It’s that time of the year again! What better way to get into the Halloween spirit than getting spooked by ghost stories in the oldest, and most haunted cities in the US? With Charleston’s rich history comes unrested spirits that haunt many of the city’s oldest and most iconic homes and buildings. When people hear the word “ghost,” they often think of evil spirits that haunt the living. Although Charleston may possess a few evil spirits, there are more often cordial and even happy ghosts that make themselves known.
The ghost of George Poirier is one in particular that tends to be an office favorite here at Luxury Simplified, where all happy spirits are welcomed.
The story of George Poirier goes like this. George came from a family of wealthy cotton planters and tradesmen back in the late 1800’s. The family thrived from the cotton business for quite some time. As smart entrepreneurs, the Poirier’s diversified their wealth into British bonds so when cotton became a saturated market, their wealth continued to grow. George Poirier happened to be the lucky recipient of the families’ well-earned profits. However, he did not inherit the entrepreneur gene and blew through the majority of funds that were left in his name.
Just when George didn’t think things could get any worse, the boll weevil (a small beetle known for ruining cotton fields) invaded and depleted the Charleston cotton fields. With most of his trust and income depleted, George made a deal with the British and sold the last bit of his cotton. As his cotton was being loaded onto a British ship in the Charleston harbor, he sat watching from the third floor of the F.W. Wagener building – where the Poirier family rented office space at the time. As he sat watching from his captain’s chair, the ship suddenly went up in flames, leaving him with nothing left to live for.
In one last act of desperation, George stacked the office furniture with his captain’s chair on top, draped a rope over the rafters, and jumped.
Since the death of George Poirier, various restaurants have occupied the F.W. Wagener building at 161 East Bay Street. Most recently, Lagunitas Taproom has moved into the High Victorian building, making it the perfect place for a beer after a hard day of work.
Customers and employees of previous restaurants in the building have reported several incidences of paranormal activity. Frigid air has rushed through the building when the A/C was turned off, shadows of a swinging corpse has appeared on the walls, and even beer taps have mysteriously started pouring.
James McCallister, the manager of Easy Bay Trading Company, a restaurant previously occupying the building, reported a bone-chilling incident. As McCallister opened up the restaurant one morning, he found tables and chairs piled on top of one another with the captain’s chair rocking back and forth. As McCallister went to take down the mound of furniture, it all came crashing down right before him.
Although George may stage some creepy stunts, overall he’s known as a pretty stand-up ghost. So the next time you are enjoying a beer at Lagunitas and feel a cool chill fall over you, or see the taps mysteriously start pouring, just know its only George trying to have a good time, too.
Looking to take a Charleston ghost tour and possibly experience some paranormal activity first-hand this Halloween? Luxury Simplified Retreats invites you to visit Charleston and stay in our luxurious beachfront retreat located on Folly Beach. The View, which sleeps 10, is the perfect place for friends and family to get into the Halloween spirit. And don’t worry, we’ve checked it for any ghosts, so you can feel at ease knowing none will be joining you during your stay.