The Merchant delivers wine, tastings, culture and even dancing to Highwood

Wine has always told a story — of soil, of climate, of heritage. 

At The Merchant in Highwood, those stories don’t end inside a glass. They spill into music, movement and shared experience, transforming a sip into a cultural exchange that lingers long after guests leave. 

The Merchant, 122 North Ave., is a sip-and-shop concept that opened in 2025. Through the front door is a screen door, making you feel like you are walking into a neighbor’s home. 

“That’s what we want you to feel when you walk in,” said Joseph Nebolsky De Ochoa, founder of The Merchant. “Intimate, like home and that you are coming to family.” 

Merchant visitors have two options when they enter the shop. They can either sit down and enjoy a glass of wine, maybe with live music that night, or they can pick up a bottle of wine to take home, or to a friend’s home.

This was not, however, the original idea for the business. 

“Initially we had the idea to sell alcohol online. The Merchant was going to be a (research and development) incubator for our other business,” Ochoa said. “Then as we got into the community, we thought of how we can make this a more inclusive environment. People started asking us if they could get a drink, and we were like of course you can. So then we built it as a brick and mortar.” 

The inspiration behind The Merchant came from Ochoa’s interest in wines and spirits. 

“As an extension of one of our import businesses, this became more of a passion project,” Ochoa said. 

The Merchant’s space has dark blue walls and golden chairs. The wolf image on the shop’s sign is an inspiration from “Game of Thrones.”

The hit television show, which is based on a popular graphic-novel series, actually inspired the name of the business.

“We got the idea for the name ‘The Merchant’ from ‘Game of Thrones’ where merchant ships would go from port to port and you’d find them selling wines or different things for trade,” co-founder Catherine Demetropoulos said. “The wolf that is Jon Snow’s dire wolf, that’s our brand identity. The colors of the Merchant have the colors of a ship, with the blueness representing the sea.” 

Artist Matthew Hoffman, known for his “you are beautiful” signs across Chicagoland, helped carve the wolf in the wooden sign at the entrance. 

Ochoa is part Mexican and part Russian, and Demetropoulos, his wife, is Greek. They wanted their cultures part of the mix. 

“We try to (infuse) culture from both Mexico, Latin America, Spain and some other European countries,” Ochoa said. “Highwood has always been a cultural enclave in the North Shore, and we wanted to add to that.” 

“We’ve done a lot of traveling and enjoyed a lot of unique global spirits, beers and wines. And we thought, let’s bring that to Highwood,” Demetropoulos said. “We felt it was missing in the community. And, we encourage guests to bring their own food as well at The Merchant.” 

The Merchant carries unique, hard-to-find brands. Not much of what they sell can be found at Binny’s. They said they want to get the little guys noticed, partnering with family estates and artisanal, generational vineyards for their inventory. 

The Merchant carries five beers from Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany and Sicily. It’s intentional that way, just like their wines in a “combination of old world and new world,” according to Ochoa. They also offer THC and non-alcoholic drinks. 

That culture is evident in their cocktail called The Pope of Highwood, a name influenced by the church across the street (St. James) and the new pope, who is a Chicagoland native.

The cocktail presents like an eggnog but is mixed with a bourbon from Kentucky and a holiday vanilla liqueur from Spain. Mixing the two spirits, there’s a “religious experience” to it, according to Ochoa. 

“It’s something we created that has those cultural values built into a cocktail,” Ochoa said. 

Ochoa’s two bottles he is most excited about right now is a Mallorcan Spanish-blend, and a blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon from Italy.

Guests get something called the “Merchant experience,” when they walk in. After receiving a sample from Ochoa, they also can get a customized cocktail.

“If someone loves Chardonnay (maybe from California), I like to introduce them to the Chardonnay from France (where it originates from),” Ochoa said. “You’d be surprised that people don’t realize where it comes from, since they have been so focused on what they like.” 

This staff-to-guest relationship also sets The Merchant apart. 

“I love to curate something for our guests where they can explore some other options,” Ochoa said. “And once they find something new that they like we build a relationship with them, and those are long term relationships that create memories.” 

Ochoa and Demetropoulos moved to Highwood from Chicago in 2021. They saw Highwood as “cityesque,” and “the mecca of the North Shore culinary scene,” which drew them to town. 

They also like that the town stays up late. They can close at 10 p.m., other nearby businesses stay open until midnight. 

“We wouldn’t want to move to any other suburb because every other suburb is boring,” Demetropoulos said. “They just don’t have the vibe that Highwood has. It’s very cool, collected and they are open to things. ” 

Ochoa admires that Highwood has a strong history with the alcohol and beverage industry and has a “great representation of cultural aspects,” pointing out that the small community offers everything from Italian and French restaurants to Mexican and Hawaiian. 

The Merchant is Ochoa and Demetropoulos’ first brick and mortar, and its unique operations have been well received.

They also offer “unique and special” ticketed events and often collaborate with other restaurants in the area to pair food with their wine. They also offer wine pairing education to explain how it’s done. 

The local collaborations don’t stop there. The Merchant partners with a local art gallery, Collect with Lulu, for its wall art, and participated in Design Week last October.

In April, The Merchant will partner with Avec — a Mediterranean restaurant in Chicago that is set to open a location in Highland Park this year, as The Record previously reported — for an event.

Other upcoming events include a mezcal and tequila tasting, a Taste of Italy in honor of St. Joseph’s Day and a sushi and sake tasting. You may also find a salsa class available in the fall and winter months on a Thursday night. 

Sign up on The Merchant website to get the newsletter, or follow The Merchant on social media to get the latest updates on all events. 

The Record is a nonprofit, nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism.

Become a member of The Record to fund responsible news coverage for your community.

Already a member? You can make a tax-deductible donation at any time.