GHOULA meets for cocktails in haunted places on the 13th of each month. “SPIRITS with SPIRITS” is a casual gathering of regional ghost hunters and those that just like ghost stories. Open to all, from the curious skeptic to the passionate phantom pursuer. Make friends, and toast a ghost! Let's put the “Boo!” back into “booze.”
All those who attend will receive a free (square) G.H.O.U.L.A. button. If you already have one, please wear it so others can find you, without asking the staff.
THE DATE: August 13th, 2011 (Saturday)
THE PLACE: The Pig N Whistle
6714 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood (Map)
THE TIME: 8:00pm to 11:00pm
THE GHOSTS:
Fleeing the aftermath of the great 1906 San Fransisco earthquake and fire, hotelier John H. Gage, moved to Los Angeles and started fresh, opening the first Pig N Whistle "high class candy and luncheon place" in downtown within two years. This new business was such a success that many more followed, until there were Pig n Whistle restaurants up and down the west coast from Seattle to San Diego. It has even been suggested that their humorous dancing pig logo influenced pop culture, as the inspiration for Walt Disney's Three Pigs and/or Warner Bros' Porky Pig.
It's hard to imagine today, but there was a time when movie theaters didn't have elaborate concession stands. So, these clean, family friendly places (with an emphasis on candy, ice cream, and pastries) would be strategically located next to theaters to entice the movie-going public. This culinary and confectionery concept worked so well that when the depression hit, these simple businesses where able to ride the coat-tails of the unaffected film industry. Yes, no matter how poor people were, they scraped together enough pocket change to escape into the celluloid fantasies of the era (with treats from the neighboring Pig n Whistle.)
Thus, as theaters began to be built in Hollywood, that musically-inclined swine with his little flute followed, creating its first Tinseltown location adjacent to Grauman's Egyptian Theater in 1927, whose elegant interior (advertised as their "most beautiful shop") also featured an elevating pipe organ to entertain diners. This glamorous setting was an instant hit, attracting families and movie stars alike. Soon, another location was to pop up a block away next to the El Capitan (Today, fittingly a ice cream shop operates on that site).
Ironically, the depression seemed to be this restaurant chain's high point, over the next two decades their business dwindled, their restaurants disappeared, and the empire collapsed. World War II would prove difficult with the rationing of food and other limitations, but ultimately the public's tastes just changed with the introduction of TV, drive-in theaters, drive-thru restaurants, fast food, and suburbia. These fancy parlours with many varieties of sundaes just seemed like relics of the past.
The Pig N Whistle at the Egyptian was closed in 1952, gutted, and anything remaining was damaged by an eventual fire. Luckily however, most of it's hand carved seating and fixtures were rescued from the trash, finding their way around the corner to a new home in the (haunted) Italian restaurant, Miceli's.
Over the years, other restaurants and shops occupied this spot until 2001, when night club impresario Chris Breed (with partner Alan Hajar) brought that familiar cartoon pig and that whistle back to town, essentially recreating the elegant decor from old photos, and converting the soda fountain into a proper bar. It should also be noted, that despite the original kid friendly environment, after prohibition, alcohol was available at Pig N Whistle locations with ads that proclaimed they had "beer served right!"
Once again, Hollywood's Pig N Whistle arose from the ashes back to its former glory like the mythical phoenix, just as the idea of this whimsical restaurant chain, itself, was born out of the ashes of San Francisco. However, it also seems strangely appropriate that this location's most popular ghost story was also born out of ashes. The legend that has been past down through employees is that the ladies room (and more specifically maybe a painting in the ladies room) is said to be haunted by a woman, who lost her young daughter in a fire at this location in the 1950's. Now in death, her spirit comes back apparently searching for that lost daughter. According to the legend, little girls who go to this restroom unaccompanied by an adult, say that a strange woman appears, and reaches out to touch them (perhaps longing to embrace a child again). When the scared children escape and tell someone, no woman is ever found.
Additionally, the bar's staff has told GHOULA that there are strange noises late at night, a dark shadowy figure in the basement, and one chandelier that swings by itself while the others remain still. Lastly, shortly after the Pig n Whistle reopened, it was reported that Chris Breed took a nap in the back late one night, and was awoken by ghostly pipe organ music coming from the restaurants newly renovated (empty) main room (where the long gone Pig N Whistle pipe organ once entertained patrons).
Is this playful pied-piper-piggy place filled with phantoms from the past? Come out, have a beer "served right" and find out for yourself... if you dare.
(to read more about Miceli's and its ghosts...)
(to read about more ghosts from Pig N Whistle...)
(to see last month's haunted location...)
