For nearly 50 years, the murders at Florida State University’s Chi Omega sorority house have remained one of Tallahassee’s darkest chapters.
Now, a traveling “pop-up” cocktail bar focused on serial killers – complete with a Ted Bundy-inspired drink – is bringing those crimes back into the spotlight, raising questions about whether entertainment has crossed a line.
Midnight Creative calls itself “the ultimate destination for unforgettable themed shows mixed with immersive cocktail experiences.” Its latest concept, the “Serial Killer Speakeasy,” is coming to Tallahassee this July. A request for comment about the show is pending with a Midnight Creative representative.
For $55 a person, the 90-minute experience aims to cater to those “irresistibly drawn to the darker side of history.” Ads for the local event have begun circulating on social media platforms. VIP tickets ($70) have already sold out for two of the six local showings.
But the concept has well-known Florida State University professor and poet David Kirby, among many others, saying it crosses a line.
“Seriously, this show has a Facebook page, and you can go there to see lots of pics of and rave reviews by whole gaggles of ‘besties’ in other cities who apparently think that Ted Bundy was a lot more fun than those of us who lived through those days in Tallahassee did,” Kirby wrote in a Facebook post on May 27.
He’s not alone. Other Tallahasseeans took to social media to question or even denounce the “serial killers and cocktails” concept.
“I don’t think that Ted Bundy carries a lot of entertainment value in Tallahassee,” one person wrote. “Now, Jack the Ripper tours work in London because everyone involved has been gone for a long time. But I keep running into people who have Bundy stories here.”
Still others said, “This is wild considering this guy actually killed FSU students in Tallahassee,” “Wild to glorify killers. Wonder how the victims and their families feel about this,” and even, “This is awful. Truly awful. Seriously, how low can you go?”
Serial killer-themed bar to set up at prominent local building
The “chilling, immersive experience” will be hosted by the Tallahassee Garden Club at its headquarters on North Calhoun Street.
The historic house it’s in “was built in 1848 for Henry Rutgers (City Councilman and Territorial Treasurer, 1842-1844), by George Proctor, a free Black man who built many of the early Tallahassee homes,” according to the club’s website.
The pop-up event itself features four serial killers – Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy and Ed Gein – and four themed drinks.
The “Friendly Stranger” cocktail is inspired by Bundy, whose 1978 attacks at FSU left a lasting mark on the Tallahassee community.
He broke into the Chi Omega sorority house and killed two students, Margaret Bowman and Lisa Levy. He also attacked two others who survived.
As reported by USA TODAY, the murders have gone down as one of the worst in the state capital’s 200-year history and have been the subject of countless documentaries, movies and TV shows.
Deal to host serial killer bar was ‘solely contractual’
Sue Griner, a member of the club’s board of trustees, told the Tallahassee Democrat that the club “didn’t know what the (theme) would be,” describing the booking as “solely a contractual arrangement.”
Midnight Creative presented the concept only as a “mystery theater” to the association, Griner said. The contract, signed more than three months ago, is now binding.
The organization regularly rents out its property for events ranging from business meetings to weddings. A signed contract gives guests access to spaces that include a ballroom, parlor, Trophy Room, Sun Room, dining room, kitchen, gazebo, deck, patio and outdoor areas.
According to the standard contract, which is posted online, clients who cancel must forfeit a $500 deposit and send a notice within 30 days of the event.
Griner says she found out the exact theme a week ago when she looked it up on her own. She says the club has not received any comment about the event from the public.
The experience has drawn nearly five-star reviews from previous attendees in more than 40 cities it visits for its “amazing” production.
This article includes previously reported information. Kyla A Sanford covers dining and entertainment for the Tallahassee Democrat. New restaurant opening up, special deals, or events coming up? Let me know at ksanford@tallahassee.com. You can also email your suggestions for a future TLH Eats restaurant profile.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Serial killer, Ted Bundy ‘pop-up’ bar stokes outrage in Tallahassee
Reporting by Kyla A Sanford, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
