
Anna Blazevich relocated her nonalcoholic bottle shop from Long Beach, California, to Ashland, Oregon, last year. Now sheโs running Hummingbird Heart Non-Alcoholic and Dry Elixir Bar, plus being a mom to four kids, nine dogs, two guinea pigs, a hedgehog and a bearded dragon named Master Wu.ย
โPeople always ask me how do you do all this stuff? Iโm like, I got sober,โ she told me. โYouโve got to realize, Iโm a maniac.โ She considers properly using her energy and creative outlets part of her sobriety process. โAnd I believe firmly in being of service.โ
And since her grand opening last December, Annaโs set out to serve her new community of Ashland.
Visit Hummingbird Heartย
Hummingbird Heart is part apothecary, part sustainable goods, in addition to the NA bottle shop. When people stop by, Anna lets them taste anything on tap or any bottle thatโs open. Thatโs eight kombuchas on tap, a couple of CBD drinks and NA beer.
โAny bottle we use to make a cocktail off the menu is always going to be open. And itโs an opportunity to let people try things. Because the bottles arenโt cheap. Then they donโt have to hem and haw and worry what if I get it home and I donโt like it.โ
Anna has already gotten to know her neighbors in Ashland better than her neighbors in California. โPeople here visit with you. They genuinely want to get to know you, and you want to get to know them.โ And she feels like Ashland aligns well with her principles. โYou get this sense of people really valuing their physical and mental health. They understand and really appreciate the store.โ
Two of Annaโs great passions are sustainability and the health properties of plants. โMy favorite category is absolutely the functional NA,โ she said. โThatโs where you have these plants in them that can do marvelous things for your body.โ
She also thinks about various aspects of sustainability. โNot just environmental sustainability, but social sustainability,โ she said. โThen eventually that evolved into this idea of personal sustainability of the things Iโm doing, the decisions Iโm making in my own life. Is this sustainable for my mental health?โ
Annaโs customers open up to her about their own struggles with addiction and other mental health issues. โThatโs part of the process of not feeling like there was just something wrong with me,โ she said. โJust alcohol is not meant for my system. Itโs really not meant for anybodyโs system. But definitely not for mine.โ

Eventsย
Hummingbird Heart participates in Ashlandโs monthly First Friday event, staying open later than usual and sometimes hosting musicians. The shop has also hosted guided meditations, a happy hour for contributors to a local magazine, and a NA wine and chocolate pairing. It has brought a mobile bar to an animal farm and had a blast at Fermentopia, an annual marketplace for fermented goods in nearby Phoenix, Oregon. A book club met regularly at the shop. Anna enjoys partnering with local groups and businesses.ย
All ages are welcome at Hummingbird Heart. Anna keeps a shelf of instruments, gemstones and other treasures for kids to play with.

Taking the Focus Off Drinkingย
When Anna brought her family up to Ashland last year to check it out, she was hoping they would fall in love with the small town. They did. A month later, they moved to Oregon.
One of her favorite things about southern Oregon is there are so many things to do that donโt revolve around alcohol, whether thatโs hiking, visiting farms or local parks.
โLong Beach, I felt, is very alcohol-focused. You went to the beach, and you always had to be like all right, letโs move the kids down the beach a little bit. Youโve got people obviously imbibing from their cooler and acting too loud.โ
Anna is thrilled to raise her family in such a wholesome way. โTo have four kids and to be normalizing this idea that all these wonderful things can happen in your life and you donโt need alcohol is a really wonderful experience.โย

Hummingbird Heart Commercial

SOBRIETY IN THE CITY: Sober Events, Activities, NA Bottle Shops and More Across the Country and Around the World

SOBER EVENTS at The Sober Curator keeps you in the loop on alcohol-free gatherings happening nationwide. From sober comedy shows and non-alcoholic tastings to festivals, retreats, and sporting events, we highlight vibrant, community-driven experiences from coast to coast. Our goal? To keep you entertained, inspired, and connectedโno matter where you live. Need more sober time than one event? Weโve got your back with our Sober Retreat Calendar.

Welcome to HAPPY EVERY HOUR, your go-to hub for all things NA (non-alcoholic). We review alcohol-free beers, ciders, wines, spirits, RTDs (ready-to-drink), and share NA cocktail recipes that taste just as goodโif not betterโthan the boozy originals. Whether youโre sober, sober-curious, or just taking a break, this is where great taste meets zero proof.
TRIGGER WARNING: People in early sobriety may want to proceed with caution. Always read labels. Please hydrate responsibly โฆ #becausedrunkneverlooksgood.

Sometimes life gets really shitty. Resources are available. Please use them if you need them.
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.
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