For mothers wanting their children to hurry home at dark, the legend of the witch-like Huggin’ Molly was a helper. For children, she was downright frightening. The legend of Huggin’ Molly is unique to the Alabama town of Abbeville, and though its origins are unclear, it was a story passed down through generations.
Jimmy Rane, founder of Great Southern Wood Preserving, known to most for its product YellaWood, is an Abbeville native who opened a restaurant named for the legend. The family style eatery, filled with vintage signs and movie poster collected by Rane, helps draw residents and visitors to the downtown area that Rane is helping to revitalize.
“Anybody who grew up in Abbeville grew up knowing the legend of Huggin’ Molly,” Rane said. “If your mother or dad didn’t want you to be out after dark, they’d tell you Huggin’ Molly would get you. And you believed it, too.”
Legend claims a phantom woman would appear to children, but only at night. She would squeeze them tightly, then scream in their ears. She never harmed them, other than perhaps causing some ringing in their ears. The figure was as much as 7 feet tall, wearing dark clothing and a wide-brimmed hat.
One version of the story claims Molly was the ghost of a woman who had lost an infant who dealt with the tragedy by hugging local children. Another states Molly was a professor at the former Southeast Alabama Agriculture School who was trying to keep students safe by keeping them off the streets at night.
Rane said he and childhood friend Tommy Murphy heard the story from Murphy’s father, who said he knew Huggin’ Molly was real because he had experienced one of her hugs as a child. That was enough to convince the boys.
The restaurant and vintage movie memorabilia
Today, Abbeville residents can remember Huggin’ Molly by venturing downtown and stopping in a cafe named for the phantom. Huggin’ Molly’s, located at 129 Kirkland Street, has an old-fashioned soda fountain offering ice cream and malts. It is decorated with vintage advertisements and mercantile display jars.
The menu includes Mr. Tony’s Spaghetti and a sandwich called Mr. Tony’s Diplomat, both named for Rane’s father, the late Tony Rane, who was a well-known local businessman and restaurateur. You can also order Molly’s Fingers with “Come Back” Sauce. Southern fare includes pimento cheese and crackers and fried green tomatoes.
In the dining side of the building, which also offers a room for private events, numerous vintage movie posters are hung on the walls. They are not reproductions, but were collected by Rane, who is a film buff.
“It really all goes back to my childhood,” Rane said. “I have so many fond memories of going to the Archie Theatre on Saturday afternoons and seeing so many great movies there. Those were the days when John Wayne, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Gene Autry and many others were bigger than life.
“Among my favorite items are movie posters from those days – To Kill a Mockingbird, anything from John Wayne but especially The Searchers, and Casablanca. Posters from Roy Rogers and Gene Autry movies are also among my favorites.”
Another favorite item hangs on a wall in a glass case: The prop gun from the film “Old Yeller.” Yes, it’s the gun that “shot” Old Yeller in one of the most memorable, and tear-jerking, scenes in film history.
Rane also has a collection of cars related to movies, including one from 1973’s “American Graffiti” and cars from the Godfather series. Chamber of Commerce President Pam Ward said she would love to find a way to display some of Rane’s cars in town at some point but they are currently in storage.
Rane said: “My favorite is a personal car that belonged to John Wayne. Like many children from that era, I really looked up to him so anything of his is special to me. Since then, I’ve had the good fortune to become close friends with members of his family. It’s a very special relationship full of great memories of such a wonderful man.”
