If you’ve driven down Ford Ave. into Wyandotte, you’ve probably seen the Thirst Parlor Saloon. The bar was bought and renovated by downriver business owner Steve Mallie – who also owns Mallie’s in Southgate – in 2015.
History of The Thirst Parlor
I recently talked with Steve about the bar and its vast history. It dates back to 1911, as it was originally a house that became a bar. It also has a history with the Detroit Jewish gang called the Purple Gang or the Sugar House Gang. Steve told me about how, during prohibition, they would bury bottles, as opposed to throwing them out, so as not to be caught. He’s dug up several and they are on display in the Wyandotte bar.
When Steve purchased the property, it was The Chas Bar. He has records and pictures of it as a speakeasy from the twenties, which are also on display.
Renovating The Thirst Parlor
Steve told me that the city was great to work in when he bought the historic building, but things in his personal life were not good. His wife passed away in 2016, and to add to that, he now found himself taking care of his kids. “Honestly, when she passed, I had a 3, 6, and 9-year-old, and that threw me off kilter, and I just wasn’t me. It took probably a good four years for me to get back, and then Covid hit. A lot of people wondered what took so long. Life circumstances slowed the project down, then Covid.”
The Haunted History Of The Thirst Parlor
After some instances happened at Mallie’s, the guys from the Detroit Paranormal Expeditions caught wind of it and asked to investigate. During a conversation, Steve mentioned that he had recently bought a property in Wyandotte with a rich history. Steve says he’s a see-it-to-believe-it kind of guy. He said while working on the third floor, his sensibilities were heightened. “Going on the third floor, you get the feeling of the hair on the back of your neck standing up; the air’s a little heavier. You ever get the feeling of someone looking at you? Something’s not right. something’s weird.” He went on to say that other people tell him they get the same feeling.
Jeff Adkins from DPX explained “The Thirst Parlor is one of the most historic places downriver, and the energy of its past may still remain there to this day. We investigated the building several times, during one of which Todd was physically scratched on his hand during a Facebook Live stream. That was a profound experience and it’s not something we’ve experienced many times before at other places.” Jeff said employees have spoken of weird feelings in the building. “Speaking with the staff there also showcases the level of activity in the building, as many of them have reported activity such as hearing disembodied voices there. The building of course went through a complete overhaul and renovation, which has been shown to increase activity at many reportedly haunted locations in the past.”
If you get that chance, swing by this Wyandotte gem and see it for yourself. The pictures below are from a visit I took there in June of this year. For more info, visit their website here.
A big thank you to Steve, Jeff, and Todd from DPX for the time.
