Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


The tiny Putnam Township Hamlet of Hell and popular tourist destination has been sold to a local family.

Owners Adam and Evelyn Eberline purchased the property that includes four parcels across 7.21-acres for $625,000.

The sale includes two buildings - a 2,000-square-foot former restaurant building and the 1,644-square-foot Screams Souvenirs from Hell & Helloween and the Creamatory ice cream parlor inside the shop.

There's also a wedding chapel, mini-golf course, a place to scatter ashes, the Locks of Love Bridge, and more in the historic unincorporated community off Patterson Lake Road, near Pinckney.

The property was listed by Swisher Commercial on behalf of longtime owner and unofficial Mayor of Hell John Colone. It does not include Hell Saloon.

Evelyn told WHMI it was not something they ever planned for – notably just three months ago. She said they actually heard it was for sale through WHMI and jokingly told her kids that Hell was sale. Eberline said they were very excited, so she started thinking about it and it just kind-of “snowballed” from there.

The couple has always lived in Livingston County and currently reside in Brighton, but were last in Pinckney. They have a 16-year-old, an 11-year-old, and a 7-year-old who are all said to be very eager to help out.

As for the future, Eberline said “our plans are to keep the wonderful foundation that’s already there and just build on it. It needs some updates, it needs a lot of love, and it needs more things to do but we want to keep it in the spirit that that it is – fun, family-friendly, and happy, not scary…There’s so many neat things about it and everyone has a fun story about it, and it’s fun to be a part of”.

Eberline noted the restaurant is not operational and many aspects really just need updating but they want to bring in a lot more stuff for kids and make it more family-friendly, and likely include some gourmet food as it is just ice cream now.

Eberline said family-friendly events will be planned in the coming weeks to help welcome the community, which will be publicized as they are finalized.