Aaron Jacobsen and his adult children are big fans of Halloween scares. They have made a tradition of visiting the best-haunted houses in Kansas City, which include The Beast, Edge of Hell, and Macabre Cinema. These haunted attractions are situated in the West Bottoms neighborhood, inside abandoned warehouses. The Jacobsen family has been frequenting these spooky locations for many years, and they always look forward to the adrenaline rush that comes with a good scare.
According to Jacobsen, he and his two companions ventured into the neighboring warehouse, known as the Blossom House Haunted Hotel, after paying $40 each in cash. The warehouse had advertised itself online as a genuine paranormal encounter, without any staged elements. Jacobsen, who has been working in construction for two decades, was not intimidated by the prospect of encountering ghosts. This was because he had never encountered a ghost before and didn’t believe in them.
The state of the five-story warehouse left him feeling uneasy and apprehensive. The wood was rotting, and the joists were damaged, making it structurally unsound. To make matters worse, there was no sprinkler system or emergency exits in case of a fire. The roof leaked so badly that the only solution was to catch the rainwater in plastic kiddie pools. To top it all off, there were no bathrooms, and the electricity and plumbing were limited. Despite all these hazards, the tour guide led the guests to a trapdoor in the floor, which opened up to reveal a ladder leading to the dark abyss below.
As recently as early this week, two websites were found to be advertising tours for the Blossom House Haunted Hotel. Upon making a reservation request, The Star’s staff received a confirmation message from the hotel which advised them to use the bathroom before arriving, but also assured that they can provide a bucket and toilet paper if needed.
Entering the structure was a frightening experience for Jacobsen. “It gave me the willies,” he said. Recent investigations by The Star have revealed that the warehouse is not permitted to conduct business in Missouri or Kansas City, making it illegal to operate as a haunted house. State and city records confirm this. Thus, the warehouse has not been authorized to open to the public and compete with legal attractions like Edge of Hell.
After returning calls, Luther Glenn McCubbin, the owner of the building, identified himself as a hotel bellhop in Kansas City, and made a shocking admission on Tuesday. He confessed that his warehouse lacked the necessary permits and fire inspections to function as a business. Furthermore, McCubbin acknowledged that the building lacked a functional sprinkler system. Despite the warehouse’s online presence and the fact that consumers have been paying cash, he stated that it is not functional.
He said, “We’re not completely open yet. I’m just waiting to see how things pan out. We haven’t received the large license yet, and I need to obtain a valid one. My next step is to reach out to the fire department.” He added that he had a business license two years ago, but it’s now expired, and he hasn’t renewed it yet. When contacted by The Star for information on the company, city spokeswoman Sherea Honeycutt stated that the city will investigate the licensing and respond to the newspaper at a later time.
According to McCubbin, he is currently engaged in some paranormal activities on the concrete loading dock located outside the warehouse. On the other hand, Jacobsen asserted that he and his two kids paid $40 each to receive a tour of most parts of the warehouse from Paul, who McCubbin identified as his “business partner.” McCubbin also mentioned that Paul has a great fascination with the paranormal aspects of the warehouse.
You can find pictures of the numerous rooms in the warehouse on the Blossom House website. Interestingly, some of these rooms have been decorated with vintage furniture to give an impression of guest rooms. In the confirmation message received by The Star, it was mentioned that there will be a “tour to the 5th floor with history,” and visitors should expect a variation in temperature on the upper floors of the building.
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