We recently connected with Julianna O’mara and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Julianna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

I started J Sugars Mocktail Mixers in January of 2022. I started this business because I was struggling with alcoholism myself, at 22 years old. It dawned on me that yes, I do have a drinking problem and yes I want to stop the generational curses my parents passed downed to me from their parents and so on, but I also really love being in social environments such as EDM (electronic dance music) concerts, bars & events. It was such a weird feeling looking back trying to figure out what to do in that time in my life. It was also right after covid so we all know what that lock in did to our mental health but for me it was a time to flourish and get in touch with who I was.

I have worked at a craft bar for the last 7 years of my life, learning so many different things in the hospitality/restaurant industry and really perfecting my craft for the art for a really good beverage.

I remember getting invited to a team get together for a passion project I work for and while there I figured “Hey, I should bring stuff to make NA blackberry mojitos” so that’s what I did. I brought cups, ice, 1 shaker, limes, fresh blackberries, fresh mint and soda water and begun making fresh NA mojitos. Everyone was impressed with my work and encouraged me to get in touch with local collectives to start vending my mockatils at underground shows and events in the twin cities.

My first event I sold the “Silent Thunder” Which was a blueberry mojito with fresh lime juice, fresh blueberries, soda water & simple syrup. You may be wondering where “Silent Thunder” came from, well I decided I would start collabing with DJ’S/Artists that are playing at these events that night and make a hand crafted mocktail named after their artist name,

Everyone loves their hand-made hand crafted mocktails. I’ve got to meet some really cool people through these events!

My mission for J sugars is to provide a safe space for people to enjoy my mocktails and know they can have fun and drink a delicious drink without alcohol!

J sugars keeps me sober and helps so many others within my community.

April 21st,2025 is my 3 year alcohol sobriety date and I wouldn’t be here without the support from everyone on this.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hello! My name is Julianna O’Mara. I am a young, one woman owned, first generation business owner. I was born and raised in a small town named “Rice” Minnesota where there was nothing more than a couple gas stations, family diners, and 1 subway (the fast food chain). I went to school at the near by school that had 2 cities combined to make one school. My first couple of jobs in this industry could have never projecting me for this life that has landed in my lap. I worked at Hardees as a cashier at the age of 15 and could never get close to the fryers because it was against the law which really broke my heart because I’m an over-achiever at everything I do. I worked there for year til I turned 16 then I looked at small restaurants or diners near me that were hiring and hiring 16 year olds at that.

I work at a restaurant named “twin pines restaurant” which was perfect because it was walking distance from my house and they didn’t serve alcohol so I was able to host, bus & eventually serve. We served a lot of breakfast items, wraps, pies & coffees but I was happy to be doing something more in the restaurant industry. When I turned 17 I applied for a bigger restaurant job that did catering and had a bar inside. This bar and restaurant was named “Moliters quarry bar & grill”. I got hired as a host & event catering server! I was so esthetic to be working in a bigger restaurant where I could learn higher volume and how a full restaurant operates,

My senior year of high school I joined a Culinary team program where I got to learn how to cook some amazing dishes and also compete in a 1 hour long completion at the end of the season. I learned a lot about proper food handling, what flavors work well together and overall the art of food and beverage experiences.

I knew once I graduated highschool I needed to move to a bigger city to have more opportunities and experiences to keep growing my resume and that’s exactly what I did.

I moved to the twin cities in august of 2016 at the young age of 18 and started working at “Wild Bills Sports Saloon” in Blaine Minnesota while going to college my first year at MCTC. I had no idea what I was truly getting myself into and toto were not at a small mom and pa’s restaurant anymore. I put my heart and soul into that place for the 2 years I worked there. I was a server, bottle girl, shot girl and then worked my way up into corporate training and opening up new locations in different states! I opened up the Wild Bills in Fargo ND in end of 2016!

The corporate head of Wild Bills decided to break away and open up their own restaurant. A craft bar named “Brick and Bourbon’ which I currently work at. They opened in January of 2017. I have worked there since February of 2017! I have opened 3/4 locations, worked all the positions besides back of house. They specialize in craft drinks and bourbon. I have learned a lot of my knowledge for my business from them.

Once pouring my heart and soul into Brick and Bourbon I realized I really have a passion for food and beverage. So I decided I want to share my knowledge and tasting with others through my art of my Mocktails.

I provide non-alcoholic, hand crafted mocktails for people at any type of event that are sober or just wanna enjoy a really good drink. I hand pick all of my fresh ingredients then freshly hand squeezed and make fresh fruit or herb simple syrups to create beautiful mocktails. I take traditional cocktails such as margaritas, old fashions, martinis, punches, etc and make one of these without alcohol but you wouldn’t be able to tell there isn’t alcohol in it because of the fresh citrus in it.

I provide a safe space for all of my supporters and guests to enjoy an experience with me through the tastes of my beverages, to know you don’t have to be drinking alcohol to feel included at the event or occasion and that’s it really cool to be sober if that’s what Is best for you and your life!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I was 22 years old when I decided I needed to stop drinking alcohol. I kept making bad decision after bad decision when I wold drink and I was so over the apologies for being someone I wasn’t. I remember I called a therapy hot line and an AA service to get connected to people who could help me. I was sober for a whole year, that was my goal at the time. “Make it a year and you can drink again”. What any alcoholic would think. I made it a year and what did I do for my year celebration? I went to the sugar factory and got fish bowls full of alcohol and shared them with the closest people in my life because I truly thought I was okay and ready to drink again. I was so far from it. I was fine for the first couple of months but after that I started spiraling again and making the same decisions I was before I stopped drinking the last time. Fast forward to April 21st, 2022. The last day I ever drank since. This day was like any other besides that I was celebrating two birthdays : my baby sisters 11th birthday and my best friend from out of states birthday that night. We had a wonderful day and night but I never knew how to stop. I over did it and drank to a black out state which I will never do to myself again. I promised to my self the next day that I am done with alcohol forever. Alcohol has ruined so many people’s lives including my parents and my own. I knew from that moment that I would never drink alcohol again.

I lost both of my parents at the age of 13 so I’ve had to do a lot of things on my own.
Ive had to mentally raise myself for the last 13 years and there’s so many things I am proud of.
I graduated college in 2022 with my Associates degrees in Liberal Arts.
I started my own Mocktail Company the same year I got sober for a second time.
I have maintained a healthy relationship with my now fiancé for almost 7 years! (got engaged September 9th of this year)
I have been sober from alcohol for 2 years and 6 months with alcohol!
I own my car as of last year.
I have been with the same job for almost 8 years! In February will be my 8th year.
I live in a beautiful 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom top level corner apartment downtown St.Paul with a Capitol View.

I have had so much resilience in all of these thing above.

It gets challenging but then I remember I am me.

Julianna Mae O’Mara.

I chose who I get to be.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

I have worked at a craft bar for the last 7 years of my life. I always knew I had a passion for food and beverage but I didn’t know in what way. From the young age of 15 years old I started out at a ma & pa diner near my house where we served hot coffee, pies & good breakfast. I loved talking with people and watching their faces turn from okay to happy after a good meal. As I progressed throughout life and moved to bigger cities I learned more. Fast forward to 2017 when I start at a craft bar at 19 I love the atmosphere and craft behind a good craft cocktail. I became a restaurant manager at 22 and thought that was what I wanted to do with my life : was I so wrong. I give props to all restaurant managers out there, it’s a really tough job. I love how they freshly squeezed juices and made fresh fruit / herb simple syrups for their cocktails. I learned so much and thought huh I bet I could make some amazing mocktails from the knowledge I have learned these last couple of years. So that’s what I did, I researched even more classic cocktails if I didn’t already know they and make a mocktail instead. Original recipes with freshly squeezed juices, fresh fruit or herb simple syrups and N/A sprirts if need be.

A job that was once just a waitressing job when I was going to college became a full time manager job than I made a business out of my knowledge.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: J_sugars_mocktail_mixers
• Facebook: J Sugars Mocktail Mixers

Image Credits

@Megan Mann for the photo of me on a low & high hoodie at the bar setting