Halloween may be over, but ghosts and spirits still haunt the streets, buildings and homes of Downtown DeLand. These most interesting of neighbors may frequent your favorite shops, stroll through the stacks of your library, or even live right next to your own home. Experience these ghosts and their stories for yourself during a Gently Haunted Ghost Tour hosted by DeLand’s Haunted Antique Shop.
Covering 13 ghosts, over 13 stops, within 13 blocks, the upcoming Gently Haunted Tours are scheduled to take place at 7:45 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5, and Friday, Nov. 12. Family-friendly, these tours last about 60 to 90 minutes, are deaf-friendly with an American Sign Language interpreter on staff, start and end at the Athens Theatre, and cost $25 for general admission and $15 for children 6-17 years of age.
Based on stories from the upcoming book Gently Haunted: True Stories From the Haunted Antique Shop by tour guide and shop owner Corrine Kenner, the Gently Haunted Tours introduce you to a side of DeLand rarely seen.
“The book is mostly about my shop,” said Corrine, “but I also did a section called neighborhood haunts, all about other sites in DeLand that are haunted. For example, the West Volusia Historical Society has a ghost, and of course there is John B. Stetson, who haunts his mansion.”
Originally just a vintage shop, the now Haunted Antique Shop was purchased by Corrine in 2018, around which time she realized it was haunted. “We like to say that it’s gently haunted,” said Corrine. “It’s definitely haunted, but it’s not scary, so gently haunted. We hear voices and footsteps in empty rooms, and merchandise occasionally moves around on its own like our Haunted Charlie doll. Charlie used to be kept in the cabinet of curiosities, but one day we heard a loud noise coming from the cabinet, and Charlie had spun completely around in his chair.”
With an eclectic collection of items, The Haunted Antique Shop has everything from quality antiques and collectibles, to vintage furnishings, jewelry, books, and décor. “I wanted to have interesting artistic things in the shop,” said Corrine. “We’ve got a lot of really cool antiques at all price points.”
In addition to the Gently Haunted Ghost Tours, The Haunted Antique Shop also hosts murder-mystery parties, a ghost story book club, and writing and psychic development classes, and they also offer psychic readings.
The Haunted Antique Shop is located in DeLand at 612 W. New York Ave. Store hours are 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
To contact The Haunted Antique Shop or view their items, visit hauntedantiqueshop.com, follow them on Facebook (@HauntedAntiqueShop) and Instagram (@TheHauntedAntiqueShop), or call 386-414-3794.
To purchase tickets for the Gently Haunted Ghost Tours, visit gentlyhauntedtours.com.
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