HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
Sanford's first microbrewery operates in a 1916 building where mediums have identified five distinct spirits, most persistently a woman named Jennifer
419 Sanford Ave, Sanford, FL 32771
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
Taproom pricing; craft beer and food menu
Access
Wheelchair OK
Single-story building with beer garden
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1916 · Seminole County Commercial History · Sanford Craft Beer Pioneer · Downtown Sanford Heritage District
The structure at 419 Sanford Avenue was erected in 1916 as part of downtown Sanford's early commercial fabric. Over its first century it cycled through distinctly different uses: a fish market, most prominently Stokes' Seafood Market from 1938 through 1992; a meat business; a women's clothing retailer; and at one point a political campaign office. After the fish market closed in the early 1990s the building sat vacant at intervals before being repurposed.
Peter Minelga and Greg Piecora opened Wop's Hops Brewing Company in October 2014, establishing Sanford's first microbrewery in the 1916 shell. The business occupies two connected structures, with the beer garden extending from the original building. The name and concept draw on Sanford's Italian-American immigrant history; the brewery has become a fixture in the city's craft beverage scene.
The Orange County Regional History Center has documented the building's paranormal reputation alongside its commercial history, and it appears on organized ghost tours of downtown Sanford.
Sources
The paranormal documentation at Wop's Hops is anchored by medium investigations that have identified five named or partly named spirits. Jennifer is the most prominent figure in local accounts. She is described as a woman who died violently in the building — strangled and stabbed — and her presence is characterized by sudden temperature drops and cold spots that move through the taproom and connecting structures. Some visitors and staff report a sense of sorrow or unease localized to specific areas.
The four other identified presences carry names but less narrative specificity: Claudia, a former building occupant; Stephen, who is said to favor the restroom area and react negatively to dogs and children; David, associated with the beer garden; and one entity whose name has not been determined. Misty shapes have been reported in the beer garden, and dogs brought to the space consistently refuse to enter — a detail corroborated across multiple independent visitor accounts.
Note on the Jennifer narrative: the claim that Jennifer was murdered in the building rests on oral tradition and medium testimony rather than documented criminal records. No archival source confirming a homicide at this address has been located. The sensitivity flag on this venue reflects the violent framing of a named female victim.
Notable Entities
The taproom and beer garden occupy a 1916 commercial building that housed Stokes' Seafood Market for decades before becoming Sanford's first brewery in October 2014. Staff and investigators report cold spots and misty apparitions throughout both connected structures. Dogs are reported to refuse entry to the beer garden.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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Jacksonville Beach, FL
The building at 1318 Beach Blvd was constructed in 1950 and served successive commercial tenants — a dress shop, grocery store, and glass shop — before Darlene Edith 'Ginger' Payson opened her bar there in 1976. Payson had worked as a burlesque performer across Jacksonville for decades, with acts including 'Tiza, The Girl in the Goldfish Bowl' and 'The Original Shower Girl.' Three of her sons were killed in a shrimping accident; their bodies washed ashore near the building. Payson operated the bar until her death in 2003.
St. Augustine, FL
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