It's the first question most people ask when they step inside the Green Turtle Kava Bar, which opened about two weeks ago in St. Augustine.

The answer, explained owner Maggie Cornelison, is that is a plant-based root extract of Southeast Asian origin purported to have a calming effect on the mind and body. It is served most often as a liquified beverage, and in the case of the Green Turtle, in hollowed-out coconut shells with a pineapple garnish, giving it a tropical vibe.

Kava is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and Cornelison makes no medical guarantees to its efficacy, but it is legal to sell and serve in the U.S. It was banned in the early 2000s in Canada and Europe due to some reports of liver damage, but has since been allowed back on the market.

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With the COVID-19 pandemic leading to stress and isolation over the past year and a half, Cornelison decided it was the perfect time to start her own business focusing on something in which she really believed, she said.

"I was visiting my twin sister in West Palm Beach about a year ago and she told me we should go visit a kava bar," said Cornelison. "I had no idea what that was."

One try and she was hooked. 

Cornelison, who suffers from chronic migraines, said in her own experience with the beverage it has helped ease some of her symptoms.

The concept of kava bars — part new-age health shop/coffee bar/Millennial lounge — has become wildly popular lately, especially in places like California and South Florida. 

"I have college students who come in regularly, nurses who want a pick-me-up, people who want to hang out and do work on their laptop," said Cornelison.

According to the website KalmwithKava.com, Florida actually leads the nation in the number of kava bars open.

Cornelison said she believes the beverage's healing and relaxing impacts have caught on with a lot of the same people who enjoy CBD and other naturalistic substances for their "holistic" qualities.

Housed in a non-descript strip-mall space in the Riverside Plaza (at the intersection of State Road 312 and US 1), the vibe inside the Green Turtle Kava Bar is decidedly chill, with a long polished wood bar, muted palette, tropical plants and even a "house dog," Sahara, who is about as low-key as most of the patrons.

A Flagler College alumni, Cornelison, 36, went on to earn an MBA, and worked in the corporate world of the hospitality business for more than a decade before coming to the conclusion that: "I wanted to be able to make a positive difference, and especially in my own community."

Described on its website as being a kind of "tea house," the Green Turtle offers, first and foremost, kava beverages, which can be served with any number of add-ins, including milk and honey or flavored syrups like blueberry lavender, coconut, hibiscus or peach (the main beverage itself can be a little bitter, due to its natural peppery "bite," Cornelison explained).

A single serving of kava goes for $6, with the price increasing to $13 for a triple.

This au-natural watering hole also offers botanical teas in flavors such as ginger and rosemary. Coffee is also available. 

Cornelison hopes to add some healthy snacks to the menu eventually, as well as make to-go service available.

The Green Turtle's business slogan is: "Come for kava, stay for the vibe." It seems quite apt considering the shop offers a happy hour every day from 2 to 6 p.m., and Cornelison said she's already developed regular crowds who come in either early in the morning, mid-day or later in the day or evening (the store's hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday).

"People will come in, start talking, socializing and it's just a nice vibe," said Cornelison.

Playing "bartender," she even has a group who come in and like the kava bar as an alternative to other elixirs.

"This is just a healthier alternative to going out and having a glass of wine or a few beers, but it's going to relax you in the same way," Cornelison said. "I have quite a few customers who are from AA [Alcoholics Anonymous]."

Another goal of Cornelison's in launching the business was finding a way to give back to a cause that meant something to her. In this case, that is environmental conservation efforts to help sea turtles in Florida. A portion of all sales receipts go toward Marineland and other local facilities that help toward that mission.