Nic Sims has long yearned for a bar where non-drinkers could have a fun night out in Ann Arbor. This week, she's taking matters into her own hands and creating that space herself.

Sims, a former chef turned digital marketing director, is launching a pop-up dry bar on Friday night at Mighty Good Coffee (217 N. Main St.). What's a dry bar, you ask? The simple answer is that it's a bar that doesn't serve alcoholic drinks.

"It’s an alcohol-free place for conversation and connection," explained Sims. "I haven't had a drink in 20 years, and I know a lot of people who don't drink. I love to go out on a weekend, but not in a bar. I wanted a bar-like convivial atmosphere, with snacks and drinks and conversation, without it being a bar."

Ultimately, Sims is hoping that Brillig Dry Bar can be a regular event, with poetry slams, game nights and live music. For now, she'll be operating it as a pop-up at Mighty Good Coffee, a cafe operated by her husband, David Myers. The dry bar will take over the space when Mighty Good closes at 6 p.m.

"We have the space, and we need to make it work harder for us," said Sims. "He's day and I'm night."

The bar will offer a variety of hand-crafted non-alcoholic cocktails like egg creams, a pomegranate-rosemary soda, wassail, a Vernors cranberry sour, pumpkin chiller and coffee drinks from the Mighty Good Coffee menu, as well as cheese or meat snack trays and other small bites.

At the first pop-up, on Friday, December 5, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Mighty Good Coffee, the Brillig Dry Bar will have live jazz from the Lenny Swanson Trio.

"We know we would like to run it at least once a month," said Sims. "The question is if demand is there, should we do it more frequently? People are familiar with the pop-up concept, so we'll start with that. We’re testing the water – testing our ability to support it and the interest in the community. We don’t want to start something and fall short of our ideal, so I am looking at this as planting a seed."

The name comes from Jabberwocky, a poem by Lewis Carroll. Brillig, in the poem, is "four o'clock in the afternoon, the time when you begin broiling things for dinner." Sims chose the poem, because to her it represents the joy of overcoming one's demons.

"Everybody has a Jabberwocky – a personal demon – and I want people to feel like they’re not alone," said Sims. "They can be in community, and be comfortable and safe. The sort of celebrating in the poem: 'O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' – I want to have that sort of joyous space. We need more joy."

Jessica Webster covers food and dining for The Ann Arbor News. Reach her at JessicaWebster@mlive.com. You also can follow her on Twitter and on Google+.