Raleigh speakeasy offers sultry cocktails behind a secret door

If you look hard enough while walking along Salisbury Street in downtown Raleigh, you might spot a secret door. This will lead you to one of downtown’s newest and most alluring bars, a modern-day speakeasy.

The Merchant, opened by Jon Seelbinder, stands out from other bars in the area with its sultry flare, mood lighting and electric cocktails.

Seelbinder graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in engineering, but he soon fell into a different career path. He has worked with restaurants, barsand nightclubs for years, but he has been in Raleigh running the Local Icon businesses since 2000.

"I joke and say they taught hospitality at NC State," said Seelbinder.

The atmosphere shows just that. You can order drinks that are “smoking” (literally), drinks that light up with a torch and many more picture-worthy creations.​

“It brings a New York City vibe to Raleigh,” he said.

He says he often sees people wandering up and down the street in search of the bar, but they always seem to find it.

“People sometimes have trouble finding us, but that’s really the whole point,” said Seelbinder.

The Merchant also opened during the pandemic, and while they are having problems similar to other establishments, so far things haven’t been overwhelmingly difficult.

“We are dealing with the same thing as a lot of other places, and that’s staffing,” said Seelbinder.

This secret spot also happens to be in the same building where the North Carolina Merchants Association used to be located, hence the name.

You can visit the Merchant in downtown Raleigh Tuesday through Friday, but we won't give you any more clues.