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An Arlington couple is looking to change the dating game in the D.C. area with a new service, Quench, set to launch in July.
Co-founder Leslie Bozoian said Quench — which aims to match people through curated group meetups — responds to flaws she and her husband Eric identified in popular dating apps.
“Many of our friends who used dating apps would complain about going on a first date and arguing about things like politics, not knowing their date wasn’t aligned with them. Our desire is to put people in a room with potential partners who do align with their background and values,” she said.
Most of Quench’s events will take place in Arlington, and people across the D.C. area are welcome to participate. The service plans to host happy hour events at Clarendon watering holes O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub, Don Tito, Bar Bao and The Pinemoor.
The couple developed the idea while running a nonprofit called Free Association, which helped people make friends and build communities in the D.C. area. They soon noticed relationships were starting to form during these meetups.
Bozoian says several couples who met through Free Association are now married, inspiring them to try their hand at local matchmaking.
“Eric and I felt like we had found our calling: to offer people a unique and engaging way to meet and find their match,” she said.
The Bozoians, with the help of a psychologist, developed a simple four-step process to setting up singles. It starts with a ten-minute questionnaire about the person and what they are looking for in a partner.
“We ask members some background questions such as religious and political affiliation, education level as well as a handful of personality questions,” she said.
People will then be categorized into groups of 20 based on their answers and receive an Eventbrite invitation for a meetup. These gatherings have a host — who Bozoian said will keep the conversations flowing — and cost $20, not including food or drinks. After the hangout, participants can share their experiences in a survey.
For $1 a month, people can keep receiving invitations to social events.
Bozoian said this summer is the perfect time to start a service like this and help people find romantic connections.
“As Arlington heals from a year of isolation, we hope to offer single people a way to connect again, not through apps or screens but face-to-face social interaction, community and fun,” she said.