Stella’s is officially opening in a revamped space on North West Street on Oct. 26.
If a dive bar were a girl, it would be Stella’s. The ’80s/’90s-inspired “trailer trash-chic” watering hole is opening in the former Devereux location on North West Street—and it’s already a total vibe for girls, guys and everyone in between.
In standard fashion, the space received a colorful makeover in the months leading up to its opening. Stripping the space of its former Devereux life, owner Lena Ali and a gaggle of community members cultivated Stella’s personality with retro photos of Raleigh residents, parents and friends epoxied on the bar top; local art; wood paneling; disco balls; Christmas lights; thrifted/upcycled fixtures; and more—including the famous cow couch that once called Pink Boot home (!).
“The primary focus of the bar is that it is a community space,” emphasizes Ali. “The process of building the bar itself has been more or less of a community art project, which has been so fun and incredible to be a part of that we want to cultivate that in the bar’s daily operations as much as possible.”
As far as drinks go, Stella’s sticks to the basics with staple beer and seltzer options—plus a handful of seasonal cocktails designed and named by local guest bartenders. “I also want to put more of an emphasis on NA and THC options,” says Ali—“and lean a tad farther into wine than your standard dive bar—because, you know, girl.”
With that said, Ali’s goal “within this weird little 900-square-foot space” is for everyone to be “involved, welcomed and included,” she adds. “At Stella’s, the goal is to make everyone feel like a regular—even if it’s their first time in.” @stellasonwest
Hoop, there it is! Raleigh will host its first NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Regional in 2028—one of eight NCAA championship and regional events Greater Raleigh was recently awarded.
All aboard! Amtrak’s new route, the Floridian, will offer a direct line from Raleigh to the Midwest beginning Nov. 10.
RDU is going electric. The airport is adding eight more electric buses to its existing fleet of 10 late next year to transport airportgoers between passenger terminals and remote parking lots.
Check out the brains on Brad. NC State, UNC and Duke made U.S. News and World Report’s Best National University Rankings, with NCSU clocking in at No. 58.
Raleigh was named one of the top 10 metros for new apartment construction anticipated in the next five years by RentCafe, with 11,174 apartments anticipated to open by 2028.
Following the City of Raleigh’s approval of new enhanced safety requirements for motorized vehicles during parades—including safety checks, training and more—the Veterans Day Parade in November was once again canceled for the second year in a row.
Stop scrolling. … NC Attorney General Josh Stein—plus 12 additional attorneys general—are suing TikTok, claiming its addictive and mentally, emotionally and physically harmful to children.
Haven’t got your tickets yet? Here’s 6+ reasons to nab ’em ASAP.
If you were looking for a sign to buy tickets to our second annual The Cocktail Classic, presented by and unfolding at The Exchange Raleigh, on Saturday, Nov. 16, here it is! This promises to yet again be the party of the year, complete with all sorts of elevated experiences and surprises. We promise you don’t want to miss it. Get your tickets now to avoid the FOMO (early bird pricing ends Oct. 15)! Here’s what we have in store.
10 Cocktails Mixed by Raleigh Magazine’s Best Bartender Nominees Our cast of Best Bartender nominees—the best of the best mixologists in the city!—were each tasked with mixing up riffs on classics (think old-fashioned, Negroni, martini) in tandem with a top-shelf liquor brand. You’ll get to taste your way through all 10 of them throughout the night—plus enjoy special cocktail demonstrations at the bar. Um, cheers to that! P.S. There will also be a wine, beer and bubbles bar + full mocktail bar.
Music and Food Served All Night Long When the munchies hit (which they likely will), we’ve got you covered with a plethora of delicious grub. … NTM water to keep you hydrated throughout the evening. And providing the background jams for the entirety of the event will be live entertainment—so get ready to get down with your bad selves!
Glam and Glow Experience to Keep You Looking Your Best by Woodhouse Spa North Hills Need to freshen up midevent? Woodhouse Spa has you covered with a glam setup of travel-size makeup products, mirrors, Champagne (!) and more. Glow on, gals!
A Spirited Swag Bag Complete With a Cocktail Classic Book Since you can’t order these riffs at each of the nom’s bars—and will definitely be left craving more—we’ve created a cocktail book with photos and recipes of all the ’tails for every guest to take home. … And it’s so beautiful you’ll want to drink it all up. Stay tuned for other great goodies in our take-home swag bags as well!
Rideshare Code We cannot stress this enough: Don’t drink and drive! Each group of ticket holders will get a rideshare code to take them to and from The Exchange on the day of the event only. This is your excuse to safely enjoy yourself at The Cocktail Classic!
Tickets Benefit Ben’s Friends and the RDU Chapter of the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild To top off the entire Cocktail Classic event, ticket sales benefit both Raleigh-Durham USBG and Ben’s Friends, a support group for members of the food and beverage industry suffering from abuse or addiction. Drinking for a good cause? Don’t mind if we do!
Rolling out on the ground floor of The Miles apartment building, the 27,000-square-foot old-school entertainment concept is sure to be the destination for a competitive night out with your crew or a fun-filled date night. Think duckpin bowling, pinball, pingpong, arcade games, patio pong and more, plus—fueling your game—extensive bev selections ranging cocktails, mocktails and beer.
“Having an entertainment anchor was a key point in developing the Seaboard Station neighborhood,” says Hoffman & Associates SVP of Development Rob Steward, “and Pins Mechanical perfectly complements the community-focused atmosphere we are fostering.” Sounds right up our alley!
The idea for the annual battle was born in 2015 by Robin Anders of NAI Tri Properties— also of the band LowBröw, which would perform at holiday office parties—and Brian Farmer of Lee & Associates. Together, the duo thought the event would be a great way to “combine our love for live music with our friendships in the commercial real estate industry, and give back to our local community at the same time,” says Anders. “No one else was doing this, and we had no guard rails to go by, but we bet big.”
And, so, the duo hosted the first Battle of the Broker Bands to benefit the Food Bank of NC at now-closed Southland Ballroom—and have been participants in their respective bands and active on the planning committee ever since.
“In the past two years, we’ve raised $66K for four amazing charities with the help of 28 donors, TRAOBA members and the entire brokerage community,” boasts TRAOBA board member Ginny Hager. To boot, the org has raised over $111,000 since the initial event.
At this year’s benevolent battle, APATT’s The Travelin’ Table food truck will be dishing out eats to fuel your rhythm as you cast your vote on the four bands (at least one member of which must be an active broker)—though “the real winner is the charities,” maintains Hager, adding: “It’s just a really good way for industry people that all work for different companies to come together for the greater good.” Rock on! traoba.org; lincolntheatre.com
“Battle of the Broker Bands is my absolute favorite networking event of the year. From performing with a band in 2019 to serving on the board from 2023 to 2024, this event has been instrumental in building valuable professional and personal relationships, all while having a ton of fun!” —Ginny Hager, TRAOBA board member
