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 Halloween
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including the U.S.A., where they really know how to get out and howl for
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Hell Lives Up To Its Name
Town dusts off its devilish image for
Halloween
By Irvin L. Jackson / Photographs John M. Galloway
HELL,
MICHIGAN -- If you are trying to
direct someone to Hell, a billboard points the way.
The colorful, bold advertisement is south of
Brighton on westbound M-36, east of Lemen Road. It declares Hell to be "a little town
on its way up."
The billboard is a sign that Hell, south of Pinckney, is getting ready for its busiest
holiday: Halloween.
"This is a big time of year for Hell in
terms of its Halloween connection," said Todd McKinney, spokesman for Abaddon
Enterprises, which owns most of Hell's businesses.
The red, white and black billboard in nearby
Green Oak Township encourages passers-by to "Go There Now," and will be up for
eight weeks. It also advertises Hell's two Web sites -- one of which has animated flames.
McKinney hopes to slowly expand the range of Hell's advertising as the little town's
popularity increases.
It's already popular among outsiders, who use the local post office to send tax payments
and alimony checks with a Hell postmark. And weather forecasters love to call to compare
their local weather to Hell's: It's usually hotter in Hell, for example, than in Paradise,
Mich. And as can be expected, Hell likes to liven things up for the spooky holiday at the
end of October. Local businessman John Colone is trying to turn Hell into the Halloween
capital of the world. He will take another step in that direction this year by opening
"Screams, The Scariest Ice Cream Parlor on Earth."
"Screams will be unlike any other ice
cream parlor anyone has visited," Colone said. "We'll feature make-your-own
sundaes, and folks will get their toppings from an old coffin."
The chamber of commerce also is getting into
the act, allowing its offices to become haunted every 30 minutes, when the office will be
racked with haunting sounds, bumps, and other typical spooky sights and sounds for several
minutes. The chamber has office space in the same building as Screams, which formerly was
a party store. Legend has it someone was buried at the site in 1896. Hell officials plan
to milk the legend for all it's worth.
Tina Mzor, a Caterer from Hell (Mich.), holds out some of the business'
specialties, including a mug that reads "coffee from Hell." Businessman John
Colone is trying to turn Hell into the Halloween capital of the world.
"We're having a little fun with that --
whether it's true or not -- and are installing a few world-class haunted house effects to
the office," Colone said. "It's going to be gently scary, so the whole family
can have some fun while they eat their ice cream and shop for Halloween." Pam Kekes,
a resident of Hell since 1988, says she likes the direction Colone is taking the tiny
town. "Basically, Hell has always had that concept. I think John Colone is trying to
create much more of a family atmosphere as opposed to the way it had been
previously," Kekes said.
Jokes have been made off Hell's
name for years, but the town itself is getting into the act with a Web site featuring
flickering flames.
The Detroit News
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Every
year, Halloween enthusiasts anxiously await the retail
industry to begin their Halloween season and see who's
first to stock products for the spooky season. Many
stores begin stocking Halloween products as early as
July! |
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