Durham Loves Durham

Break out the gin and head to the rooftop! This year two Durham institutions celebrate 10-year anniversaries in downtown Durham. 2015 was a banner year for places that paid homage to Durham in their names; Durham Distillery and The Durham Hotel. Both have welcomed visitors to the Bull City and act as gateways and ambassadors for people discovering Durham for the first time.

The Durham Hotel Offers a Hyper-local Experience

In 2015 The Durham Hotel opened in the heart of downtown Durham with much fanfare. Locals were thrilled that the mid-century modern building that formerly housed the Home Savings Bank would be transformed into a bustling hub that would showcase past designs and display modern Southern hospitality. As one of three boutique hotels in downtown Durham and the only one that’s locally owned, The Durham Hotel brings visitors to Durham who fall in love with its stylish lobby, coffee bar, restaurant and rooftop bar with sweeping sunset views of the city.

“We have created a beautiful mid-century space that's timeless,” said Craig Spitzer, Operating Partner at The Durham. “People have taken to enjoying time there, whether it's hotel guests from out of town who enjoy the guest rooms, or community folks who enjoy the Coffee Bar or coming to the rooftop”

Spitzer knows that the representation of Durham in the name of the hotel was a bold decision. “It felt like the building itself was so iconic in terms of the beauty of its design and so unique, it seemed worthy,” Spitzer said. “We were trying to communicate to the world and to our community that we were hoping to be additive to and representative of our community, and we felt like the best way to do that was to honor it by naming ourselves The Durham, after Durham.”

The hotel brings the spirit and presence of the local community into its space. From its NC-made denim blankets to its artwork and decorative items found throughout the hotel, The Durham Hotel pays homage to the place that inspired its name. Room minibars are stocked with NC-made snacks and liquid soaps and body care products are provided by Fillaree, a Durham-based zero-waste, refillable product company. The hotel’s food and beverage program also selects products from North Carolina to dazzle guests with local bounty. Even the newsstand in the lobby features a library selection of books selected by a local bookstore.

The Durham also has a very unique coffee program available to overnight guests, in partnership with Durham-based Counter Culture Coffee. Instead of offering in-room coffee pods or packaged grounds, The Durham Hotel invites guests to select which type of coffee blend they prefer and the grounds are delivered fresh overnight to their door.

The gathering spaces like The Lobby, The Coffee Bar and the Roof at The Durham are special because they cater to both local residents and overnight guests.

“We've opened our lobby and turned it into the city's living room, so to speak, with no pressure to buy, order or make a reservation; but rather to come and enjoy the environment, music, beautiful natural light and enjoy meeting others.” Guests attend events where they can play Mahjong, join in on a silent book club, or try to find a new love during speed dating. Sunday Supper events are held to promote gathering and mingling.

The Roof is another highlight of the Durham Hotel. The rooftop bar and lounge area is open to the public year-round, with heaters in the cooler months and stunning sunsets any time of year. Guests and locals enjoy rooftop yoga on Saturdays and Sundays, party hard with late night DJs, or jazz nights while sipping on craft cocktails or mocktails.

Spitzer said he has always valued providing an experience that goes beyond what is normal or expected in the hotel and hospitality industry.

“I want every experience of The Durham to be an enriching one, whether it's enriched by a good night's sleep or enriched by a really cool speaker that came to talk, a unique drink, or coffee that we've made.” Spitzer sees The Durham as not just a place that is transactional, but one that’s fulfilling to the people who come through the doors.

After 10 years, Spitzer is still proud to welcome guests amid the changing landscape of downtown Durham.

“We still have far and away the best sunset views up on the roof. We continue to invite and welcome Durham to join us.”

Durham Distillery Raises Spirits

When Durham Distillery opened its downtown Durham location in 2015, it transformed a former local auto body shop and coffin workshop into a place that would both make and raise spirits. Founders Lee and Melissa Katrincic had a vision for a distillery that would use their scientific backgrounds and passion for precision with love for gin.

“When we knew we wanted to open a distillery, choosing the name, Durham Distillery, was immediate. Not only because we wanted to give back to this community, but also because we wanted to make this community proud,” said owner Melissa Katrincic.

Using a custom-designed German copper pot still, the Katrincics began producing Conniption gins with a crisp taste and a clean flavor profile using carefully selected botanicals. The Conniption line features Navy Strength, Barrel Aged and Kinship Gin, which is a vibrant violet color.

“Conniption Gin, for us, is really about that pause where we reconnect with each other.” Katrincic said.

Widely credited with leading a gin renaissance in the South, Durham Distillery has won numerous awards for its spirits. Conniption Navy Strength Gin was the top-ranked Gin at the 2025 Bevtest Gin Judging, scoring 95 out of 100 points, making it the world’s best gin. Durham Distillery’s gins, which are all-natural with no additives or extracts, were warmly received by the Durham community. Other products include Damn Fine Liqueurs in chocolate, coffee and mocha flavors and cold-distilled Cucumber Vodka, Krupnikas Spiced Honey Liqueur and canned cocktails. Durham Distillery’s products are available in restaurants and bars in Durham along with NC ABC stores.

Katrincic says she feels a sense of pride and responsibility being a business leader in Durham.

“Durham, as it continues to grow, has to continue to believe in itself and believe in why we are a community that welcomes everyone. As a business leader I will always be available to this community, I will always believe in it, and I will always truly know that this is a space for us."

That belief in community values meant that it didn’t take long before Durham Distillery’s products were in demand. In 2020, The Katrincics opened Conniption Bar & Lounge, (originally named Corpse Reviver), a cocktail bar next to the distillery.

“When someone walks into our cocktail bar I want them to immediately feel like this is a space where they can relax, be themselves, and have a conversation with a new friend or an old friend,” said Katrincic.

In October 2025, Durham Distillery opened Conniption Cocktails & Cuisine at Raleigh-Durham International Airport in Terminal 2. Now travelers coming to and from the Durham region can experience Durham Distillery’s spirits and cocktails while on the go along with non-alcoholic spirits, local beer, wine, and coffee, brunch, small plates and entrees.

“For us, hospitality and our customers are really the focus of everything we do. Not only because we think about what it means to be a part of this community for over 10 years, but because we really want you to feel welcomed and we want you to feel like there is always a place for you,” said Katrincic.

Hospitality extends into community service for both Durham Distillery and The Durham Hotel. Katrincic and Spitzer remember using their businesses to meet community needs during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Durham Distillery pivoted to making hand sanitizer for Duke University Hospital. The Durham Hotel helped by providing school lunches to students who were unable to receive free and reduced lunch from Durham Public Schools during lockdowns at home. Both were proud to help the Durham community during a time of need.

Book a room at The Durham Hotel, see a sunset on The Roof, or stop by for a drink in the lobby Coffee Bar. Visit Durham Distillery for a tour or grab a cocktail at Conniption Bar & Lounge in Downtown Durham or Conniption Cocktails & Cuisine at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Experience these locally owned places that will bring you closer to Durham community, traditions and artisanry.