Founder

Carolyn Hilliard: I am originally from Pittsburgh where I still reside today in East Liberty. I have been sober for 6 years. In that time, I realized how difficult it is to stay on the sober path when mostly all night life and social events that I previously enjoyed revolved around alcohol. I really struggled with this and yearned for a safe space that gave the social night life feel without the influence of alcohol. Thankfully, I was able to push through and now I feel like I finally have the courage to inspire others no matter what their stories or lifestyle choices may be.

My vision for Empath is to create a safe, fun, comfortable and connecting environment with a sober bar that serves delicious and creative drinks! I also envision it hosting all types of events ranging from music, poetry, comedy, dances, workshops, yoga, etc. We are starting out hosting pop-up events around the city with the end goal to open a permanent space that is a sober bar/venue with meeting spaces too. I am really excited to share my vision with Pittsburgh and hopefully revolutionize and make a positive impact on our social scene through connection, outreach and inspiration!