Entry No. 2 — the Memphis file — filed under: haunted
Earnestine & Hazel's
Behind the jukebox and the Soul Burger, the upstairs rooms of this South Main dive bar ran as a working brothel into the early 1990s. The 1918 building housed Abe Plough's Pantaze Drugstore before the Coppertone founder handed it to two hairdressing cousins, Earnestine and Hazel, who turned the ground floor into a cafe. Staff and paranormal researchers alike describe the jukebox picking its own songs, once reportedly starting up a Rolling Stones track ('Sympathy for the Devil') unprompted.
The story
Before it was a dive bar, 531 South Main was Abe Plough's Pantaze Drugstore, built in 1918. Plough eventually made his fortune inventing Coppertone suntan lotion, but before he walked away from South Main, he handed the building over to two hairdressing cousins: Earnestine Mitchell and Hazel Jones. They converted the ground floor into a neighborhood cafe and juke joint, while the upstairs rooms quietly ran as a fully operational brothel straight into the early 1990s.
That upstairs history is not a floorboard-covered rumor—it's preserved in the building's bare bones. Climb the narrow staircase today and you'll find a maze of dim, tiny bedrooms with peeling floral wallpaper and faded doorframes that look practically untouched since the brothel closed. The air up there stays thick, cold, and heavy, even when the heat of a Memphis summer is pounding on the roof.
Then there's the jukebox downstairs. Bartenders and paranormal investigators have logged years of weirdness behind the counter, mostly centered on the machine selecting its own tracks without a quarter dropped or a button pushed. Local legend holds that it responds to conversations in the room—most famously kicking into the Rolling Stones' 'Sympathy for the Devil' completely unprompted during a discussion about the building's darker past.
What it's like
Order a Soul Burger at the bar downstairs—a thin, greasy patty seared on a decades-seasoned flat top, slathered in grilled onions and cheese—and grab a cold beer while the juke joint fills up. Once you've finished eating, wander upstairs on your own to walk the narrow hallway of the former brothel. It's strictly 21-and-over, cash is always handy, and if the jukebox suddenly changes its tune when you walk back down the stairs, assume it heard what you were talking about upstairs.
The move: Split a Soul Burger downstairs, then climb the narrow staircase to the old brothel rooms upstairs and see whether the jukebox decides to weigh in.
- 📍 South Main / Downtown
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 531 S. Main St., Memphis, TN 38103
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- The Broom Closet — Walk a single block down South Main after your Soul Burger to browse hoodoo supplies and spell candles run by ordained Pagan clergy.
- Tops Gallery — Trade the dark, peeling former brothel hallways for another subterranean space inside a nearby warehouse basement art gallery.
- A. Schwab / Beale Street Hoodoo History and Folklife Museum — Head up toward Beale Street to explore Memphis's oldest operating store and its second-floor hoodoo folklife collection.
Good to know
What is a Soul Burger?
It's Earnestine & Hazel's signature food order: a classic dive-bar burger cooked on a heavily seasoned flat-top grill, topped with onions, cheese, pickles, and a proprietary spice blend.
Can you actually go upstairs into the old brothel rooms?
Yes. The upper floor is open to patrons, allowing you to walk the dark hallways and peek into the small, minimally altered rooms that operated until the early 1990s.
Is Earnestine & Hazel's 21 and over?
Yes, it is a dive bar and juke joint restricted strictly to patrons aged 21 and older.
What's the story behind the haunted jukebox?
Staff and visitors frequently report the jukebox turning on by itself and playing specific songs with no money inserted, including queuing up 'Sympathy for the Devil' during conversations about ghosts.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · hauntbound.com · vice.com
last checked: 2026-07-20