Over 150 masks, countless horror costumes and utensils of all kinds: Europe's largest Halloween shop is shuddering all year round.
Plus haunted mansion.
Corona or not: Two days before Halloween, the horror shop in Landsham is very busy.
Okay, it's not as busy as it normally is, admits Randy Mikel's owner, but families with small children are mostly there on this Thursday afternoon.
The girls and boys have eerie fun with the creepy costumes and dolls, some start to move when you touch a sensor.
“For us, the subject of masks is ideal,” says Mikel's (the native American is actually written with an apostrophe “s”) and grins.
When it comes to masks, he and his team have always been specialists.
In addition to the normal stock of around 150 different masks, the horror shop now offers everyday masks that can be worn outside of Halloween and scary parties.
With different motives.
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Randy Mikel's in a room in his haunted mansion.
© Johannes Dziemballa
"You can combine masks well with Halloween disguise and normal clothing," says Randy Mikel's.
Some of the scary masks have always been closed around the mouth and nose and therefore suitable for corona protection.
Best suited for Halloween.
The American mentions the "Scream" mask and the Michael Myers mask (known from Halloween films) as examples.
The horror clown can also be counted in this category.
Mikel's says: Celebrating Halloween is also possible in times like these.
"Why can 30 children sit in a school class, but five children shouldn't be allowed to go from house to house?" To be on the safe side, in other words: to keep a distance, he recommends that parents give their children a witch's broom or a scythe.
A small hook is attached to it, from which a bucket hangs in which candy can be placed.
"So children can use a witch's broom or scythe as a spacer."
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Everyday mask in horror style.
© Johannes Dziemballa
According to the owner, the horror shop in Landsham is the largest Halloween shop in Europe and is open all year round.
In the days before Halloween, the haunted mansion was also in operation - a ghost train to go through.
15 different rooms with dead people, vampires, lots of fake blood, body parts and more.
The special kick: 15 actors ensure that the visitors are really scared.
Randy Mikel's reports that there was great demand.
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There are around 150 different masks in the horror shop.
© Johannes Dziemballa
A year ago he opened the ghost train of a different kind - open to the public only on a few days.
The haunted villa (everything self-built by Mikel's and his team) can be rented on request.
The owner says that two weddings have taken place there and that people want to stay overnight in it from time to time.
As a YouTube challenge (similar to Big Brother), whether and how long you can stand it among all the creepy figures.
“It used to be a test of courage to spend the night in a tent.
It's here today, ”says Randy Mikel's and laughs.
