SWIFTWATER, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — As October approaches, many people are finding the ‘spooky spirit of Halloween’ at one shop in the Poconos.
28/22 News stopped by the candle business to learn more about its building’s frightening history.
Thousands of hand-poured candles and trinkets fill the Candle Shoppe of the Poconos in Swiftwater.
Stuffed monkeys are popular items, why you may ask? Because the shop is known for alleged paranormal animal activity.
“We started to have paranormal experiences,” said Linda Schlier, owner, Candle Shoppe of the Poconos. “It went from there to calling some psychics in and some mediums, and got ahold of Animal Planet because we had animal activity here.” continued Schlier.
Schlier opened the shop 18 years ago on Route 611 not knowing its haunted history.
“This home was built in 1897 and a doctor lived here, his name was Dr. William Redwood Fisher.” said Robyn Cochran, asst. manager/haunted tour guide, Candle Shoppe of the Poconos.
Staff say Dr. Fisher used the home as his research laboratory in the basement where he tested on primates to create smallpox and yellow fever vaccines.
“We started to build the parking lots and we were finding mass graves of the little monkey heads and you know where they did the research,” said Schlier.
They ended up opening the haunted history tours throughout his labs with the alleged original monkey cages and tools left from testing.
Staff say that many customers over the years have reported feeling a paranormal experience, even 28/22 News' photographer Taylor, when walking down the steps, says he felt his jacket being pulled.
Schlier says she had one experience she’ll never forget.
“I was on like the fourth step of the ladder and all of a sudden, this noise, it sounded like a train coming and there was like animals running around my feet and through the top floor of the candle shop, and as it went on, it got louder and louder,” said Schlier.
Although the tour is educational and fun, they take safety serious.
“I do let everybody know that if they do feel uncomfortable in any type of way, we can exit them out safely and we did have to do that several times,” said Cochran.
The Candle Shoppe in Swiftwater is open seven days a week.
This is their busiest time of year, if you’d like to book a tour head to Haunted History Tour Tickets (mycandleshoppe.com).
