Being the paranormal fanatic that I am, the juke joint Earnestine & Hazel’s was top of the list for me in my preparations to visit Memphis, Tennessee. I had caught a glimpse of it on a paranormal TV show and knew I had to pay a visit. I like to visit haunted bars when I travel, even though it’s hard to get a true feel for the paranormal in an active bar. I figured Earnestine & Hazel’s would be no different from the rest, but I had no idea what I was walking into.
After lunch at the Arcade on my first day in Memphis, I was on South Main Street and still getting my bearings for navigating the city. I remember walking out of the Arcade thinking “I know Earnestine & Hazel’s is close by,” and then realizing it was directly catty-corner from the Arcade in an unassuming brick building. I spotted it by its neon sign in the window, the “E” burnt out. It wasn’t what I had pictured, but looked spooky enough!
The building was originally a pharmacy opened in the 1930’s by Abe Plough, whose company would go on to become a huge success, pioneering such products as Coppertone sunscreen. Abe eventually turned the building over to Earnestine and Hazel, two sisters who had been utilizing the upstairs of the building for their hair styling business. The sisters turned the building into a cafe. Legendary musicians such as B.B. King, Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Motown, Ray Charles, Bo Diddley, Sam Cook, Chuck Berry, and Jackie Wilson who played at the nearby Club Paradise, owned by Earnestine’s husband, would frequent the place for food. And maybe not just food… the upstairs housed a brothel for some time. After being boarded up in the 1970’s along with much of downtown Memphis, the building reopened as a bar in 1992.
After exploring the afternoon away, I came back to E&H’s ready for a bite and some beers. I figured the bar was bound to be packed with a dinner crowd. When I walked in, it was dead quiet. There were a handful of patrons at the bar, but no music playing or anything. It was so silent and eerie it almost felt like I shouldn’t be there, like walking into a bar that’s closed. I anxiously took a seat at the bar and was greeted by a friendly bartender named Daniel, who got me started with a local brew. I was thrilled that the entire draught lineup was Memphis-brewed craft beer. Drink local!
I asked Daniel for a food menu, and he kindly informed me that there were no menus because the only thing they serve is their signature Soul Burger. That worked for me! The Soul Burger, comprised of a bun, patty, onions, cheese, pickle, and “Soul Sauce,” is simple but oh so satisfying.
I asked Daniel about the bar’s hauntings. In the building’s extensive history there have been somewhere around thirteen (known) deaths within its walls, and there is no shortage of paranormal activity. Sometimes it’s the sound of the piano when no one is upstairs to touch it; other times it’s ghostly apparitions.
One of the more common occurrences is the jukebox in the bar area, which not only starts playing without being prompted, but starts playing songs that oddly correlate to conversations being had around it! It did kick on twice while I was there with no one touching it – whether by a spirit or some explainable force is up for interpretation.
As it got later and a blues band began playing, the bar started to take on new life. As good as the band was, I was eager to check out the second story so I ventured up the stairs. If I thought the downstairs was creepy, upstairs felt like walking into a horror movie. Or at least taking a step back in time. What was once the brothel is now a few different lounge rooms, each cast in eerie red or blue lighting and with paint peeling off their walls.
You’ll also find a bathroom with a clawfoot bathtub – the same tub where a woman supposedly took her life. The place just has a darkness about it and I felt like I was in an episode of Ghost Adventures.
Arguably the best room on the second floor is the piano lounge which has its own bar and is one of the most active rooms in the building. I sat in the piano lounge for a bit, which was quiet as the evening’s musical act was preparing to start her set. A few other folks were in there chilling, their cigarette smoke illuminated by the colored lights. The bar was serviced by Nate, a fedora-wearing gentleman who has been with Earnestine & Hazel’s since its 1992 opening and had plenty of stories to tell. I truly felt like I was getting a taste of old Memphis.
At a certain point I had to be responsible and get back to my hotel, but I was having so much fun that I could have stayed there all night. I have a strange fascination and love for this place. The history, creepy vibes, and authenticity pull you in. Or maybe it’s just those Soul Burgers. Whatever it is, I feel comfortable calling Earnestine & Hazel’s the best dive bar I have ever been to. Do not miss this one when you go to Memphis – but only if you’re brave enough!
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