Mike Salzarulo

A new cocktail bar in Charlotte, North Carolina, has opened with a strict no-phone policy.

To get inside, customers have to lock their devices in a pouch, says co-owner Mike Salzarulo.

So I wanted to create a space where people could come, interact, be vulnerable, be nervous, but be human.

The idea is catching on.

They're attracting people like social media manager Lauren Bernard.

Experts say it may reflect a broader backlash to smartphones and social media.

For NPR News, I'm Nick Della Canale in Charlotte.