THE EXETER APOTHECARY
Dr. Charles Merrill’s 1848 medicine venture grew into the grand Merrill Block, home to Exeter’s most enduring drugstore for nearly a century. Today, The Exeter Apothecary honors that legacy, blending preserved 19th-century design with modern cocktails and cuisine.
Downtown Exeter’s premier cocktail bar. Please note, we do not take reservations.
HOURS OF OPERATION
Tuesday-Thursday 5:00-10:00 pm
Friday-Saturday 5:00-11:00 pm
THE EXETER APOTHECARY
Curated Cocktails with Rich History
ABOUT US
In 1848, Dr. Charles Merrill purchased a general store with his brother, and together they chose to specialize in the emerging trade of selling medicines. The venture proved highly profitable, and before long Merrill was able to construct one of the most impressive and substantial commercial buildings on Water Street — the Merrill Block.
The Exeter News-Letter reported on July 10, 1874:
“Dr. C.A. Merrill’s new building, on Water Street, is beginning to develop its ornamental features. It promises to be one of the most substantial and thoroughly constructed buildings in the State. The Dr. will occupy the store at the west end of the building, which will be fitted and furnished in a style to do credit to a metropolis.”
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Dr. Merrill opened his drugstore the following year, in 1875, and operated it until 1886, when Edward Cram purchased the business and hired William Seward as manager. In 1893, Seward partnered with Albert Weeks, renaming the store Weeks & Seward’s Drugstore. Modern conveniences followed: the store was wired for electricity in 1919 and offered both a full-service pharmacy and a soda fountain. After Weeks retired in the 1920s, Seward continued running the store until his own retirement in 1944, when he sold it to longtime employee Horace Grant. Renamed Grant Drugs, the store later passed into the hands of Clifford Zilch, its final proprietor.
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The building was converted into condominiums in 1982, and the storefront space has since hosted a variety of retail shops, including Carrier Jewelers, Decorum Gift Shop, and most recently, Paws Pet Boutique.
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Today, The Exeter Apothecary carries forward this remarkable legacy. The space incorporates surviving design elements from the original 1873 drugstore, including its spectacular wooden apothecary cabinetry, now paired with creative modern cocktail and food offerings. The bar’s color palette and decorative wallpaper echo those of the original interior, offering guests a sense of continuity with the past.
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For over a century, elixirs for body and mind were crafted within these walls. The Exeter Apothecary embraces that tradition—reviving it with a modern twist.
