CLEVELAND — Spreading a message of healing is important to David Kovatch.

“I’m an old soul," he said.

He founded Sacred Waters Kava Bar last year and now has two locations in the Cleveland area: one in Lakewood and another in North Olmsted. 

“Very community based here," he said. "We’re like a family."

What You Need To Know

  • Kava is a root that has been used ceremonially and recreationally in the South Pacific Islands for centuries 

  • Sacred Waters Kava Bar opened last year and now has two locations in the Cleveland area: one in Lakewood and another in North Olmsted

  • Kava is legal in the United States and is not regulated, but has been linked to liver toxicity

  • It’s not safe to mix it with alcohol or anti-depressants and anxiety medications

Kava is a root that has been used ceremonially and recreationally in the South Pacific Islands for centuries. It’s a natural mood relaxer with psychoactive effects.

“It works on your GABA receptors, which are the same receptors as anti-anxiety medication," KLovatch said. "So, it just melts the stress and anxiety away and gives you this nice, clean, euphoric feeling. It’s not impairing in any way. There’s no hangover. Most interestingly, kava has a reverse tolerance, so the more often you drink it, the less you need to drink to feel the effects."

Educating his customers about what they are consuming is a top priority.

“Education and harm reduction are our two biggest responsibilities here," he said. "We want everyone to be fully informed about what they’re drinking and how it works in their body."

His employees are not baristas or bartenders, but kavatenders.

“All our drinks on our menu are named after all our regulars," he said. "They’re their favorite drinks."

Kratom is also on the menu. It’s a plant related to coffee that’s native to Southeast Asia. In June, the Food and Drug Administration released a warning that Kratom appears to have addictive properties.

“There’s no caffeine in it and it’s a natural pain reliever and anti-inflammatory. It works on your mu opioid receptors," said Kovatch.

Kovatch considers this a sober bar of sorts for those 18 and older. He’s been sober himself for about ten years.

“None of the products we serve are impairing in any way. They just make you feel good. So, we have a lot of people in recovery that hangout here and just find community and find healing," said Kovatch.

Kovatch said he was the first to bring the concept to Ohio, and he welcomes a new kava bar set to open in Willoughby this summer.

“The more of us that there are, the more the message spreads," he said.

Kava is legal in the United States and is not regulated, but has been linked to liver toxicity.

It’s not safe to mix it with alcohol or anti-depressants and anxiety medications. 

Kovatch said kava is a healthier alternative to alcohol.

“Kava and alcohol are both processed through the liver, so you don’t want to mix both and overtax your liver," he said.

He’s proud of the community he’s cultivated thanks to the kava craze and hopes fear of the unknown doesn’t deter people from giving it a try. 

“This is definitely my calling," said Kovatch.