Seattle, WA

Last call at Merchant’s Cafe & Saloon: Seattle’s oldest bar set to close

Published

1 year ago

December 28, 2024

Last call at Merchant’s Cafe & Saloon: Seattle’s oldest bar set to close

Seattle’s longest-running bar is set to close its doors at the end of the year. The historic site is known for its ghost stories, pressed-tin ceiling, and buckboard floors in the heart of Pioneer Square. There are murmurs the bar could reopen after a renovation in spring, but that’s still uncertain.

In the Merchant’s basement, daylight shines down through the small purple glass windows in the sidewalk above. The city’s oldest saloon sits at a main intersection of the city’s oldest neighborhood, forever tied to Seattle’s history.

First opened in 1890 before moving to its current spot in 1907, Merchant’s originally offered gambling and a brothel during Seattle’s early gritty days. Bartenders there say the current owners plan to close the bar next week.

“I had to let everyone go, it was pretty sudden,” says Anthony Powell, a supervisor and manager at Merchant’s. “I just told everyone: ‘work ‘til the end of the year and that’s it.’”

One bartender who got hired less than six months ago says he got almost no notice that Friday would be his last shift. That’s the nature of the business, he shrugged.

Powell says he got word from owner Darcy Hanson in early December that the bar would be closing. Hanson did not respond to KUOW’s requests for comment. There are rumors among the remaining staff that the owners want to renovate the interior and re-open the historic watering hole in the spring, but nothing’s been confirmed.

Few bars in Seattle carry the ambiance that Merchant’s offers. A giant, century-old wooden bar stretches along one side of the room. Hardwood floors worn smooth by over a hundred years of patrons and partiers. According to the bar’s website, nearly everything in the place is haunted, from the paintings on the wall to the wall of wine bottles.

After decades of serving Seattle, Merchant’s is starting to show its age. Powell says some parts of the saloon do need updating.

“I mean, it’s the oldest bar in Seattle,” Powell says looking over the barroom. “Our electrical is shot behind this bar completely, the coolers are over 35 years old. A lot of stuff doesn’t work.”

That’s the charm that comes with a place as old as the cobblestones out on Yesler Street. Merchant’s, a dive bar according to Powell, doesn’t feature fancy lighting or a new sound system like the nightclubs around the corner. In one smoky corner of Merchant’s, deep leather couches almost disappear in the shadows.

Stepping down the stairs to the bathroom is like stepping back in time. The exposed rock walls feel like a private cellar or speakeasy. Pioneer Square’s signature purple glass sidewalk windows can be seen clearly down here, a view you can usually only find during an underground tour.

Powell, who has worked at Merchant’s for a little over four years, says business has been pretty slow recently. Like a lot of neighborhoods in Seattle, Pioneer Square is struggling to attract more customers. The pandemic didn’t help a sleepy bar like Merchant’s.

Still, Powell says, the bar is a regular stop for sports fans heading to the nearby stadiums and tourists who want to experience a piece of Seattle history. A lot of people come in to raise a glass just to say they’ve had a drink at the spot, Powell says.

This month, the bar had its busiest weekends of the year thanks to the annual SantaCon pub crawl. Powell says he was hoping they would be open next year when SantaCon organizers want to extend the event to all four Saturdays of December – but it looks like that won’t happen.

Merchant’s is hosting a farewell party on Monday, December 30. Powell says he’ll be working with longtime bartender Michael Harris to pour the final drinks at the oldest place in town.

“It was a great experience, I loved it,” Powell says, “the people that come through are really great. You meet a lot of people around the world, because it’s a tourist bar, they love to come here. So I’m sad to see it go for sure.”

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Seattle, WA

Valter Walker vs. Marcin Tybura booked for UFC Seattle

Published

5 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Valter Walker vs. Marcin Tybura booked for UFC Seattle

Heavyweights will collide in “Rain City.”

MMAmania.com confirmed with multiple sources today (Thurs., Jan. 8, 2026) that No. 10-ranked Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Marcin Tybura will take on surging Brazilian prospect Valter Walker at UFC Seattle on Sat., March 28, 2026, inside Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington.

Walker (15-1) stumbled out of the gate in his UFC debut, suffering a loss to Lukasz Brzeski in 2024. Since then, however, “Clean Monster” has completely rewritten the narrative — and the UFC record books.

Walker opened 2025 by submitting Don’Tale Mayes with a heel hook (watch highlights), his second straight victory via the technique. Five months later, he followed it up with another first-round heel hook against Kennedy Nzechukwu (watch highlights), setting a new UFC record for most consecutive heel hook submission wins with three.

But he wasn’t finished.

At UFC 321 in Oct. 2025, Walker once again locked in a first-round heel hook — this time against Louie Sutherland — tying Rousimar Palhares for the most heel hook submissions (four) in UFC history while extending his own record for consecutive heel hook finishes (watch it).

A win in Seattle would almost certainly vault Walker into the Top 10 of the Heavyweight rankings.

Tybura (27-10), meanwhile, will be defending his No. 10 spot when he steps into the cage. The Polish veteran went 1-1 in 2025, handing highly touted U.K. prospect Mick Parkin his first professional loss at UFC London before suffering a quick knockout loss to debuting Ante Delija at UFC Paris (watch highlights), snapping a two-fight win streak.

Now 40 years old, Tybura is 5-3 over his last eight appearances.

Here are some other bouts currently scheduled for UFC Seattle:

Casey O’Neill vs. Gabriella Fernandes

Alexa Grasso vs. Maycee Barber

Nicolle Caliari vs. Carol Fiori

To checkout UFC’s upcoming schedule of events click here.

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Seattle, WA

Around 200 protest fatal ICE shooting in front of Seattle’s federal building

Published

17 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Around 200 protest fatal ICE shooting in front of Seattle’s federal building

SEATTLE, Wash. – There were at least 200 protesters that showed up in Seattle Wednesday night in what speakers called an “emergency protest” in response to the fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis Wednesday.

“We want justice, we want peace, we want justice, we want peace, we want ICE off our streets, we want ice off our streets…” they chanted.

Seattle protest on fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis

Seattle protesters outside the Federal Building following a fatal shooting by ICE agents in Minneapolis. (FOX 13 Seattle)

After listening to speakers, protesters went on the march and circled the blocks near the Federal Building in Seattle.

Though the protest was organized on short notice, some protesters say they were compelled to come out Wednesday with urgency because they felt what happened in Minneapolis was a bridge too far.

What they’re saying:

“ICE has gone too far. We’ve felt this, we’ve known this for a long time. There have been people protesting,” said Raleigh Watts, protesting the ICE shooting. “We’ve been hearing the news. Today I came out because when I heard, it was my sign that a line has been crossed that I can’t stand anymore. So, I’ve come to say, ‘No ICE, you’ve gone too far’.”

“A lot of people out here are really, really angry, confused and sad, but I think we have what it takes to fight back,” said Sophia Van Beek, protesting the MN ICE shooting. “I’m certain there are going to be actions.”

Sophia says in order to make a difference, protesters need to create an actionable political program.

Seattle protest on fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis

Members of law enforcement were in the area and helped to block off the streets during the protest and march. There were no clashes during this protest and it wrapped up at around 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

“I am proud of all the hundreds of people who have turned out tonight at the federal building in Seattle. I’m proud of the people who are in Tacoma that are protesting at the ice detention center and in Minneapolis and in cities across the country. This is not okay for ICE to kill somebody,” said Watts.

What’s next:

Some people at Wednesday’s demonstration said they were planning to organize more protests in the coming weeks.

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The Source: Information in this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews.

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Seattle, WA

Seattle groups join national protest against ICE raids following Minneapolis shooting

Published

1 day ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

Seattle groups join national protest against ICE raids following Minneapolis shooting

SEATTLE — Seattle activists are rallying to demand justice on Wednesday following the fatal shooting of a woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis.

The Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (SAARPR) and Seattle Against War (SAW) have organized an emergency press conference to protest the incident.

The event is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building in Seattle.

Woman killed by ICE officers in Minneapolis; Mayor tells ICE to ‘get the f***’ out

The shooting occurred on Wednesday morning at the corner of 34th and Portland Avenue in Minneapolis. According to preliminary information, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said, the woman was sitting in her vehicle blocking the roadway when a federal law enforcement officer approached on foot. When the vehicle began to drive away, at least two shots were fired, and the vehicle crashed on the side of the road.

In response, emergency protests have erupted in Minneapolis and are expected to continue through Jan. 11.

The Seattle groups are joining the Legalization 4 All Network in calling for an immediate end to ICE raids and mass deportations.

They are also demanding justice and accountability for the woman who was killed, including the release of the name of the ICE agent involved and the names of all agents participating in such operations.

This is a developing story; check back for updates.

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