Keep the good times rolling: Trolley Pub Fayetteville offers a new avenue to experience downtown's restaurant and bar scene

By Stephanie Meador, posted Jul 10, 2025 on BizFayetteville.com

The Fayetteville Trolley Pub is a 14-seat, pedal-powered party on wheels that lets you enjoy a lively tour of
downtown’s bars and hotspots. Photo provided by Kevin Walker.

Downtown Fayetteville is set to welcome a new addition to its hospitality scene as local entrepreneurs Kevin Walker and Darnisha James prepare to launch a trolley service aimed at connecting residents and visitors with the city’s vibrant bar and restaurant community.

James and her nephew have been doing business together for 10 years now. They opened their first joint business in Fayetteville in 2015, RDL Therapeutic Adult Day Center, and later expanded to open RDL Therapeutic Outpatient Therapy Health and Wellness.

Now, they’re branching out from health care into hospitality.

Darnisha James and her nephew Kevin Walker have been business partners for 10 years now. Trolley Pub Fayetteville is their third joint business venture. Photo by GFBJ.

“She [Darnisha] rode a trolley back home in Detroit. I had never gotten on a trolley. She brought it to my attention, said ‘Hey, that would be pretty cool if we brought it to Fayetteville.’ So we did some research, [and] found a couple companies that had trolley franchise opportunities,” explained Walker.

Trolley Pub is a franchise with locations across the country. Walker and James connected with the location in Raleigh to establish a Trolley Pub operation in Fayetteville.

The Fayetteville Trolley Pub experience brings people together to explore the city’s vibrant downtown in a unique way. Passengers board a 14-seat, pedal-powered trolley, where they can bring their own beer, wine or seltzer to enjoy as they cruise between some of Fayetteville’s best bars and restaurants.

“They go inside, socialize, get to get familiar with the different pubs and bars that we go to, have a drink or two, and then they come back out and keep the party going on the trolley,” explained Walker.

Tours are available as either private bookings for groups or as “mixer” tours where individuals can join and meet new friends. The trolley makes stops at select local establishments, giving riders a chance to sample drinks, socialize and discover hidden gems in the downtown area.

Riders must be 21 or older for mixer tours, while private tours require riders to be at least 15 years old. Tours last about two hours with the opportunity for passengers to extend their ride if the following tour is not private or fully booked. There will be different routes available with stops at different bars to be selected from when booking online.

The Trolley Pub made its first appearance downtown on Saturday, June 28, for a trial run, and the community was buzzing with excitement.

“We were really excited about the positive feedback, and especially from a lot of the other business owners downtown with the bars, and they were saying how it’s going to impact their business in a positive way by bringing more attention, because there’s restaurants and bars that people don’t even know of downtown, so this will give them exposure that they need. So it’s a win-win for everyone,” remarked James.

The team also has a brick and mortar Trolley Pub location at 218 Robeson St. that is being renovated. Once complete, the space will serve as a check-in station with a carport where the trolley is housed. There will also be a souvenir shop with t-shirts, koozies and drinks and snacks available for purchase to be brought along on the trolley.

As the business prepares for its official launch, the founders hope their efforts will inspire others to invest in Fayetteville’s downtown and bring other new businesses to the area.

“I just hope it gives people other ideas to bring more into the city, the downtown. You always hear about what we don’t have and what we’re lacking. And so hopefully people see this, and say, ‘Oh, okay, you know what? Maybe this would be great for us,” just to help to build up our downtown and our city, that’s what we hope is to come,” shared James.

Walker shared that as they gear up for their grand opening they’re looking to hire trolley drivers. Great drivers with great personalities are wanted to help make Trolley Pub Fayetteville a lively, fun experience.

To learn more about Trolley Pub Fayetteville, visit their website at www.trolley pub.com/fayetteville.

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