SC Haunted Inns & Restaurants
Some say they’ve spotted her from a nearby hotel standing in the window of the old house, others say she’s wreaked havoc there, scattering papers and boxes, and doubters think its all hoax.
Isaac Vanderhouest, daytime chef at Poogan’s Porch, needs no convincing that spirits lurk inside the 31-year-old Charleston restaurant. He can tell you of many first-hand experiences with Zoe, a ghost believed to grab the attention of guests and restaurant workers. Poogan’s Porch, at 72 Queen Street, used to be the home of Zoe St. Amand, who died there in 1954.
Resident Ghost, Zoe St. Amand
According to Vanderhouest, Zoe has done some moving and shaking in the restaurant, especially early in the mornings and late at night. One cold winter morning when Vanderhouest opened the restaurant, he made a pot of coffee, and poured himself a cup.
After realizing he forgot to unlock the back door for the delivery truck drivers, he sat his cup on the stairs while on his way to open the door. Vanderhouest said when he returned, there was no cup.
"So what I was thinking, I was going crazy. Did I fix a cup of coffee?" Confused, he went downstairs and poured another cup. "I fixed another cup, came back and the (first) cup was right there at the tip of the stairs, right where I left it, but it had a lipstick trimming around the rim of the cup."
Nervous and afraid because he knew he was the only one in the building he said, "Well, it's Zoe."
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Day Chef Issac Vanderhouest
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Doubtful Sous Chef Gets Visited
Not convinced? Neither was sous chef Antjuan Benson who started at Poogan’s in June. Vanderhouest warned him about the ghosts, but Benson was doubtful.
"Yeah, right. A ghost? Then I started hearing more and more about it. I said if there are stories about it, then there must be a ghost," says Benson. "I was in here one morning by myself and I started hearing noises. I had to call my chef. He told me don’t worry about it; just get through your day. Turn on the music and someone will be there with you later. The noises were freaking me out," he continued.
His first week on the job, Benson said he got a visit from Zoe when he and two other employees were in the kitchen. "We sat a mixer paddle on the oven and walked away. We heard this big thump. There was no possible way that it could slide off." Naturally, they figured it was Zoe again.
Diners Haunt Poogan's for LowCountry Cuisine
Don't let Zoe or any of the other ghosts scare you away. A visit to Poogan’s will definitely be a treat when you experience luscious Lowcountry cuisine from their breakfast, lunch, Sunday brunch or dinner menu. The restaurant is open daily.
SC Haunted Inns & Restaurants
Visit other haunted restaurants and inns in South Carolina where things go thump in the night:
The Inn at Merridun
Union, SC You can get a whiff of two ghosts that visit The Inn at Merridun. The scent of cigar smoke and rose-scented perfume is believed to be the spirits of late residents T.C. and Fannie Duncan.
The Battery Carriage House Inn
Charleston, SC The ghost known as the "Carriage House Gentleman" visits this inn overlooking the waterfront.
Price House Cottage
Summerville, SC Don’t leave your treasured jewels down at Price House Cottage. The ghost here is said to like interesting jewelry. Ask the owner. He’s had a pair of sapphire cufflinks to go missing. His daughter was missing a ring and it was later found in the father’s old college thesaurus.
Guilds Inn
Mt. Pleasant, SC Visit during a full moon or a storm to meet Captain Samuel Guild’s ghost.
Annie’s Inn Bed-and-Breakfast
Aiken, SC The spirit of a little girl calling for her mother is at Annie’s Inn Bed-and-Breakfast.