room is meant to read “living room, but make it member-y.” If you’ve ever walked into a “recovery” space and immediately clocked the fluorescent lighting and gray carpet, you know why this matters. Aesthetics are part of dignity.
Membership will start capped around 200 so they can see real usage patterns and make sure people can actually get a Friday reservation. This is the part nobody says out loud about sober social spaces: if you make it too open, you ruin the experience; if you make it too closed, you kill the community. He’s threading the needle by staying member-first, but still telling sober travelers, “DM us, we’ll figure it out.”
Beneath the business model is a bigger shift: sobriety is cool now. Or at least, not weird. The online recovery/AF movement that really blew up around 2016–2020 — books, podcasts, meme accounts, zero-proof brands — made it normal to say, “I don’t drink” without also saying, “I had a DUI.” That wave is exactly why a space like The Maze can exist in 2025. As Justin puts it, “I don’t think a place like this could’ve existed even a few years ago.”
But he’s also clear: online can only take us so far. Meeting people in person “locks in that connection.” Energy in the same room hits differently. And maybe that’s the real through-line from Super Bowl Sunday in rehab to this posh, green Flatiron clubhouse: he’s still creating spaces where people can feel that same little flash of “maybe everything’s going to be okay.”
If you’re sober or sober-curious and NYC is on your map, add The Maze to your list — and then go listen to the full episode for the origin story, the rehab group laughter, and the part where he says: if you want him to train for a marathon with you… don’t call him. 😂 But do make sure to follow along with them on IG @themazenyc and stay in the NYC sober know.
Listen to the full convo on The Sober Curator Podcast — because getting sober matters, staying sober matters more.
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Alysse sits down with Justin Gurland, founder and CEO of The Maze, a brand-new, alcohol-free members club opening in New York City’s Flatiron district — think elevated design, IRL connection, and zero-proof vibes for people in recovery and the huge sober-curious crowd who are done pretending their seltzer is vodka. Justin shares the very New York origin story (he got to rehab on Super Bowl Sunday, the Giants miraculously won, and that tiny moment of hope kept him going), how his sister helped save his life at 25, why social work was beautiful but brutal, and how he followed the nudge to create a space where people can actually belong. This is sobriety in technicolor, not black-and-white.
Takeaways:
Sobriety doesn’t end the party — it widens the guest list and changes the venue.
One tiny “against all odds” win (like the Giants beating the undefeated Patriots) can become your proof that things can turn around.
The sober/sober-curious crowd in 2025 is way bigger than just people in formal recovery — and they need community, too.
The Maze is purpose-built for IRL connection: Flatiron, Tues–Sun B/L/D, lounge, speakeasy, private events.
Healing isn’t just “remove alcohol”; it’s “add things that fill your cup” — people, beauty, music, service.
Key Timestamps:
[00:02:00] Meet Justin: 17 years sober, social worker, now building an AF members club in NYC.
[00:06:00] Golden 25th → detox → sister intervention that saved his life.
[00:08:00] Super Bowl Sunday in rehab: the Giants win and he chooses hope.
[00:17:00] The Maze concept: for people tired of standing in bars holding fake drinks.
[00:18:00] Location & hours: 24th between 5th & 6th, closed Mondays, B/L/D Tues–Sun.
[00:25:00] Why design & vibe matter in sober spaces (it can’t feel clinical).
Resources & Links:
Website URL: themazenyc.com
Instagram URL: @themazenyc
LinkedIn URL: @themazenyc
–Alcohol + Substance Use Disorder Guide
–Recovery Nonprofit Resource Guide
–LBGTQ+ Recovery Resource Guide
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About:
Sobriety isn’t the end of the party—it’s just the start of a better one. Hosted by Alysse Bryson, media powerhouse and sobriety’s ultimate hype woman, and joined by Sober Curator contributors, The Sober Curator Podcast* delivers bold convos, pop culture deep dives, and zero-proof living that doesn’t suck. Whether you're sober, sober-curious, or just looking for good vibes without the hangover, we’ve got you covered. Subscribe now—because getting sober matters, staying sober matters more.
*The Sober Curator Podcast is a space for open and honest conversations about sobriety, recovery, and alcohol-free living. While we celebrate all paths to a sober lifestyle, some topics discussed may be sensitive or triggering for certain listeners. This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. If you’re in recovery or exploring sobriety, please take care while listening and seek support from trusted professionals as needed.
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