Habits Café – Cincinnati, Ohio
It’s October and all this month we've been exploring
haunted drinking establishments - restaurants, taverns, wineries, any place
that serves spirits … and has “spirits.”
Let’s hit the road one more time and discover who or what it is
that makes these places so dark and brooding…
Habits Café has been a part of the Oakley
community for 35 years. Founded in 1980, this neighborhood bar and grill,
located on the eastern side of Cincinnati, offers a quaint atmosphere in which
to enjoy outstanding food and after-work drinks. But not all is what it seems
at this eclectic eatery.
Long
before it was Habits Café, this building was home to a neighborhood bar. In one
version of the story, the tavern owner was a notorious person who had spent time
in jail. Back out on the street, he quickly returned to his criminal ways of dealing in
hot merchandise. A bent cop discovered his secret and the two went into
operation together. The cop would keep attention diverted from the bar and the
owner would cut him in for a part of the take.
The
ruse seemed to be working well until someone became too greedy. One night, the
owner lured the cop into the basement of the building and shot him to
death.
It
was rumored that the bar owner was gunned down not long afterwards in the alley by
the café. No one knew the exact details of the shooting and without some tips;
the police had nothing to go on ...
In
another version of the story - one night, a patron had too much to drink and
became belligerent when the management stopped service. The police were
called, but the man refused to leave. When the officer arrived, the intoxicated
patron was in the basement where he grabbed a shotgun and struck the policeman
in the head. The officer died at the scene. The customer was later arrested. 
While
it is known that a policeman was killed in the basement of the building, the
exact details have become sketchy over time. Whisperings, cold spots and the feeling
of being watched are prevalent downstairs, though.
Today,
customers report that phone and camera batteries drain quickly. Staff members have
witnessed the lights being unexplainedly turned on and off, and have seen items thrown through
the air by no visible presence.
If
you’re in the Queen City for Halloween this year, dinner at Habits Café may be
just the thing for a spooktacular evening out.
~ Joy
Details:
3036
Madison Road
Cincinnati,
OH
(513)
631-8367
Hours:
11 a.m. – 2 a.m.
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