Fact check: Is one of the oldest bars in downtown Myrtle Beach haunted by a man named Joe?

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The Bowery, located just a few steps from the Atlantic Ocean, is a landmark along Ocean Boulevard in downtown Myrtle Beach and a popular tourist spot.

People often share memories of visiting The Bowery, which has been open since 1944. Many memories center around seeing the country supergroup Alabama perform at the bar. The group got their start at The Bowery, starting out as the house band called Wild Country and performing there from 1973 to 1980.

That’s just one of many legends at the bar and restaurant at 110 9th Ave.

Another legend that has been tied to The Bowery is the haunting by Barman Joe. The story goes that a man known as Barman Joe died suddenly while sitting on a bar stool, but miraculously sprang to life just long enough to finish off his brew before dying for good. According to the tale, Barman Joe can still be heard singing near the bar.

The story has been passed along for years on several websites and social media. But is it true?

According to owner Victor Shamah, The Bowery is not haunted and there is no Barman Joe. Somehow the real story of Joe has become twisted over the years, he said.

“Don’t Cry Joe” Shotkus was a former waiter and bartender who poured beer at The Bowery from the day it opened until he passed away in 1997, according to the website. In the 1930s, Joe and his sister Mary set a marathon dancing record of dancing for 5,295 hours.

But Shotkus did die while apparently drinking a beer at The Bowery, Shamah said.

Shamah said he was there when “Don’t Cry Joe” was drinking and passed out. He began to turn blue, but Shamah and others were able to revive him. When he came back to, he wanted to go back to work, Shamah said.

Shamah said that ghost tours and people come by the bar often to hear the tale of Joe. But Shamah, who has “been on this block” for 65 years, wishes they would at least get the story straight.

And while Shamah, who also owns Peaches Corner - another historic landmark that has been in business selling hot dogs and hamburgers since 1937, said he has never heard or seen any ghosts, the staff at The Bower tell a different story.

Staff have reported hearing noises and seeing things at the bar that can’t be explained.

Could it be Don’t Cry Joe?

People who remember Don’t Cry Joe refer to him as the “singing bartender” and report fond memories of him and his wife. According to stories, Joe could down a mug of beer and carry 25 mugs of beer at once.

Joe got his name because he used to work at Sloppy Joe’s where Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is currently located. It was there that he would sing the song “Don’t Cry, Joe (Let Her Go, Let Her Go, Let Her Go),” written by Joe Marsala and later sung by Frank Sinatra, Shamah said. As Joe would sing the song, he would begin to cry.

Don’t Cry Joe is one of many characters that are celebrated by The Bowery. Those include a 300-pound Go-Go girl and a waiter who set another record by carrying 34 mugs of beer 100 feet without spilling a drop.

Visitors to the bar can hear singing, as live entertainment is offered nightly, but whether that comes from the band or a ghostly Joe may depend on who’s telling the story.