Meet the founders behind one of downtown Raleigh's most distinctive destinations for craft spirits, cocktails, and Mediterranean-inspired dining.

Every good spirit has a maker behind it. At Boatman Spirits Co., a distillery, cocktail bar, and restaurant in downtown Raleigh's Seaboard Station, those makers are founders Aaron Lambert and George Ghneim: a longtime Raleigh bar operator and a serial entrepreneur who met across a bar top and decided to build

their dream concept the hard way, on purpose.

Boatman describes itself as downtown Raleigh's first full-production distillery since Prohibition. But behind that distinction is a much bigger story about hospitality, entrepreneurship, North Carolina's evolving distilling industry, and two founders determined to build something different.

This is the story of who they are, how Boatman came to be, and what it takes to run a restaurant, cocktail bar, and working distillery under one roof.

Boatman Spirits Co. at a Glance

What is Boatman Spirits Co.?

Boatman Spirits Co. is a craft distillery, cocktail bar, and Mediterranean-inspired restaurant located at Seaboard Station in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina.

Founded by Aaron Lambert and George Ghneim, Boatman brings together locally inspired spirits, creative cocktails, and a distinctive dining experience under one roof.

• Location: Seaboard Station, Downtown Raleigh, NC
• Restaurant address: 713 Seaboard Station Drive, Raleigh, NC 27604
• Distillery address: 715 Seaboard Station Drive, Raleigh, NC 27604
• Founders: Aaron Lambert and George Ghneim
• Known for: Craft spirits, cocktails, Mediterranean cuisine, and distillery experiences
• Website: boatmanspirits.com
• Instagram: @boatmanspiritsco

How Boatman Spirits Co. Got Its Start in Raleigh

Boatman's story starts long before its doors opened.

Before moving to North Carolina in 2014, Aaron helped friends in Indiana open a gastropub with a craft distillery attached. Think craft brewery with a great kitchen and bar program, except it made spirits instead of beer.

He brought that business plan south, tweaked it for Raleigh, and waited.

He waited a long time.

North Carolina was in the middle of a craft beer boom, but its liquor laws still treated spirits differently. Restrictions on distillery operations, on-site beverage service, tastings, and sales made Aaron's original vision difficult to execute.

Enter George.

A regular at the bar Aaron was running, George kept asking to see that business plan. As North Carolina modernized its alcohol regulations, including changes to distillery and mixed-beverage permissions, the concept became increasingly viable.

Those changes helped create an opportunity for the kind of hospitality destination Aaron had been imagining for years.

The next time George sat down at the bar, Aaron was ready.

"Okay, so it's legal now," he told him. "I'll show you my homework, but I'm picky and I need to get my way on certain things."

George's answer was an enthusiastic, unprintable yes.

Shortly after, George called with an update:

"So I had my lawyer make us an LLC. What do we do next?"

And just like that, Boatman Spirits Co. was on its way.

What Does the Name Boatman Spirits Co. Mean?

The name came from the spirits first.

Aaron, George, and distiller Geremy wanted to make complex, unexpected craft whiskeys using Scottish, Irish, Scandinavian, and old Southern techniques, built on North Carolina's heirloom grains.

Not run-of-the-mill recipes. Bespoke, uncanny ones.

The mythology came from what Aaron calls "a nerdy corner of my brain and love of a good pun."

Many cultures share the figure of a boatman who guides spirits from one realm to the next. For Boatman, that means leaving the plain behind and departing from the ordinary.

The story's core is rooted in the Mediterranean, honoring George's Palestinian American heritage and the region's own versions of the guide to the afterlife.

The team deliberately skipped the familiar Greek and Roman name so they could explore other cultures' interpretations as their recipes travel.

Look closely at the Boatman logo: the boatman carries a small bottle of spirits in his boat.

Or is it a passenger's head and shoulders?

That ambiguity is intentional.

Meet the Founders of Boatman Spirits Co.

Behind Boatman Spirits Co. are two entrepreneurs with very different backgrounds and one shared vision: create a place where exceptional hospitality, thoughtful craftsmanship, and memorable experiences come together.

Aaron Lambert: A Career Built Around Hospitality

Aaron's hospitality career started at 17, when he snuck into a local bar and music venue so many times that they stopped kicking him out and hired him to clean.

By 18, he was a bouncer and barback, and by the time he was old enough to bartend, he already knew every drink.

Over more than 20 years at independent bars, restaurants, and breweries, Aaron worked nearly every job in the building: line cook, bar manager, kitchen manager, HR, payroll, bookkeeper, event coordinator, and general manager.

He even moved into the production side of a brewpub, making the beer himself.

In Raleigh, he ran Whiskey Kitchen, home to tasting classes, cocktail classes, and its quarterly Supper Club whiskey dinners.

A former scoutmaster who also taught classes for the Red Cross and parks services, Aaron loves teaching people things that are new or hard.

He also arrived at Boatman with "chapters and chapters" of lessons on how not to run a bar, saved up over years of thinking, "I'm never doing it this way when I get my own place."

George Ghneim: The Entrepreneur Behind the Vision

George grew up in his mom's restaurants, with aunts and uncles running bodegas and sandwich shops.

He went on to cofound several veterinary hospital groups, where he leads recruiting and training for new doctors and oversees site selection and construction.

At Boatman, George brings the legal, accounting, and business-insurance backbone, plus a perspective from outside the service industry that's proved invaluable in a post-pandemic economy.

Aaron calls him "our biggest fan": demanding, high energy, and physically unable to sit still.

You'll often find him pitching in at the bar and restaurant.

The Creative Team Behind Boatman

Of course, Boatman isn't just the work of its two founders.

Distiller Geremy grew up working at Napa wineries before returning home to North Carolina to study distilling.

Well-known Raleigh artist and designer Paul Tuorot, Aaron's creative partner from the Whiskey Kitchen days, helped sketch the Boatman identity before the business even existed.

Between them, Aaron and Paul had produced 10 Supper Clubs and more than 30 one-night "Whiskey Lounge" concepts, which left them with a binder full of ideas.

Both founders had run out of "next levels" in their careers.

So they decided to build their own thing, using what Aaron calls "the junk drawer of other skills we'd picked up."

And they chose to do it on hard mode.

Why Boatman Spirits Co. Chose Seaboard Station in Downtown Raleigh

When it came time to find a home for Boatman Spirits Co., downtown Raleigh made sense.

But Seaboard Station wasn't always the obvious choice.

Aaron admits he wasn't sold at first. The team nearly landed near the Iron Works and Salvage Yard areas, and for years Seaboard Station had been "the next big thing" that never quite happened.

With family in construction, he was also wary of new downtown builds: boxy concrete shells where you can't add a kitchen hood or grease trap without fighting through floors of concrete.

George insisted on giving every option its due, and their realtors at Elm introduced them to Hoffman.

That meeting changed everything.

The space was large, well located, and thoughtfully built, with room for grease traps, big hoods and vents, and commercial-grade electricity, water, and drainage.

Timing mattered, too.

A working distillery needs power, drainage, and ventilation that would have been nearly impossible to retrofit later.

Signing while the building was still under construction gave Boatman a true blank slate.

And downtown was familiar ground.

After a decade running bars and restaurants just a few blocks away, Aaron already knew the area's seasonality, weather swings, and traffic patterns.

"We weren't really gambling on a new neighborhood."

Today, Boatman adds another dimension to Seaboard Station's growing dining and entertainment scene, offering a destination that combines food, cocktails, and spirits production in one location.

Inside Boatman's Raleigh Distillery, Restaurant, and Cocktail Bar

Running a restaurant is challenging enough.

Running a restaurant, cocktail bar, and working distillery simultaneously?

That's an entirely different undertaking.

Asked about the hardest part, Aaron jokes, "Is 'poorly' an answer?"

The real risk, he says, is becoming a jack of all trades and master of none.

His philosophy: if you want to be the best at something, do just that thing, and fold that focus into everything.

Three Businesses Under One Roof

The three pillars are also a safety net.

Each one steadies the others through tough economies or another pandemic-style disruption.

The Mediterranean-inspired menu is designed to travel well for delivery and carryout, relies on thoughtful preparation so a smaller team can execute it, and complements the cocktail program.

As Aaron puts it, food that sells drinks, and a bar that sells food.

It's a hospitality model designed to make each part of the business stronger.

Designing the Space Around the People Who Use It

Because the space started blank, the people who'd actually use it helped design it.

Aaron and the chef built a dream kitchen, and bartenders and cooks weighed in wherever possible.

Aaron left the paint and tile to others ("I can barely dress myself") but held firm opinions on walk-in cooler size, bar-top width, back-bar layout, storage, and even how high the outlets sit off the floor.

George shared the same rule: do it right the first time, and give the team the tools they need.

The Unexpected Challenges of Opening a Raleigh Distillery

Of course, even the best-laid plans come with surprises.

Opening-night geysers. On the first night of soft opening, construction debris in the pipes sent every drain erupting.

"It was so bad it was funny."

Tariffs and copper. The still's copper traveled from China to Ireland and Germany before shipping to Raleigh. Right after Boatman put down half the equipment cost, tariffs hit, and the still arrived late and over budget.

Uncharted permitting. With regulations evolving, agencies weren't always sure how to handle every part of the operation. One agency even asked for a permit back.

Boatman's answer: no take-backsies.

The restaurant opened about six months after the original target, and the distillery followed roughly eight months later.

It wasn't easy, but then again, easy was never really the plan.

How Boatman Spirits Co. Is Continuing North Carolina's Distilling Tradition

North Carolina has a complicated history with spirits.

The state adopted Prohibition early, repealed its statewide restrictions later than many others, and developed a lasting moonshine tradition.

That history is intertwined with North Carolina's culture, agriculture, and even the early roots of stock car racing.

For Aaron, being part of the state's evolving distilling industry means something.

"This state wanted to keep its whiskey so bad they said, 'Come and get it,' and invented a whole industry on accident."

Boatman's ambitions extend beyond making familiar spirits.

North Carolina's long growing season and rich agricultural heritage, including heirloom grains, provide opportunities to experiment with distinctive whiskey recipes and locally inspired ingredients.

For the Boatman team, that connection to North Carolina is part of what makes the work exciting.

"It feels good to be part of a culture and industry so integral to this part of the country."

"This Is Exactly Why We Did This"

For Aaron, the real proof of Boatman's success isn't just the cocktails, the distillery equipment, or the finished space.

It's the people.

"I really like my staff," he says. "They're so proud of the place. They keep me motivated."

As Boatman reaches new milestones, the team is beginning to see the results of the work that went into building the business.

Those "lil-baby company milestones," as Aaron calls them, are a reminder of just how far the concept has come.

And for a business that started with a plan sitting in a drawer, that's worth celebrating.

What's Next for Boatman Spirits Co.?

Boatman isn't slowing down.

With its restaurant, cocktail bar, and distillery operations established, the team is looking ahead to new spirits, larger events, and continued growth.

New spirits in the works. New whiskeys have been laid down to age, while amari and liqueurs are part of the team's plans for fall and winter experimentation. Follow @boatmanspiritsco for updates.

Bigger events. Upcoming charity events and galas with 300 to 500 guests represent an exciting new opportunity for the team.

Expanding access to North Carolina-made spirits. Boatman is working toward making its products more accessible, with a potential sales representative hire and new partnership opportunities on the horizon.

Growing the team. Head bartender Miguel Torres is stepping toward a bar manager role, while front-of-house manager Darwin Cano is training toward becoming a full general manager.

For Aaron and George, the future is about building on the foundation they've created while staying true to the experience they envisioned from the beginning.

Frequently Asked Questions About Boatman Spirits Co. in Raleigh

Where is Boatman Spirits Co. located?

Boatman Spirits Co. is located at Seaboard Station in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. Its restaurant is listed at 713 Seaboard Station Drive, with the distillery at 715 Seaboard Station Drive.

Who founded Boatman Spirits Co.?

Boatman Spirits Co. was founded by Aaron Lambert and George Ghneim. Aaron brings more than 20 years of hospitality experience, including his work at Raleigh's Whiskey Kitchen, while George contributes a background in entrepreneurship, business operations, and development.

What makes Boatman Spirits Co. unique?

Boatman Spirits Co. combines a working craft distillery, cocktail bar, and Mediterranean-inspired restaurant under one roof. The business describes itself as downtown Raleigh's first full-production distillery since Prohibition, bringing a distinctive combination of hospitality and spirits production to Seaboard Station.

What kind of food does Boatman Spirits Co. serve?

Boatman Spirits Co. serves Mediterranean-inspired cuisine designed to complement its cocktail and spirits program. Its menu emphasizes food that pairs naturally with drinks while also working well for dining in or taking out.

Does Boatman Spirits Co. offer distillery tours?

Boatman Spirits Co. features a working distillery and has identified tours as part of its hospitality concept. Visitors should check the official Boatman Spirits Co. website for current tour availability, reservations, and details.

Experience Boatman Spirits Co. in Downtown Raleigh

Ask Aaron what he wants guests to feel, and the answer sounds like the boatman himself.

"I want them to be yanked out of whatever day, or conversation, or troubles they were having before they stepped inside. It's supposed to feel like getting pulled through time and space."

His wife says he runs places where culture happens, where strangers become fellow travelers.

And maybe that's the best way to describe Boatman Spirits Co.

It's more than a distillery, restaurant, or cocktail bar. It's a place designed to transport people, bring them together, and introduce them to something unexpected.

Want something new, an old favorite, or for the bar to choose for you?

Have a seat.

Now departing.

Looking for a unique cocktail bar, craft distillery, or dining experience in Raleigh?

Visit Boatman Spirits Co. at Seaboard Station in downtown Raleigh to discover its Mediterranean-inspired menu, creative cocktails, and locally inspired spirits.

Learn more about Boatman on its Best of Raleigh partner profile, and follow @boatmanspiritsco for updates on new spirits, events, and everything happening behind the scenes.