An Elvis superfan paid $150,000 for a Memphis home inspired by Graceland, which its previous owners bought for $55,000; she now plans to turn its backyard caravans into another source of income
When Elvis Presley superfan Claire Starring heard that musicians Dale Watson and Celine Lee were selling their Graceland-inspired home in Memphis, Tennessee, she did not take long to decide. Starring was visiting the real Graceland at the time, a place she visits often.Within hours, she went to see the house and decided she wanted it. The three-bedroom, 1.5-bathroom property, known as ‘Lil’ Graceland, was listed for $175,000. According to property records cited by website Realtor, Starring eventually bought it for $150,000.“I have to have this place. I don’t care how I do it, I have to have this place,” was Starring’s first thought, she recalled, as quoted by Realtor. The green shag carpet inside the house was one of the first things that caught her attention. “The minute I stepped foot on the shag green carpet, I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh. I love it. We have to have this house.’”Starring, who lives in Woodstock, Georgia, bought the house despite her husband suggesting that she should not appear too interested if she wanted to negotiate the price. But she told him, “No, you pay asking price, because I want this place”.
No plans to change the interiors
Watson and Lee had bought the property in 2017 for $55,000 from its original owners. They turned it into a home filled with Elvis memorabilia and items inspired by the 1950s.Starring is a former set designer and home renovator, but she does not plan to carry out major changes inside “Lil’ Graceland”. Instead, she plans to keep most of the existing design and furnishings.But she did make one immediate change after buying the house. The exterior, which had been brick-red, was painted bright turquoise on the day she completed the purchase. Inside, however, she plans to leave the property largely as it is.The house has a number of features linked to its retro and Elvis-inspired theme. Its rooms include wood panelling, vintage-style furniture, Elvis memorabilia and a green shag carpet. One room, described as a peacock-themed living room, takes inspiration from a similarly themed stained-glass room at the actual Graceland.The kitchen also has a retro look, although it has been fitted with new appliances. The property is already furnished, which was another reason Starring did not feel the need to make major changes.
Plans for the backyard caravans
Starring does have plans for two caravans located in the backyard. She plans to remodel them and “glamp them out” so they can be used to host guests.One of the caravans already has a full bathroom. The idea will add another way for the property to generate income while allowing visitors to experience the Elvis-themed location.
Starring plans to keep most of the existing design and furnishing
“Lil’ Graceland” is already being used for several purposes. The property operates as a short-term rental on Airbnb and can also be booked as a film and photo set. It is also used as a recording studio.Visitors can book the location for a day or stay overnight to experience the property. Starring also plans to eventually use it for weddings, giving Elvis fans another way to use the Memphis property.
Sun Studio equipment inside
The basement adds another part to the property’s connection with music. It contains original equipment from Sun Studio, the recording service founded in the 1950s by Sam Phillips.Watson, one of the previous owners, acquired the equipment and still uses the recording studio at the house. He is expected to record another album there in October.The studio has also recently been used by bands including The Black Keys and Reverend Horton Heat. Starring plans to continue allowing fans and music industry professionals to use the property.She will keep some dates blocked for her family. Although she lives around five hours away in Georgia, she maintains the property with help from a local team in Memphis and remains in contact with the previous owners.Her family will also use the house for special occasions. “We’ll be going for Thanksgiving. We’re going to have a 1950s Thanksgiving at the house,” she said. “And then, we’ll be back for Elvis’ birthday.”
Starring’s Elvis Connection
Starring’s connection with Elvis began when she was a child growing up on the Isle of Man, an island in the Irish Sea between Ireland and Great Britain.She remembers that her parents were always working while she was growing up. Her mother would play Elvis’ music for her, and the singer eventually became a major part of her childhood.“Sometimes, people don’t have something to believe in. I believe in God, and I’d never think that Elvis is a god … but he was everything when I was growing up,” she said. “He was the person I talked to about everything. His music really helped me.”Starring said Elvis’ journey from having very little to becoming a major music star also inspired her. “The way he came from nothing and never changed who he was … That, to me, is massive,” she said.Her fandom is also part of her family life. Starring is the mother of a daughter, Presley Grace, and was recently married at Graceland. She said her husband is not as big an Elvis fan as she is, but he understands what the singer means to her.Starring explained that her daughter comes first, followed by rescue animals and then Elvis. “Elvis is massive in my life. So if you can deal with that, then we’re good to go. If not, then you can jog on,” she said. “He accepts my crazy, and he loves it.”“I didn’t buy it for me,” Starring explained. “I bought it for every Elvis fan. Every fan of music. Every fan of Memphis. You know, it’s a really special place.”
