THE STORY
Reported Haunting
The historic La Jolla building that housed Herringbone is said to be haunted by a former owner, often identified in local lore as businessman C. Arnholt Smith. Employees and visitors have reported unexplained footsteps, strange noises, and other disturbances attributed to a lingering presence within the property.
Former owner C. Arnholt Smith, aka “Mr. San Diego,” is believed to haunt Herringbone. Smith was a businessman and the first owner of the San Diego Padres. He used this property as a car dealership and then a wine business run by his son in the 1970s, but the building was vacant for many years after that. When Herringbone finally bought it in 2010, it was determined that a spirit was here, seen as a shadowy figure. Employees say the ghost is friendly, and when they see an empty stool by the bar, they may even leave a drink, just in case the ghost is thirsty.