There are bars in Memphis that serve drinks, and then there are bars that serve stories.
The Green Beetle, sitting on the corner of South Main and Vance, has been doing both for nearly a century.
With its glowing green sign, creaking stools, and walls lined with photographs of old Memphis, the Beetle feels timeless. It is the kind of place where regulars talk about music, sports, and the Grizzlies, but if you stay late enough, the conversation always turns to ghosts.
Because at the Green Beetle, they say the bar’s founder still checks in from time to time.
The Oldest Tavern in Town
The Green Beetle opened in 1939, making it the oldest tavern in Memphis. It was founded by Frank Liberto, an Italian immigrant who carved out a living serving beer and burgers to railroad workers and locals in the South Main district.
Over the decades, the bar survived World War II, segregation, and waves of change that wiped out many of its neighbors. While other businesses came and went, the Beetle stayed. Frank’s family ran it for years, keeping its character intact. The wooden bar stayed the same, the neon lights flickered, and the old brick building held onto its secrets.
When downtown Memphis hit hard times in the 1980s and 90s, the Green Beetle was one of the few places that kept its doors open. By the time South Main found new life, the Beetle had become a symbol of resilience.
And like any place that has seen as much life as this one, it picked up a few ghosts along the way.
Frank’s Second Shift
Ask any bartender who has worked at the Green Beetle long enough, and they will tell you about Frank Liberto’s spirit.
Some nights, when the last customer leaves and the doors are locked, they hear the sound of footsteps behind the bar. Bottles clink softly, as if someone is checking inventory. Lights flicker in the hallway even after the switches are off. One bartender said he once heard a stool slide across the floor and turned to see it move two inches on its own.
The stories are so consistent that even new employees start to believe. The ghost is polite, predictable, and always busy — just like Frank was.
“He’s not trying to scare anybody,” one longtime regular said. “He just wants to make sure the bar’s running right.”
The Woman Named Marilyn
Frank isn’t the only spirit said to call the Beetle home.
Regulars also talk about Marilyn, a woman believed to have lived upstairs during the bar’s early years. No one knows exactly who she was, but stories about her go back decades.
Some say Marilyn was a waitress who fell in love with Frank. Others think she was a singer from the old clubs along Beale Street who spent her nights performing and her mornings drinking coffee in the back booth. However she came to be connected to the place, she never left.
Marilyn’s ghost is said to make herself known when the music gets too loud. Bartenders tell stories of wine glasses flying off shelves or shattering in empty rooms when the jukebox blares too long. One night, a customer’s beer bottle slid across the table by itself right after someone joked about her name.
“She’s got an attitude,” a server once said with a laugh. “You can tell when Marilyn’s not happy.”
The Living and the Dead on South Main
What makes the Green Beetle’s haunting feel so believable is how much life still pulses through the place.
On any weekend, you can find locals and tourists shoulder to shoulder, cheering the Tigers or Grizzlies, listening to live music, or sharing burgers at the bar. The jukebox hums, the lights buzz, and the energy feels a little different than anywhere else downtown.
Sometimes, between songs, the room goes quiet. A sudden draft sweeps through the hallway. The air turns still. Someone might joke that Frank is making his rounds again or that Marilyn just didn’t like that last song. Everyone laughs, but no one quite shakes the feeling that they are not alone.
The Beetle’s Legacy
The Green Beetle isn’t a polished bar or a haunted house attraction. It is something better — a piece of Memphis that has stayed true to itself.
Its ghosts are part of its charm, reminders of how much history has passed through those doors. They are the echoes of late nights, long conversations, and the people who built South Main before it was trendy again.
Whether you believe in the supernatural or not, you cannot deny the vibe. It is the same one that keeps people coming back year after year. A mix of comfort, nostalgia, and mystery that only Memphis can create.
So the next time you stop by for a beer and the lights flicker, raise a glass. It might just be Frank checking on things.
And if you hear a glass clink behind you, smile. Marilyn probably just wants to make sure the music stays classy.
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