Haunt Coffee, a paranormal-themed coffee shop and bookstore, is located at 720 Wilkes-Barre Township Blvd.
Margaret Roarty | Times Leader
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Gently used children’s costumes were on display Sunday at Haunt Coffee, where kids were able to go and pick out costumes for free as part of the cafe’s community day.
Margaret Roarty | Times Leader
WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Haunt Coffee kicked off the spooky season Sunday with a community day that involved discounted drinks and free Halloween costumes for kids.
Racks and tables of gently-used costumes were set up inside the cafe, located at 720 Wilkes-Barre Township Blvd., and owner Jamie Gatts said roughly two dozen kids had already picked through the piles not even an hour into the event.
“When we were thinking about our October and what we wanted to do, because this is our first spooky season open, we decided we wanted to do something that gave back to the community,” explained Gatts.
Haunt Coffee began accepting donations in the summer and the owner was pleasantly surprised with the amount the cafe received.
“We’ve been really thankful for that. People seemed to be on board with wanting their kids’ costumes to get a second life,” she said.
As a lifelong lover of Halloween, Gatts wanted to make sure as many families as possible had the opportunity to participate in the holiday without breaking the bank.
“It’s tough out there. Things are expensive right now. This way, kids can be proud of their costumes whether they’re wearing it to school or out trick-or-treating,” she said.
Haunt Coffee opened in January and has been serving up spooky-themed drinks and desserts ever since. In addition to selling paranormal books and decor, the cafe also hosts workshops and events, like Horror Movie Trivia, all year round.
Some highlights from the October schedule include a horror writing workshop at 6 p.m. on Oct. 24 and a Halloween Celebration at 6 p.m. on Oct. 26.
Haunt Coffee also hosts True Crime Tuesday every Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Following community day, Gatts said the cafe will continue prioritizing giving back to the community by partnering with other local businesses and organizations.
Currently, the cafe is taking pre-orders for its new t-shirts, with 100% of the proceeds going to Blue Chip Animal Farm Refuge. Those interested can order online at thislifeapparel.com.
Haunt Coffee also sponsored two haunted attractions this year. The cafe will be a vendor at Hell’s Nightmare in Dallas, which benefits Shriner’s Children’s Hospital, and will have coupons available in store for Gravestone Manor in Wilkes-Barre, which benefits the United Way.
“If [Gravestone Manor] gets 150 of our coupons, we’re gonna run a drink special here,” Gatts said.
Even though her perspective on the holiday has changed since opening her own business, Gatts is excited to see what the rest of the season brings.
“I love it. it’s just a little bit different because now I’m the one providing the spookiness.”
For a full list of Haunt Coffee’s October events visit the cafe’s Facebook page.