Lapin Bleu, a new bar and art gallery in the Midway area of Chapel Hill, is now open.

The business is located at 106A Graham Street, the former site of the pub Beer Study which relocated late last year, and opened its doors to guests last Friday.

“We’ve got a great place to just chill and sit,” owner Mike Benson told Chapelboro. “You can have a glass of wine, or you can have a Pepsi. It doesn’t matter.”

Lapin Bleu’s current hours are 1 p.m. to 12 a.m. Monday through Friday and 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. While its kitchen is not yet up and running, the business plans to have a food menu for guests before long.

While the Graham Street bar’s eclectic decor fits Benson’s typical aesthetic for his businesses, it also will function as an art gallery space. The gallery plans to rotate artwork every month, and according to Benson, is already “booked through September.” In addition, Lapin Bleu plans to showcase live music.

“We are doing jazz,” Benson said. “It’s just kind of light music. Paris, cabaret, easy-going. No cover [charge]. There’s never a cover. Just come on in.”

Photo via the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership.

Benson also said Lapin Bleu plans to host watch parties for the Carolina Hurricanes throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and will show hockey during the regular season as well.

“You have places like Italian Pizzeria III [which show] soccer/football,” Benson said. “Beer Study: soccer/football. You’ve got lots of places showing NFL in the fall. We’re gonna take up that mantle and be a hockey bar.”

 

Editor’s Note: Mike Benson is an advertiser and contributor to 97.9 The Hill with a weekly segment called “Night Beat.” An earlier version of this piece also indicated Mike Benson was still the owner of Franklin Motors Beer Garden in Chapel Hill. Although he started the business, he is no longer affiliated with it.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
Beer Study Moving to New Chapel Hill Location; New Bar Taking Over
A popular pub in Chapel Hill is set to move to a new location in coming weeks, with a new project jumping in to take its place. The Beer Study at 106 North Graham Street is moving into 504 West Franklin Street, the space that previously housed Mint Indian Cuisine. The bar shared an initial announcement […]
Orange County Communities to Observe Martin Luther King Day Jan. 19. Here's How it Affects Services.
The observation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 19 will affect local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s what residents can expect this year: Town of Chapel Hill Most town offices will be closed Monday. Residential trash normally collected Monday will be collected Wednesday, Jan. 21. Curbside recycling collection will […]
NCDOT Installing Pedestrian Infrastructure at 3 N.C. Highway 54 Intersections
The North Carolina Department of Transportation will partner with the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro to install pedestrian and bicyclist improvements at three intersections along North Carolina Highway 54. NCDOT will begin work Monday, Feb. 2 to install crosswalks with traffic signals at the highway’s intersections with: The Kingswood Apartments complex in Chapel Hill […]
Inclusive Employer Extraordinary Ventures to Take Over CommunityWorx's Thrift Shop
Extraordinary Ventures, a nonprofit that provides jobs to adults with disabilities, will add the Carrboro thrift shop to its operations.
Top Stories of 2025: In Orange County, An Anticlimactic Election
The municipal election was always going to be one of the top stories of 2025 in Chapel Hill - though this year's race was unusually quiet.
Orange County Communities to Interrupt Services for December Holidays (2025)
Communities around Orange County will interrupt their normal service schedules during the upcoming winter holidays. Here’s what customers can expect: Town of Chapel Hill Town of Chapel Hill government offices will be closed from Wednesday, Dec. 24 through Friday, Dec. 26. Residential trash collection will not be affected. Yard trimmings will not be collected on […]
Top Stories of 2025: Flash Flooding From Tropical Storm Chantal Damages Region, Changes Lives
Perhaps no singular event influenced the Orange County community's experience in 2025 more than Tropical Storm Chantal's floods in July.
'So Much Fun': Community's First 'Cardboard War' Brings Out Creativity and Whimsy
The Carrboro Town Commons was the site of a "cardboard war" on Saturday, which was created to spur whimsy and creativity among the community.
Arts in Uncertain Times - Dec. 12, 2025
The Hill's Andrew Stuckey speaks with North Carolina Poet Laureate Jakie Shelton Green, Carrboro Town Council Member Fred Joiner, and Executive Director of Orange County Arts Katie Murray on Friday, December 12. They discuss the challenges facing the arts community both generally and locally. They also discuss the role of arts in times of political division. They discuss the economic, social, and personal impact of having art in non-traditional spaces. They look ahead to 2026, and more.
Checking the Area Housing Inventory - Dec. 11, 2025
The Hill's Andrew Stuckey speaks with Vice President of Advocacy for the Chamber For a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro Ian Scott, Policy Director for Carolina Forward and Chapel Hill Town Council Member Theodore Nollert, and President of the Orange and Chatham County Association of Realters Randy Voller. They discussed the current housing inventory in the Chapel Hill area, including how much and what type of housing is still missing, and what tools the community has to encourage more housing. They also discussed what they hope to see different in the area's housing market in 2026, and more.
›