In the news > Press releases > Archive > The Pinhook bar brings nightlife back to Durham's City Center
Anna Branly
(919) 667-9770 ext. 105
abranly@greenfiredevelopment.com
October 30th, 2008
The Pinhook bar opens Saturday, November 1st, in downtown Durham. The Pinhook is a community bar and music venue open to members and their guests. The bar is located at 117 W. Main Street in downtown Durham's City Center district.
The Pinhook will feature a full bar, an outdoor patio area, and local music several nights per week. Durham's diverse musical community will be supported, including Indie Rock, Bluegrass, Folk, Punk, Metal, Country, Hip-Hop and Experimental. The bar also has several vintage arcade games and pinball machines.
The bar is owned and operated by Elizabeth Tulachanh, along with Durham natives Nick Williams and Kym Register. All three have strong ties to the local music and food communities, with experience at downtown restaurants Alivia's and Parker and Otis. Register help to start Bull City Headquarters, an all ages venue, and is a member the band Midtown Dickens.
“Durham is on the verge of a renaissance, but it can't happen without locals who love it as much as we do investing their time, energy and money into the city, especially into the City Center,” said Nick Williams, co-owner of The Pinhook. “Durham needs two things that we can provide: a solid music venue, and bar that reflects the artistic and cultural vibrancy of the city.”
The Pinhook is part of a burgeoning City Center area that is quickly becoming a destination for evening dining and entertainment. For recent transplants to the expanding downtown residential community, the bar adds to the walkability of the City Center. In addition to The Pinhook, Revolution restaurant, located on the same block; the nearby 2,800-seat Durham Performing Arts Center; and new restaurants at Rogers Alley are all opening in the coming months.
“This is what we have been working towards,” said Michael Lemanski, partner at Greenfire Development, developer of several City Center properties, including The Pinhook building. “The Pinhook adds to the fabric of downtown and compliments the other nightspots that are on the way.”
The bar takes its name from the Pinhook area, an early railroad settlement that is now part of Old West Durham. It was known as a rowdy place with a popular grog shop, gambling, and other less respectable forms of entertainment. The term pinhooker also referred to a tobacco speculator, who would buy leftover tobacco and resell it.
The Pinhook will be open Monday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. and is nonsmoking.