Two young siblings are the creators of the only Black-owned haunted house in New York. Twenty-seven-year-old Donte, and his sister, 20-year-old Kennedy told Travel Noire that they were inspired to create The Terror Below by their love for Halloween when growing up.
“Our parents took us to every haunted house and maze since we were little. We used to win every costume contest we have ever been in,” the siblings said. “Also, our house was the house that everyone talked about and visited. We would open it up and let them walk inside so we could scare them.”
The Terror Below opened in October 2021 and is a first-class haunted house attraction comprised of approximately 10,000 square feet of themed rooms, corridors, and a labyrinth of passageways.
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Everything in the haunted house was designed by the sibling duo themselves, including the set and props, and they even hired the actors.
Located at 132 N. Wellwood Avenue in Lindenhurst, the haunted house is open to anyone ages 12 and up. Admission is $20 for an experience described as a “fun, scary interactive haunted experience.”
“We hope to scare our guests and make them leave here saying they had a great time but we [also] want them to think twice before going into basements,” Donte and Kennedy added.
Since the grand opening, Donte and Kennedy are getting a lot of love and support from the community. Lines have wrapped around the corner, their mom told Travel Noire.
Both co-founders say they are overwhelmed with joy, especially as young, Black entrepreneurs who decided to break into an industry where not many look like them.
“It feels amazing to be the only Black-owned haunted house in New York. It’s not the typical business route for Black entrepreneurs, especially those in our demographics as millennials. We hope we can inspire others to think outside of the box when thinking about business ideas. We are proud that we have created our own lane for success,” said the co-founders.
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