REPOST: KELSEY WITHEROW, THE SOBER CREATIVE MIND BEHIND DOUGHP AT PLANET HOLLYWOOD
It’s been a minute since I’ve had a chance to feature a local Vegas place…I’ve been working on the sobriety and spending series, the new parent deck, and just being a human being in general with a full time job and a family.
But recently, I had the chance to meet Kelsey Witherow, the owner and creator of Doughp (Cookie dough that is both safe and ridiculously fun to eat!) who is opening a Vegas location at Planet Hollywood on March 16th.
Thanks to the beauty of the internet, instagram hashtags, and the incredible online sobriety community, Kelsey and I met up for a cup of coffee at Vesta Coffee in DTLV and it was like meeting a long lost friend.
Kelsey, who has been sober since 2015, is the real deal.
She’s a woman who cares about her employees, mental health issues, business ethics, and local community.
In late 2015 during her first year of sobriety, she reconnected with her love of baking with so much newly found hang-over free time to kill. After starting a small online baked goodies delivery service, she began experimenting with Vegan cookie dough recipes. In 2017 she opened a pop-up on Market St. in San Francisco, and in honor of her two year soberversary she offered a discount to her fellow folks in recovery–walk up and say “It’s Doughp to be sober” and they received got 20% off their order!Kelsey, the owner of Doughp (image via Doughp’s website)After her success in San Francisco with locations at Pier 39 and AT&T Park, she’s opening up shop in Vegas. The location inside of Planet Hollywood will provide a “bar-like” environment, complete with a “Happy Hour You’ll Actually Remember”mocktail menu.
The staff at Doughp also receive Mental Health Certification to be prepared to see signs of suicide risk and to be better educated to listen/engage/attend-to people as we bring up these topics in our stores. Doughp also has a mental health policy that offers two mental health days a year to staff no-questions-asked. In her words, “It opens up the conversation between employer-employee to talk about what’s really going on in your life.” Doughp also helps to subsidize mental health care for employees upon request.
In addition, Doughp the #Doughp4Hope flavor sold in stores allows them to give back monetarily to local nonprofits supporting mental health and addiction-treatment. They donate 100% of proceeds from every scoop of #Doughp4Hope to a different rotating non-profit.
Doughp is also going to be hosting tons of sober-friendly community centered events locally here in Vegas, so be sure to subscribe to their newsletter via their website and RSVP to their grand opening on Saturday March 16th from 12pm-4pm!
As Kelsey as been working to get Doughp up and running, she’s been spending a fair amount of time exploring Las Vegas. Despite working long hours, she’s also had the chance to host family members and friends while she’s been here, and taken advantage of every minute.
I wanted to ask her a few Vegas-centric questions, as I’m always curious about the experience for out of towners:
What are your favorite sober-friendly places in Vegas? My favorite places are outdoors! I was just blown away by how much there is to see within ~1-2 hours of Vegas! Arizona Hot Springs, Red Rocks, Valley of Fire…I’ve been all about that outdoor life since making it here! Also – thoroughly enjoyed some of the plays/comedy/magic shows on the strip. Get soda water with lime, or ask a bartender to make you a mocktail if you’re feeling wild! It’s amazing entertainment right at your finger tips and you get to remember the show! BONUS!!!!
What would you tell someone who is sober who is visiting Vegas for the first time?You can have an amazing time here without alcohol. If you’ve got to head to the strip, just have a purpose and try not to linger in the bars/casinos too long if it makes you uncomfortable. There’s so much more to Vegas than the strip – Get outside and hike/sight-see! Go to the Hoover Dam! Visit the Grand Canyon! Or find a new restaurant! Or join the bouldering/climbing community! Or any other hobby you’re into! You can do this!
