The Tale of One of Charlotte’s Most Haunted Places
Photo: rira.com
Happy Halloween everyone! I hope everyone enjoys it and does something to get a little spooked. While some people pay money and go to haunted houses to get scared by people dressed up and jumping out at you, others prefer to get their Halloween fix another way. And that’s by visiting actual haunted locations. There’s nothing scarier than real life things, and that’s what I’m getting ready to share with you.
Many people may be aware of Ri Ra Irish Pub, located in uptown Charlotte. But they may not be aware that when they go there to enjoy food and drinks that they are not there alone. No, I’m not talking about other human beings. I’m talking about ghosts. Let’s start from the beginning.
Ri Ra opened its doors to the public in 1997, but the building in which it’s located is the second oldest building in uptown Charlotte. Among other things, the building has served as a bank and a textile factory over the years. So, it’s seen its share of all types of people walk through those doors. When Ri Ra opened its Irish pub, the goal was to make it as authentic as possible. Many artifacts were brought over from Ireland dating back to the 1700s and 1800s to provide a historic feel. With the history of the building and the old artifacts, it is believed the building is haunted. But the belief isn’t derived from those two things alone. There have been many strange occurrences over the years.
One such occurrence is alphabet letters wrote on the brick wall in the alcove above the host stand. The staff have brushed them out, scrubbed them away, and painted over them, but the letters keep appearing. A ghost of a little girl with blue eyes, curls, and a Victorian-style dress has been reported and many claim that it’s her scribbling the letters on the wall, practicing her ABC’s.
Photo: strangecarolinas.com
Another strange occurrence that has taken place has to do with a brick that is still kept in the manager’s office today. One Sunday after midnight, the manager decided to close the pub for the night. She inspected the place, locked the doors, and set the alarm before heading home. Sometime in the middle of the night, the pub’s alarm system went off, triggering a response from police and the manager. When they showed up, however, all they found was a random brick lying in the middle of the floor. There were no signs of anyone entering or leaving the pub. The security cameras were even checked and no conclusions could be made. Still, nobody knows where the brick came from and why it was just lying in the middle of the floor.
Photo: rira.com
Other strange things have occurred in Ri Ra as well. There have been many reported instances of beer taps suddenly turning on, bread baskets being knocked off the counter, sounds of sewing machines operating in the basement (perhaps from the building’s old textile days), sights of the little girl, a man in a uniform with white gloves and a pillbox hat, an old man with a cane and a dog, and a man with a handlebar mustache. Staff have also reported talking with someone in the pub, just to look up and discover no one is there. Certified ghost hunters even come to the bar every year to see what they can discover, but usually it is the same stuff that the staff is already aware of and that I’ve just mentioned.
Employees of Ri Ra have stated over the years that all the strange instances have never harmed anyone, but instead seem as if they are coming from prankster and mischievous-type ghosts. Even still, I don’t think I would feel too comfortable being there alone at night. If you want to do some real ghost-hunting this Halloween, or any time of year for that matter, consider visiting Ri Ra Irish Pub in uptown Charlotte. Let us know if you experience anything strange or out of the ordinary. Happy Halloween!
Credit: https://rira.com/charlotte/pub-talk/kindred-spirits-old-new/
https://www.strangecarolinas.com/2017/10/the-ghosts-of-ri-ra-irish-pub.html
Garett