Altered: The bar where everyone will remember your name

“They’d look at me like I had a second head,” the founder of Invercargill’s non-alcoholic bottle store recalls.

But the concept’s done so well that in just seven months it’s evolved into an alcohol-free bar catering to social and work groups.

Despite the scepticism she initially faced, Altered founder Kelly Blomfield always knew there was a place for her business in the market.

“There is a large portion of the population who don’t drink for a multitude of reasons and people like the idea that they have options and can go to a grown up store and buy something special,” she said.

In an ideal world, that’s what I wanted as a consumer. I kept thinking someone would do it.”

Blomfield was now using Altered’s popularity for good by backing this year’s Dry July campaign to raise funds for organisations supporting cancer patients.

“I watched a close friend of mine lose a sister to cancer, and it’s one of the most heartbreaking things to watch,” she said.

Blomfield called the disease devastating and said she wanted to do all she could to not just raise awareness, but support people going through it.

She’ll be donating 10 per cent of sales for the month of July and has registered an Altered team with the goal of raising $5000 for Pinc and Steel Cancer Rehabilitation Foundation, Look Good Feel Better and Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand.

Reaching the goal would be “freaking awesome”, she said.

Not everyone supported what Blomfield was doing, she said, adding that people could feel confronted and defensive.

“People almost get offended by the idea of a non-alcoholic bottle store.”

She conceded that Invercargill was a challenging place to open a non-alcoholic bottle store because of the drinking culture both locally and nationally.

But she’s had great support from regulars and ignores the negative comments from people who think her business is useless.

Instead, she’s expanding into markets and growing what used to just be a tasting bar.