Lately, I am asked, Why are you selling your haunted attraction in Hamden, CT,  Creeperum.com!?  Well to answer that question, I must first introduce my self to those who might not know me and my back ground.

My name is Angelus and I have been an entrepreneur for the past 20 years. I own two small companies, one a Business Coaching/Training company and the other is YourCustomHauntedHouse.com. YourCustomHauntedHouse.com is a division of the parent novelty company Chimera Enterprise, which has been around since 1992.   As for Creeperum, the attraction was created by, and is only one product of YourCustomHauntedHouse.com.

Since the 90s, our company has created a name and reputation for giving our clients and customers the best service in All Things Halloween.  We have delivered almost every thing in the Haunted Industry that our customers have asked for, from animatronics, high end costumes, props, illusions, Hollywood quality sets/scenes, portable Haunted Attractions to even a large professional Haunted Attraction.  We delivered the unimaginable!  Our company even led the path in inflatable Haunted Attractions for the past 11 years.  No other company in the world had our products/services and could deliver it.    It got to the point that we did not need to do much advertisement due to referrals and repeat business.

YourCustomHauntedHouse.com is  known for doing things out side the box and capturing a niche market.  For decades, the family of YourCustomHauntedHouse.com have designed, built and consulted on haunted attractions.  It is a full time business servicing Home Haunters and professional Haunted Attractions.  As a vendor, we have had the opportunity to travel all over the US and internationally.  In short, our company is very Creative and Fun!

A few years back, I decided to open Creeperum for three reasons, 1. I have the resources and cash to do so, 2. I wanted to display YourCustomHauntedHouses’ product and services all in one location, (a show case of our toys), and 3. to see how much FUN we could have while continuing the services of YourCustomHauntedHouse.com.

This Haunted Attraction was not your typical haunt.    You see, there are three parts to the haunted industry.  The Home Haunters, (as the name implies), Props and Costumes Vendors, (one type services the average consumer and the other vendors works with the commercial amusement Parks/Haunted Attractions), and the Professional Haunted Attractions, (which cost a small fortune to start from scratch no a days).

In the commercial haunted industry, the best way to show off your products/services is to create a display/scene or a vignette some where, (usually an industry trade expo, a mall, store front,  social events, etc.).  These are traditionally the ways to get seen and bring in more business.  We tried a whole new approach.  We opened up our own Haunted Attraction, charged tickets, hired actors, laborers, technicians and security, trained the the staff used all of our talents, skills and props to put on several shows for the community and non for profits organizations!  Since no one ever created an attraction for the purpose of marketing and displaying their wears, we where the first.  This was a marketing attempt that did very well for  YourCustomHauntedHouse.com.

In order to run this marketing campaign as a Haunted Attraction, we  had to temporally shut down 60% of our company operations.  Yes, think about that for one moment.  When have you ever heard of a marketing/advertising program that took up most of the time and resources of the parent company!?  That is the nature of this industry.  Well,…again, we did the impossible!  All this for the love of All Things Halloween.

Back to the original question.  Why did we closed down Creeperum???   It all comes down to this, I and my staff were NOT HAVING FUN.  As a vendor, I travel and I deliver, rent, design, manufacture, etc., etc., with full creativity and with plenty of time.  After 30 years in the Halloween business, believe it or not…, a haunted attraction is just a simple formula for us.  A haunted attraction takes up all my time and is not a creative play ground for my self and my crew.  I got bored!  Also, there are far easier ways to create the same revenues with one fifth the work.

Now, you might say that you would never get bored if you had your own professional haunt. All I can say is, you try doing something for 30 and see if you don’t get bored.  After 30 years, I want to do some thing new and exciting.  For me, that will always be YourCustomHauntedHouse.com.

That is it for now.  We will be talking to you in the coming month.

May your Lives be Creative, Joyful and Spooky FUN!

Hello to all my friends, family and colleagues in the Haunted Industry.

Well, it was a grand Halloween season and we got around this year!  One of our clients was the Deputy Commissioner of Parks and Recreations of Mount Vernon New York.  They were a new customer and we came close to losing them due to event insurance policy changes.

In case you did not know, we are the only company in the US that rent out Portable, Inflatable Haunted Attractions, for the past 10 years with out one safety incident.  At least none requiring an insurance claim being filed.  It is a high ticket item, and a hike in insurance coverage means that we are out side the small budget clients.  We carry a basic Inflatable Maze for the smaller budgets, then teach the clients how to add their own decor.  This helps in most cases, but not this year.

You see, there are many little nonprofessionals and armatures who have purchased their own inflatables/bounces and rent them part time on the week end.  Now, I am all into the little guy creating their own business and making a living, (capitalism at its’ best).  What hurts every one in the industry is that these solo/entrepreneurs do not train them selves, read the instructions that come with the units or seek mentors/coaches in the industry to show them the pros and cons of entertaining.  End results, people get injured, maimed and even killed when these units are set up incorrectly.

How do the insurance companies respond!?  They set their policies at double, quad-triple or more to cover these events.  Well, at least for those who use insurance.  That is another discussion for later.  The plan of the insurance companies is to put the small solo/entrepreneurs out of business, since only the very large entertainment companies can afford the new quotes.  Insidious, is it not???  Trust me, with out quoting who, many insurance agents told me this, (the worst of capitalism).

So, what happen with Mount Vernon’s event??  Well, their family event could not afford our Inflatable Maze.   So, we gave them a minny show instead.  Remember,  “We Are All Things Halloween”!  So, we worked within their budgets and gave them, “the best event they have ever had”, quoting the Deputy Commissioner  Sylvia Gadson, (again – capitalism at its’ best).8-)

Moral of this story is be creative, find a way for the show to go on and have fun in the process!

Talk to you all very soon.  Until then, Happy Holidays!!!

Haunted Expo Trans World

Hello and welcome to all of you out there that do not live in the United States!!!

Halloween, (as it is practiced here in the USA), is more, or less, a combination of certain European customs, modified by the American culture.  Now, I am not going to talk about the origins of Halloween in America in this post.  I am more interested in those countries that do not celebrate, (or did not celebrate some form of Halloween in their past), but are doing so now.

During my 30 years of doing all things Halloween in America,  I have advised and consulted with my counter parts in South America, Canada, Australia, the Middle East, to name just a few.  I would like to know what countries adapted and created their version of Halloween and when they started?  Do you wear costumes?  Do you have Haunted Expos? Do you have Haunted Attractions?  Do you have some Spooky Ritual(s) that you practice with your friends, family and neighbors? Does retail in your country sell a lot of Halloween merchandise?  What are the similarities and differences???   And the list goes on!

If you practice and celebrate some form of Spooky Festivities in your country, I would LOVE IT if you can write our Staff  how you celebrate Halloween in your home town.  We want details!  So, do not hold back.  If we like what we read, we may add it to future posts.

Until our next time, Happy SpookFest!

Yes, it is Crazy, but true.  The retail stores have been stocking their shelves with candy and costumes, in preparation for that magic night.  That night being All Hollows Eve, or Halloween!  So this post will be short and sweet, with much more to come in the following days and weeks.

For those of you who are thinking of holding a Halloween costume party, event, show, parade, etc., DO REMEMBER US at YourCustomHauntedHouse.com.  Here, “We are All Things Halloween“, and we can help you enhance what ever event you are planning.  So, start thinking about us and Halloween; and we will promise to have the doors open for you. Ready to serve you with the best Spooky props, illusions and advise that no one else can offer.  We Mean No One Else.  Just check us out and see for your self.   We are the only company in the country that rent out our own portable Mazes,Haunted Mazes/Attractions and Graveyards!

Until our next post, enjoy the remaining summer days my friends.

Crew and staff at YourCustomHauntedHouse.com

The Town of Milford’s NEW Character Breakfast Event is one you won’t want to miss! Join us on Sunday, June 11 from 9-11am at Lisman Landing (37 Helwig St, Milford, CT) for “Pancakes with Pirates!” You’ll enjoy Pacakes, Sausage, Juice, Coffee/Tea while listening to Rockin’ Ron the Friendly Pirate play guitar and sing tracks from his albums “Give Me an RRR, Pirate PaRRRty and The Flying Pirate Circus. Face painting and plenty of pictures with your favorite Pirate, both Live and Un-Dead!  YourCustomHauntedHouse.com helps by supplying some of the un-dead and decor.  Come for the Food, Fun and Family activities!

Reserve your ticket today before they are SOLD OUT!

Refer to link, https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pancakes-with-pirates-milford-ct-tickets-33015061939?aff=es2

Tickets will only be sold at the door if available, Door price will be $15.

Avast ye hearties! There be Pirates in Milford This year! You know summer is here when the Pirates arrive in Downtown Milford – and there’s no better way to celebrate the 15th Annual Pirate’s Weekend than with a Ball! New for this year, The Pirate’s Ball takes place at Fowler’s Pavilion (behind the Library) – it’s a night food, fun and the sounds of Changes In Latitudes, the country’s premier Jimmy Buffet cover band!

No Pirate’s Ball is complete without the right attire – so dress your seaworthy best! Best dressed pirate wins a ride along Captain Kidd himself aboard the “Oz” the following morning when he and his crew capture Milford.

Food Trucks, Vendors, Dancing, and Changes in Latitudes – kick off summer with a bang! Hurry – tickets are limited. Get yours before they sell out!

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-pirates-ball-milford-ct-tickets-33014959633
Arr, I almost forgot to mention.  Our actors, (Or should I say our Un-dead actors), will be there as well to entertain all ye enters!  Our ship mates will be there Sunday the 11th as well.  So come on down for the festivities and maybe you might join our ranks of the un-dead!