14 Feb 2013
Staff Writer
Will Jaeger
Intern
@WillNTDaily
Richard Alvarado likes to scare people, and he doesn’t strictly limit that desire to Halloween. Moxley Manor, Alvarado’s haunted house, is open for business tonight and throughout the weekend to give customers a scary alternative for their Valentine’s Day plans.
Moxley Manor opened three years ago in a shopping center in Bedford, Texas. In order to rent the space, the city of Bedford required Alvarado to open it seasonally, not just for Halloween. Alvarado saw an opportunity to put fear into the hearts of his customers year-round.
“We do Halloween, Christmas, every Friday the 13th and Valentine’s Day,” Alvarado said.
The staff of Moxley Manor benefits from working together throughout the year. Events like the Valentine’s Day Massacre give them a chance to improve for future events, said Don Harvey, UNT entrepreneurship graduate student and general manager of the haunted house.
“It’s a good opportunity for the cast to get together and experience new props and new scares,” Harvey said.
Each event at Moxley Manor usually has a theme. This Valentine’s Day Massacre will be themed as a high school prom gone horribly wrong. Customers will be confronted by actors in bloody formal dresses and subjected to love songs from the ‘70s and ‘80s over the sound system. Alvarado said the ploy will add to the spooky atmosphere. To further add to the ambience, there will also plenty of prop coffins, clowns and ghouls throughout the space.
Tiffany Johnson, a repeat customer to the haunted house, said Moxley Manor always delivers on scares.
“My eyes are closed half the time,” Johnson said. “I try to laugh through it, but it’s terrifying.”
Alvarado and his staff get real joy from seeing their customers run for the exits.
“Our goal is to get our customers to quit, pee or puke,” Alvarado said. “One customer passed out just waiting in line, so we had to call an ambulance. It was good for business.”
Moxley Manor is located at 510 Harwood Rd., and tickets can be purchased online at www.moxleymanor.com.
