Shakers Cigar Bar in Milwaukee might have the creepiest history of any restaurant in the city. It has a long and bloody history that involves everything from the tragic death of a child to mob killings and mysterious murders.
Today, Shakers Cigar Bar is the only licensed cigar bar in the city and well-known for their hand-rolled cigars and impressive drink list. However, those aren’t the only spirits you can find at this haunted spot.
While the current building was constructed in 1886, the land the bar now stands on was once a cemetery. Yep.
The first death reported to have occurred at Shakers was before the building was even constructed. Sometime in the 1850s, a young girl named Elizabeth apparently fell out of an apple tree behind the cemetery where the cigar bar now stands. Ever since, the ghost of a small girl has been spotted wandering the rooms of Shakers. She is said to frequent the ladies bathroom.
In 1922, Shakers opened as a speakeasy owned by notorious gangster Al Capone. The establishment was frequented by all the seediest characters in the city and had a reputation for illegal dealings. In fact, the "soda distribution company" Capone ran out of the building was actually a front for a liquor running operation.
At least two mob-deaths are suspected to have occurred during this time. Chillingly, there is a 7-foot by 3-foot rectangle in the foundation of the building that most assume is the final resting place of a murder victim.
During the Prohibition Era, the establishment was also a brothel. Local lore asserts that an unfortunate prostitute was hacked to pieces by a disgruntled client. Employees of the current bar refuse to enter the room where the murder occurred, claiming that the aura of the room is incredibly oppressive and uncomfortable. Bones have also been discovered hidden in the walls of the establishment, presumably those of unfortunate homicide victims.
As if the spirits here weren’t shaken up enough, the establishment hosts tarot card and palm reading sessions as well as ghost hunting tours where guests can try to contact the dead. Some say that Al Capone himself has popped by to say hello during some of these events.
You can find Shakers Cigar Bar at 422 South Second Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Click here to visit their website for menus and information about special events like ghost tours.
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