New Horizon Mall north of Calgary is looking to attract more customers to the often quiet shopping centre — and hoping a haunted house may do the trick (or treat).
Haunted Calgary, which has been running for the last 25 years, has moved to a new, larger location — now setting up below the feet of shoppers in the parking garage, which is often nearly empty, at New Horizon Mall.
“We have four attractions here, three of which are absolutely terrifying,” creative director for Haunted Calgary, Christine Campbell said. “We have Cesspool, Sanatorium and Deep Sleep Hotel and then we also have a Family Frights Funzone for the little ones that has bouncy castles and mini-golf and things like that.”
The haunted house is just one of a few new attractions at the mall, with Haunted Calgary hoping it will draw more shoppers.
“It’s a really exciting place and there are lots of great vendors here that people should come check out and sometimes people just need a reason to go,” Campbell said.
With the addition of The Best Shop in July, the mall has seen foot traffic increase, but weekdays can still be difficult for store owners.
“Saturday and Sunday, it will be really good, no issues,” owner of Secrets of Ayana, Vidya Tripathi said. “The only problem is Monday to Friday it’s slow.”
A new farmer’s market is also due to open which mall officials hope will help increase popularity.
As for future plans for the shopping centre, New Horizon Mall said it’s getting ready to embrace the upcoming shopping season with it’s now more than 100 stores that are up and running.
“Our strategy of events and anchor tenants is paying off as both are driving shoppers to the mall each week,” the mall said.
The new Haunted Calgary attraction opens to the public on Friday, Oct. 11.