Transcript
Stephen Ballew (0:00)
The Night owl Podcast Episode 60 Haunted Fredo ATX Part 2 welcome to the Night Owl Podcast. I'm your host Stephen Ballew and this is a place for all you restless spirits out there to tune in and hear true tales of the paranormal. I hunt these stories down, capture them from the mouths of those who've experienced them, and share them with you right here. We're currently looking for more personal ghost stories or haunted locations, so if you or someone you know has one, please submit it to us. For consideration, go to thenight owlpodcast.com, click on the submit your story page and let us hear your ghost story in tonight's episode. The Night Owl team returns to Fredo atx, a cozy cafe and bar tucked inside a stunning Victorian home at the corner of South Congress and Althorf in Austin, Texas. In our previous visit, we gathered stories from the owners, staff and a local ghost tour group that that routinely stops at the property. The reports were eerie. A heavy foreboding presence on the first floor, strange thuds and disembodied voices, whispered names, phantom footsteps and sightings of a woman and even children in the upstairs windows. These sightings were so frequent someone once threatened to call CPS. Still, with Fredo only occupying this house since 2021, the staff aren't quite sure what or who might be haunting this place. Some point, half jokingly to the home's most famous former resident, Walter Tips, a rags to riches entrepreneur who rose to become one of Austin's most successful merchants and eventually a Texas State Senator. He lived and died in this home. But could he still be here? And if so, could there be others trying to make themselves known? Tonight, my team and I returned to Freddo, joined by not one, not two, not but three psychic mediums, all with no prior knowledge of this location and blind to the address until arrival. Our goal? To validate the claims shared with us in part one and perhaps uncover something entirely new. Stay tuned. I would like to thank our newest sponsor, Shady Rays. If you're looking for durable yet stylish sunglasses that can compete with any of the top tier brands, then Shady Rays are for you. Get ready for your next adventure with shades that are built to last. Go to shadyrays.com and use code night owl for 35% off polarized sunglasses. I just have one announcement. Night owls. But it's a big one. Save the date. Our Spirit Social is returning Halloween night, October 31, 2025. We're beyond excited to announce that the Spirit Social is coming back this fall and and this year, it's happening on the most fitting night of all, Halloween. Last year's event was truly something special with an incredible turnout. We hosted panels, lectures, live ghost stories, audience Q&As, a massive spooky market, flash tattoos, food trucks, cocktails and more. It felt like a mini paranormal fest, a magical evening where our Night Owl community came together to share experiences, learn, connect and celebrate. This year, we're raising the bar once again with returning guest speakers, exciting new voices, fresh offerings, and a return to a venue that holds deep meaning for us. The ballroom at Spider House, now part of Tweedy's Bar, is not only a beloved Austin haunt, it's also the location featured in the very first episode of the Night Owl Podcast. Mark your calendars for October 31, 2025, and stay tuned for more details. We cannot wait to gather with all you restless spirits again. After wrapping up Part one of our investigation at Fredo atx, the charming coffee shop and bar operating out of a historic 1876 Victorian home in South Austin, I knew this case would be uniquely challenging. Unlike many of our locations, we've investigated with long histories of reported activity, Fredo ATX has only occupied this home since 2021, and while staff and guests have reported unsettling sounds, whispered names to disembodied voices, phantom footsteps, and eerie sightings in the upstairs windows, the experiences have been sporadic and difficult to pin down. There hasn't yet been enough time for patterns to emerge or for these people working in this space to feel truly connected to whatever may be lingering. Still, what we did have on our side was the deeply rooted history of the house itself. Built in 1876 and once home to the prominent Austin merchant turned senator Walter Tips, who actually passed away here, the residence carries a rich, well documented past. My father, our researcher, had just begun diving into the home's history as we returned for part two. But there was still so much we didn't know yet. Which made our plan for this night simple. Allow the space and the spirits to guide us. Tonight would be an explorative investigation led by three psychic mediums, Jeffrey, Kate the Brave and Meg, a former student of our longtime medium, Sarah. You might remember Meg from our cases at Dripping Springs Vision center and more recently, Sunset Strip Comedy Club. None of these mediums had been told the location or given the background information prior to coming. They were escorted separately to the property by our team member, Mikey. Meanwhile, Franklin, Alexis and I carefully covered every plaque, photo and historical marker that might tip them off. Even on the outside of the Building. We had roughly three hours to get to work. The cafe was still closing down with lingering guests and some ambient noise, but owner Harry kindly cut the music upstairs early so we could begin our first sessions there, saving the downstairs for later. Once the space had settled, each medium was given time to explore the exterior and the patio area first, then the upstairs completely on their own. I then brought them one by one into a small upstairs room on the right to gather their first impressions. The same room where many have claimed to see the faces of children peering out the windows. First up was Kate.
