PTN’s Brianna Strunk talks with Linda Schlier, owner of Candle Shoppe of the Poconos, while trying her hand at a candle making demo.

Q: Tell us about Candle Shoppe of the Poconos.

A: We've been in business for about 17 years, and we're a big attraction in the Pocono Mountains. We have seasonal rooms for every holiday, so it’s always Halloween or Christmas in the candle shoppe.

Q: Your family is well-known in the area as the former owners of Pocono Mountain Harley-Davidson, which you grew into the destination dealership it is known as today. Your family also operated Schlier’s Towing. How did a candle shoppe come about?

A: My family came from candles and has been in the business for over 50 years. We owned Pocono Candle in East Stroudsburg for 55 years. I learned, through my parents, how to make candles.

Q: Your candles are all made on-site. Tell us about that.

A: In the gift shop we have 350 different scents, and about 5 or 6 types of jars. We also carry the WoodWick brand, which crackles like a fireplace. We make about 300 candles here a day. They have to process overnight and are hand topped in the morning. Everything is double scented, and we’re always stocked for the weekends.  

A: From scents, to scares. Tell us about The Haunted tour available on-site.

Q: When we bought the candle shoppe, the basement was awkward. We realized there were cages down there, and the former owners warned me to never stay open past five o’clock. We eventually found out the basement was used as a biological research lab by Dr. William Redwood Fisher, who tested on primates while creating vaccines for smallpox and yellow fever. We decided to make it into an attraction. Visitors can take a tour with Robyn, learn about the history, and see the original monkey cages. We’re open throughout summer, fall and winter.

Q: Soon after purchasing the building, you began experiencing paranormal activity?

A: There were strange noises and it smelled like a zoo in the basement, where they kept the monkeys back then. The hairs would raise on your arm, and it felt like something was touching your hair. I never believed in that stuff, yet this creeped me out. Animal Planet even heard our story and featured us in an episode of The Haunted, which plays on rotation inside the candle shoppe.  

To learn more about Candle Shoppe of the Poconos or The Haunted, visit MyCandleShoppe.com. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door.