We had the good fortune of connecting with David Darrigan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
Never give up! Perseverance has always been a part of my character. When I believe in something or have a goal, there is no stopping. My motto is “nothing in life worth having comes easy.” I heard that from a medical TV show, “Scrubs” and I realized that it spoke deeply to me.
 

What should our readers know about your business?
I have been a physician since I was 25 years old. I specialize in emergency medicine. Throughout my years practicing medicine, I have seen so many lives taken from alcohol and drugs. I’ve seen countless horrible accidents that destroy families. Alcohol is so ingrained in our society, it is almost celebrated. a few years ago during the pandemic, I learned about Kava. I was instantly fascinated by the history of Kava, and the potential it has for our society that is stricken with anxiety, addiction, and depression. At the time, there were no kava bars in DFW. I knew the quickest way I could enjoy kava myself, and bring it to my community, was to start my own kava bar. With kava being so foreign to our area, the risk was large. I knew that I loved this plant that had been enjoyed in the South Pacific island for centuries, but would other Texans? I chose Denton as my first location, as Denton is very open minded and eclectic. Our biggest challenge was not just getting the word out to the community and educating them, but also being accepted as an alcohol alternative in an alcohol-laden community. Thankfully, our social sober movement was welcomed with more support than I could have ever imagined. I knew after the success from Denton that I needed to keep the movement going across DFW. Our North Dallas location opened 5 months ago, and the story has been the same. I am most proud about giving so many people that longed for an alternative to alcohol and drugs a safe haven to still relax and have fun, but without the intoxication and unwanted side effects. Each time I go to one of my bars, I am thanked by customers for bringing this experience to DFW. That makes me extremely proud.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My Kava Bars!! In Denton we have the eclectic vibe, music scene, and amazing food. Pair that with The Kava Bar Denton and you have one amazing experience. In North Dallas, our Kava Bar is truly a community hang out where people of all ages have come together to connect over Kava, Coffee, and Elixir. Our event nights at North Dallas get more popular each week. We truly have something for everyone.

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?
I have always cheered for the underdog. Growing up, I was not as athletically gifted as I wanted to be. This caused me to follow sports teams and athletes that were up against the odds. Watching them overcome their hardships would inspire me to work hard and persevere so that I could do the same. There were not a lot of people in my corner growing up, so I developed the “it’s me against the world mentality.” When everyone doubts you, you have 2 mindset options. 1- accept their doubt as truth and be defeated. Or 2- prove them wrong. To prove them wrong while overcoming the odds – it took relentless perseverance.

Website: Www.lovethekavabar.com

Instagram: The Kava Bar Denton and The Kava Bar North Dallas

Facebook: The Kava Bar Denton and The Kava Bar North Dallas

Image Credits
Mike Smith

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW 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.