When people hear “Burbank, Calif.”, they instantly think of Disney Studios, Warner Bros. Studios, IKEA, or even Bob Hope Airport. But locals may be surprised to hear it’s filled with some of the oddest, most beloved spots for horror fans old and new.
One area, in particular, is Magnolia Boulevard, which has been referred to as “Horror Row.” There, you’ll find Dark Delicacies, Halloween Town, Motion Picture F/X Company, among several other interesting shops all within walking distance.
But there’s one block that has drawn more genre fanatics to the area in recent years. And it’s all thanks to the Dr. Frankenstein duo, Kiko Bailey and Erick Wessel.
In 2013, the two transformed a house for rent into an oddities shop known as Bearded Lady Vintage and Oddities. They later relocated to what would become the perfect spot to expand their horror haven with their sister store, The Mystic Museum, in 2016.
After years of stealing customers’ hearts and becoming a sought-after hub for year-round haunts, Bailey and Wessel announced their latest creation, Camp Horror!
Camp Horror, the completely camp and cabin-themed retail shop, offers an interactive experience. Guests can take a step right back into the ‘80s with the store’s retro theme to shop, gaze upon movie props and pose with photo ops.
Bailey and Wessel have continuously wowed the community with their love for all things weird and wicked. The business partners have received high praise not just for their retail stores, but also for their insanely immersive exhibits. In previous years, they’ve seen jaw-dropping turnouts from their The Evil Dead, The Shining, and Slashback Video exhibits. After seeing such success, they applied this experience to further captivate visitors with their new, nostalgic addition.
“What we wanted to do with the retail side is bring the museum to the people so that people can come to the museum; to our fans, customers, and the fans of horror in general,” Wessel says. “We decided to make it all retail with interactive photo ops and museum-like qualities within that retail experience.”
As of now, guests can experience photo ops inspired by Friday the 13th, Sleepaway Camp, The Burning, and The Evil Dead. They plan to continuously rotate their photo ops. And add museum pieces to the shop. So there’s always something new. They will also feature themed items to match whatever exhibit they’re showing at the time.
Camp Horror has been in Bailey and Wessel’s minds for five years. So when a dog grooming shop next door relocated, they knew it was time to bring their vision to life.
The prudent pair started preparing Camp Horror for its grand opening in January 2021. On April 3, they held their grand opening in a COVID-19 fashion. They celebrated with food trucks and coffee to fit the store’s theme.
And to no surprise, it was an absolute hit with yet another incredible turnout. Bailey and Wessel appreciate the support they’ve gotten over the past year. Because of the outpouring of love from the community, they’ve been able to keep their business.
“I just hope the community knows how much it really meant to us during the times when we were closed completely. It’s scary for a small business: You don’t have employees, you aren’t open, you have to pay all your bills. You have to pay your personal bills. It’s just really hard,” Bailey says. “So getting those online orders and recognizing the names of customers or friends — honestly, I cried a few times. It’s just so sweet that they took the time to go purchase from our online store or give us some support. It really just kind of keeps you motivated and going like, ‘Yeah, I can do this. I can get through this.’”
The support from horror fans around the world helped Bailey and Wessel stay in business. And give back to the community and other small businesses through raffles and donations. The challenges they and the community faced during the pandemic was a driving force to go above and beyond once it came time for Camp Horror.
“We’re definitely in a really weird part of history right now, but there’s also a lot to say about being able to go out and connect with people and something for your mind to feel healthy — to feel not even just a connection as much as it is something that makes you happy,” Wessel says. “We’re just glad that we could kind of still do that for people and on a smaller scale than we used to. I think we definitely stepped it up a few notches for Camp Horror. We put a lot of energy and interactive components into this, and we just wanted to make sure [that] if we couldn’t have the museum open and you had to come to the shop, that you felt like you’re in a museum.”
“I’m really grateful to create something new for the community, something for people to experience again,” Bailey says. “That was almost a whole year of not being really entertained and kind of feeling that little bit of connection. So, I think it’s just really great to be in touch with horror again. And seeing all your like-minded friends, being a part of the community again, and regrouping after all this time.”
And as if this all wasn’t exciting enough, the Slashback Video: The Beginning exhibit in The Mystic Museum has REOPENED! Tickets are on sale for $13.
In the words of Crazy Ralph, “You’re going to Camp Blood Horror, ain’t ya?”
*Click to enlarge.
Camp Horror is located at 3200 W. Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505. The shop is open every day from 12:00 – 7:00 p.m. For more information, visit Kiko & Erick’s site here and follow @themysticmuseum on Instagram!
