Centrality made all the difference for kava lovers Jesse and Lute King when they decided to open a kava bar in the heart of Suva.

Mr King’s love for the casual flair associated with kava culture prompted him to invest in the pasttime.

The young couple opened Kavatone bar at YWCA building, next to Ratu Sukuna Park earlier this month.

“There is a need for workers to unwind before going home,” Mr King said.

“It’s also a great way to wait for traffic to die down.”

Business hours are 5pm to 11pm, Monday to Saturday.

Mr King said the bar was building on its clientelle and offered yaqona from suppliers including big brand names such as Lami Kava and Taki Mai.

“Kavatone bar is set aside from its competitors for the variety of kava it offers patrons,” he said.

Kavatone bar offers an airy ambience of easy sitting arrangements, which can host up to 30 people at any one time, Mr King said.

“It is the place to transit for an hour before you head home,” Mr King said.

Kavatone Bar also sells kava packs that customers can take away to use elsewhere.

He said they sell powder kava for various suppliers.

Mr King said the name Kavatone stemmed from the component kavalactones, which provided the euphoria kava drinkers sought after a long, stressful day at work.

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