Memphis Tennessee
Ernestine and Hazel’s
A music-loving entity serves visitors through eavesdropping.
A crowd of spirits don’t mind sharing the space, but
insist on reliving their joys or issues.
DESCRIPTION/HISTORY
Ernestine and Hazel’s, a diner and informal music night club, is a funky, very long but narrow rectangular two story brick building whose front door opens on to South Main Street. As it is on a long but narrow lot, its longest rectangular width faces W Calhoun Avenue, while its shorter rectangular sides face South Main Street. It isn’t much to look at on the outside; An unattractive yet practical a practical wooden boarding front, which hasn’t been yuppified, to say the least. The inside decor is a blast from the past as well, but is functional. This establishment is a bit frumpy and funky, but is well loved by the neighborhood!
It’s doors open at 5:00, for the dinner crowd, and close late into the evening. All of Memphis know that Ernestine and Hazel’s is home to the best Soul Burgers in Memphis, as well as offering other meals of interest. It also has live music and dancing, to a variety of bands.
Being so close to the railroad, the building began its service to humankind as a dry goods store, with a bordello on the second floor. Sometime in its history, it became a bar and bordello. Probably, when the state of Tennessee stepped up its enforcement of vice rules, the bordello was closed. It passed through various owners, who basically ran a food eatery/bar, with some sort of entertainment; A place to hear music, enjoy a brew or cocktail, and dance.
HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS
The nature and unintended consequences of prostitution often cause pain, emotional distress, and early deaths.
Eateries, bars, establishments with live entertainment have long been attractive to entities who have an attachment to their personal good times or tragedies that they associate with the place.
MANIFESTATIONS
The Haunted Juke Box
Most everyday juke boxes will just play what was requested by the listener with a coin in hand. The juke box in Ernestine and Hazel’s has been known to not only turn itself on, and provide music, but seems to have a paranormal intelligence to listen to conversations, and play an appropriate tune which sums up the content of the conversation. Perhaps the entity of a former employee, who knows the juke box songs well, is trying to continue to serve its clientele.
Apparitions
Apparitions have been seen wandering around the bar and upstairs area, still enjoying this place of good times, remembrance, and perhaps tragedy, going about their business, and not quite ready to let go and go to the other side.
Memphis Paranormal Investigations
Memphis Paranormal Investigations have declared on their web site that Ernestine and Hazel’s is one of the most haunted places in Memphis. Whenever they investigate this building, they never leave empty-handed!
They have captured entities on film:
A full, see-through apparition of a man was caught on film walking in front of the building and entering the front.
A transparent face of a man was caught at the top of the staircase, which connect the first and second floor.
A woman’s face was caught on the door of a second floor bedroom.
STILL HAUNTED?
Yes Indeed!!!
Real evidence, and loads of personal experiences from both patrons and staff members, point to the existence of entities who were connected to this building in its past.
LOCATION
531 South Main Street
Memphis, Tennessee 38103
Ernestine and Hazel’s can be found on the corner of South Main Street, and West Calhoun Avenue, one block east of the Illinois Central Railroad tracks. The central train station is just a few blocks south.
SOURCES INCLUDE
- memphisparanormalinvestigations.com
- esquire.com
- memphis.about.com
Our Haunted Paranormal Stories are Written by Julie Carr
