Seattle Solidarity is shocked but not surprised that the owner of Merchant’s Cafe and Saloon, Darcy Hanson, closed down the restaurant abruptly and fired all workers at the end of 2024. After a flurry of online activity, Darcy said the bar is being closed “temporarily” under the guise of “renovations”. News articles reference that the space has outdated electrical systems and nonfunctional refrigeration equipment1 , although no permits have been filed according to Seattle Services Portal2.
‘“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.’’1
The building certainly needs the refurbishment, earning only an “okay” rating from King County Health Department, which cited the restaurant for not adhering to “raw meats below and away from ready to eat food” (gross), not “having a trained food manager onsite” (yikes), and not “using or storing correct sanitizers” (eww) for cleaning, among other citations (June 2024).3 According to a complaint in August 2024, food is no longer even prepared onsite and there is no cook employed at the cafe4 (oof).
After 24 activists delivered the demand letter in September, Seasol and community members have:
- Taped hundreds and hundreds of posters from September through December to ask the community to boycott Merchant’s Cafe and pressure Darcy Hanson into paying the stolen tips. Posters like this one, this one, or this one.
- Held four actions handing out leaflets to passersby, including many unfortunate interactions with drunk post-game sports fans.
- The risk of spiked drinks is so prevalent that one bar-goer told us, “if you haven’t been roofied at Merchant’s, did you even go there?”
- Put up posters around Darcy’s neighborhood in Bothell to alert the neighbors to a transphobic rape apologist in their area. Posters like this one.
- Sent postcards to Darcy’s neighbors letting them know about the transphobic rape apologist in their neighborhood
We certainly hope that this bar stays closed! It’s not safe for workers, LGBTQ+ people, or the community at large. If Darcy Hanson does decide to re-open, continue to boycott this shameful restaurant and tell everyone you know!
1https://www.kuow.org/stories/last-call-at-merchant-s-cafe-saloon-seattle-s-oldest-bar-set-to-close
2https://services.seattle.gov/Portal/cap/CapHome.aspx?module=DPDGeneral&TabName=DPDGeneral
4Per documents received through a public disclosure request (Washington Public Records Act RCW 42.56)