The Room 12 Blues Foundation will operate an upscale, "dry" public dining establishment and club in Cleveland, Ohio. In addition, Room 12 will be a public meeting place for self-help recovery groups, meetings, and seminars. Room 12's vision for the club is as an innovative upscale live-music venue featuring both local and national artists in an intimate atmoshpere, serving a limited small-plates food menu and non-alcoholic mixed cold beverages and premium exotic coffee and tea.

The concept of an alcohol-free music venue deserves a closer look. An important tenet of the recovery community is "sober people/sober places." It is extremely difficult, if not impossible to find a music venue that does not serve alcohol. Room 12 Blues Club will fill this wide-open gap for not only the recovery community, but also those wishing to enjoy live musical entertainment without dealing with the presence of over-indulgers or abusers. Room 12 wishes to serve the entire community.

The idea of entertaining in our culture inevitably involves alcohol for adults. Room 12 recognizes the fact that this does not result in a problem for most people.

However, the number of alcohol abusers has increased steadily, and alarmingly, for 40 yrs.

One in nine americans has an alcohol problem. For those that are 18 to 24 years of age, the number (including drug abusers) jumps to one in four.

The economic life of a major city can be directly tied to alcohol comsumption. It is axiomatic that in the restaurant business a large proportion of profits is due to alcohol sales. Music tours are routinely sponsored by alcohol producers.

There needs to be another option.

Room 12 Blues Foundation is not against alcohol and does not endorse or believe that abstention is proper or necessary for those whom alcohol is not a problem.

Room 12 believes that alcohol use is not inextricably intertwined with entertainment. We desire to be the tipping point for that change.

Room 12 believes that society can reverse this trend.

Families can be entertained at Room 12 Blues Club. Adults can model behaviors that can inspire more responsible use of alcohol in our culture. Adults and young adults can all benefit from the atmosphere at the Room 12 Blues Club.