diff --git a/helpers.py b/helpers.py
index d3c9f93..a880e24 100644
--- a/helpers.py
+++ b/helpers.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import secrets
 from typing import Any, Optional, Tuple
 
 import secp256k1
+from bech32 import bech32_decode, convertbits
 from cffi import FFI
 from cryptography.hazmat.primitives import padding
 from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.ciphers import Cipher, algorithms, modes
@@ -80,3 +81,21 @@ def order_from_json(s: str) -> Tuple[Optional[Any], Optional[str]]:
         return (order, s) if (type(order) is dict) and "items" in order else (None, s)
     except ValueError:
         return None, s
+
+
+def normalize_public_key(pubkey: str) -> str:
+    if pubkey.startswith("npub1"):
+        _, decoded_data = bech32_decode(pubkey)
+        if not decoded_data:
+            raise ValueError("Public Key is not valid npub")
+
+        decoded_data_bits = convertbits(decoded_data, 5, 8, False)
+        if not decoded_data_bits:
+            raise ValueError("Public Key is not valid npub")
+        return bytes(decoded_data_bits).hex()
+
+    # check if valid hex
+    if len(pubkey) != 64:
+        raise ValueError("Public Key is not valid hex")
+    int(pubkey, 16)
+    return pubkey
diff --git a/services.py b/services.py
index 89b4859..57bb86a 100644
--- a/services.py
+++ b/services.py
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ async def _handle_new_order(order: PartialOrder) -> Optional[str]:
     return None
 
 
-async def _handle_new_customer(event, merchant):
+async def _handle_new_customer(event, merchant: Merchant):
     await create_customer(
         merchant.id, Customer(merchant_id=merchant.id, public_key=event.pubkey)
     )
diff --git a/static/components/direct-messages/direct-messages.html b/static/components/direct-messages/direct-messages.html
index ab7eee1..a1f8662 100644
--- a/static/components/direct-messages/direct-messages.html
+++ b/static/components/direct-messages/direct-messages.html
@@ -26,14 +26,31 @@
       <q-separator></q-separator>
     </q-card-section>
     <q-card-section>
-      <q-select
-        v-model="activePublicKey"
-        :options="customers.map(c => ({label: buildCustomerLabel(c), value: c.public_key}))"
-        label="Select Customer"
-        emit-value
-        @input="selectActiveCustomer()"
-      >
-      </q-select>
+      <div class="row">
+        <div class="col-10">
+          <q-select
+          v-model="activePublicKey"
+          :options="customers.map(c => ({label: buildCustomerLabel(c), value: c.public_key}))"
+          label="Select Customer"
+          emit-value
+          @input="selectActiveCustomer()"
+        >
+        </q-select>
+        </div>
+        <div class="col-2">
+          <q-btn
+          label="Add"
+          color="green"
+          class="float-right q-mt-md"
+          @click="showAddPublicKey = true"
+        >
+          <q-tooltip>
+            Add a public key to chat with
+          </q-tooltip>
+        </q-btn>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
     </q-card-section>
     <q-card-section>
       <div class="chat-container" ref="chatCard">
@@ -76,4 +93,30 @@
       </div>
     </q-card-section>
   </q-card>
+  <div>
+    <q-dialog v-model="showAddPublicKey" position="top">
+      <q-card class="q-pa-lg q-pt-xl" style="width: 500px">
+        <q-form @submit="addPublicKey" class="q-gutter-md">
+          <q-input
+            filled
+            dense
+            v-model.trim="newPublicKey"
+            label="Public Key (hex or nsec)"
+          ></q-input>
+          <div class="row q-mt-lg">
+            <q-btn
+              unelevated
+              color="primary"
+              :disable="!newPublicKey"
+              type="submit"
+              >Add</q-btn
+            >
+            <q-btn v-close-popup flat color="grey" class="q-ml-auto"
+              >Cancel</q-btn
+            >
+          </div>
+        </q-form>
+      </q-card>
+    </q-dialog>
+  </div>
 </div>
diff --git a/static/components/direct-messages/direct-messages.js b/static/components/direct-messages/direct-messages.js
index 39bc7d3..d034fe1 100644
--- a/static/components/direct-messages/direct-messages.js
+++ b/static/components/direct-messages/direct-messages.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ async function directMessages(path) {
   const template = await loadTemplateAsync(path)
   Vue.component('direct-messages', {
     name: 'direct-messages',
-    props: ['active-chat-customer', 'adminkey', 'inkey'],
+    props: ['active-chat-customer', 'merchant-id', 'adminkey', 'inkey'],
     template,
 
     watch: {
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ async function directMessages(path) {
         unreadMessages: 0,
         activePublicKey: null,
         messages: [],
-        newMessage: ''
+        newMessage: '',
+        showAddPublicKey: false,
+        newPublicKey: null
       }
     },
     methods: {
@@ -56,7 +58,7 @@ async function directMessages(path) {
         try {
           const {data} = await LNbits.api.request(
             'GET',
-            '/nostrmarket/api/v1/customers',
+            '/nostrmarket/api/v1/customer',
             this.inkey
           )
           this.customers = data
@@ -83,6 +85,27 @@ async function directMessages(path) {
           LNbits.utils.notifyApiError(error)
         }
       },
+      addPublicKey: async function(){
+        try {
+          const {data} = await LNbits.api.request(
+            'POST',
+            '/nostrmarket/api/v1/customer',
+            this.adminkey,
+            {
+              public_key: this.newPublicKey,
+              merchant_id: this.merchantId,
+              unread_messages: 0
+            }
+          )
+          this.newPublicKey = null
+          this.activePublicKey = data.public_key
+          await this.selectActiveCustomer()
+        } catch (error) {
+          LNbits.utils.notifyApiError(error)
+        } finally {
+          this.showAddPublicKey = false
+        }
+      },
       handleNewMessage: async function (data) {
         if (data.customerPubkey === this.activePublicKey) {
           await this.getDirectMessages(this.activePublicKey)
diff --git a/static/components/order-list/order-list.js b/static/components/order-list/order-list.js
index f1c883d..c4539b3 100644
--- a/static/components/order-list/order-list.js
+++ b/static/components/order-list/order-list.js
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ async function orderList(path) {
         try {
           const {data} = await LNbits.api.request(
             'GET',
-            '/nostrmarket/api/v1/customers',
+            '/nostrmarket/api/v1/customer',
             this.inkey
           )
           this.customers = data
diff --git a/templates/nostrmarket/index.html b/templates/nostrmarket/index.html
index 89e01ba..603cf6b 100644
--- a/templates/nostrmarket/index.html
+++ b/templates/nostrmarket/index.html
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@
         :inkey="g.user.wallets[0].inkey"
         :adminkey="g.user.wallets[0].adminkey"
         :active-chat-customer="activeChatCustomer"
+        :merchant-id="merchant.id"
         @customer-selected="filterOrdersForCustomer"
       >
       </direct-messages>
diff --git a/views_api.py b/views_api.py
index 0fa8317..daad678 100644
--- a/views_api.py
+++ b/views_api.py
@@ -13,10 +13,12 @@ from lnbits.decorators import (
     require_admin_key,
     require_invoice_key,
 )
+from lnbits.extensions.nostrmarket.helpers import normalize_public_key
 from lnbits.utils.exchange_rates import currencies
 
 from . import nostr_client, nostrmarket_ext, scheduled_tasks
 from .crud import (
+    create_customer,
     create_direct_message,
     create_merchant,
     create_product,
@@ -31,6 +33,7 @@ from .crud import (
     delete_product,
     delete_stall,
     delete_zone,
+    get_customer,
     get_customers,
     get_direct_messages,
     get_merchant_by_pubkey,
@@ -796,7 +799,7 @@ async def api_create_message(
 ######################################## CUSTOMERS ########################################
 
 
-@nostrmarket_ext.get("/api/v1/customers")
+@nostrmarket_ext.get("/api/v1/customer")
 async def api_get_customers(
     wallet: WalletTypeInfo = Depends(get_key_type),
 ) -> List[Customer]:
@@ -818,6 +821,41 @@ async def api_get_customers(
         )
 
 
+@nostrmarket_ext.post("/api/v1/customer")
+async def api_createcustomer(
+    data: Customer,
+    wallet: WalletTypeInfo = Depends(require_admin_key),
+) -> Customer:
+
+    try:
+        pubkey = normalize_public_key(data.public_key)
+
+        merchant = await get_merchant_for_user(wallet.wallet.user)
+        assert merchant, "A merchant does not exists for this user"
+        assert merchant.id == data.merchant_id, "Invalid merchant id for user"
+
+        existing_customer = await get_customer(merchant.id, pubkey)
+        assert existing_customer == None, "This public key already exists"
+
+        customer = await create_customer(
+            merchant.id, Customer(merchant_id=merchant.id, public_key=pubkey)
+        )
+        await nostr_client.subscribe_to_user_profile(pubkey, 0)
+
+        return customer
+    except (ValueError, AssertionError) as ex:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=HTTPStatus.BAD_REQUEST,
+            detail=str(ex),
+        )
+    except Exception as ex:
+        logger.warning(ex)
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=HTTPStatus.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
+            detail="Cannot create customer",
+        )
+
+
 ######################################## OTHER ########################################