Hidden in plain sight is one of Fayetteville’s best-kept secrets, Archives, the only speakeasy in town. Dark green walls, golden accents, and velvet-lined furniture transport modern-day prohibitionists back to a time of surreptitious gatherings. While part of the mystique and allure of a speakeasy is its ability to exist without anyone noticing, Archives owner Joshua Choi wants the speakeasy to be a tool for community engagement.
Celebrity Shots is Archives' newest monthly event that brings in government officials, representatives, organizations, and community leaders as special guest bartenders. The community is invited to come out, talk, ask questions, and raise money for a good cause. Each month, the “celebrity” bartender will choose a cause or organization to donate the night's tips. Celebrity Shot is the last Wednesday of the month from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Archives has been hosting this event since February with past guests, Councilman Mario Benavente, who raised money for the Golden Bull Alumni Association and DistiNCtly Fay, who donated their tips to Millers Crew. This month, County Commissioner Pavan Patel will be stepping behind the bar and shaking things up, serving it up neat starting at 7 p.m..
Archives was always supposed to be more than a bar.
“[Celebrity shot is] what I think Archives stands for. We want it to be the hidden gem that people come to and have that experience and be able to tap into the different communities. Our solution was to tap into very specific communities, like Mario B and DistiNCtly Fay. Those who have their own demographic and can give back to the community. I think that’s very important. That’s where this whole concept sprang from,” Choi said.
Choi and business partner Nathan Cuffee have been working on the concept of Celebrity Shot for a while. Both of them own other businesses downtown and wanted to make sure Archives was a true extension of their business philosophies.
“One of the missions of Archives is to be a community connector. Talking with Josh [Choi], the founder, we thought, how can we connect with the community? How do we give back to the community through this space? We spent some time earlier this year bouncing around ideas of how we could make this happen. Looking at things that aren’t happening in the area. A long time ago, there used to be a lot more fundraisers in town where there would be a celebrity bartender and the bars would do their fundraising that way… And so that was the beginning.”
Archives is truly an experience, whether on special event nights or just a weekend nightcap; the speakeasy has slowly introduced a sophisticated experience highlighted by its signature cocktails and mysterious location.
A clue to help you find your way:
In the heart of Haymount, where the ghosts of Fowler's BBQ still linger, a blindfolded pig keeps a silent vigil. Seek the pig with the shadowed eyes, a relic of a bygone feast, found where the smoke thins and the civic stones stand silent, and the clatter of balls echoes from a neighboring stable. They say, behind that unassuming facade lies 'Archives,' a place where time bends and spirits flow like whispered tales. Forget what you know of Rowan Street; here, the past is bottled, and the stories are served neat. If you know where to look, and how to listen, the truth will reveal itself.

(Photo: Archives Speakeasy is inviting local "celebrities" to bartend once a month. Photo courtesy of Archives Speakeasy)