Home Care In Merchantville, NJ

Each October, the little borough of Merchantville becomes “Monsterville” to locals, celebrating the spirit of Halloween with decorations, fun, and plenty of haunts.

Merchantville, population of roughly 3,800, has an official map of haunted houses to visit on Halloween, best decorated homes and plenty of trick-or-treating in the area.

But what some may not know is a tradition first dubbed “spook house,” started nearly 40 years ago by parents of students from Merchantville School, may have helped fuel the town’s complete fascination with Halloween and haunts.

How did Merchantville become Monsterville?

"Spook house" began in 1986, according to Jayne Wilkinson, whose mother Josie Wilkinson came up with the idea as a way to help the eighth-grade class raise money. Jayne Wilkinson, now a neurologist, who lives in nearby Moorestown, fondly remembers being part of the first eighth-grade class at Merchantville School that benefitted from the haunted house.

“It was the impetus for Merchantville naming itself Monsterville for the month of October,” Jayne Wilkinson shared. “… As Halloween has taken on a great presence in this small community.”

The event was initially held in the basement of the school in the boys’ locker room, Jayne Wilkinson said. Parents would help build elaborate props and even acted out the parts of the scary characters. Teachers joined in. The annual event normally runs a week or two before Halloween. This year it was held the weekend of Oct. 20-21.

“Traditionally, the eighth-grade class would present the school with a gift at the graduation ceremony,” Jayne Wilkinson recalled. “This was often a modest gift, money raised from a car wash or similar event, often in the ballpark of $50. Our class hoped to raise more money and this idea was met with enthusiasm by all.

Josie Wilkinson "quickly formed a committee of parents who eagerly developed various and sundry and very impressive displays, experienced walking through the maze of haunts in the basement of the boy’s locker room of the school. Back in 1986 … smaller-run spook houses and experiences like this were largely unheard of.”

Get those costumes readyPlan your candy hunt; Halloween events and trick-or-treat times across South Jersey

Jayne Wilkinson and her classmates were the tour guides. She called it “unreal and spectacular … even as someone involved in the planning — I distinctly recall leading people through and appreciating how amazing, haunted and creative it was … These parents didn’t hold back.”

Josie Wilkinson ran it the following year, as another daughter was an eighth-grader, and then one more year before handing off the baton.

Josie Wilkinson, the mother of Monsterville

“It’s really an honor,” Josie Wilkinson said. “It’s exciting. It has been going on for so long. I hadn’t really thought about, ‘well, we started it’. There was a lot of effort by a lot of people. Jayne is my oldest, so she was the first to go through eighth grade. There was always this question, what does the class give? They needed a few funds. I’ve always a had a little bit of a drama interest, growing up, I always enjoyed it and it was encouraged when I was growing up. We actually had done a little something before my children were born at the community center in Merchantville. It went over very well.”

Jayne Wilkinson recalls that first year of the spook house. There were two moms in an insane asylum, appearing disheveled and deranged, with tin cups banging on a home-made bars to simulate a jail; there was an elaborate royal dinner scene where the wife of a king had been beheaded. There was a guillotine, a grim reaper and more. Her mother mentioned that the school’s janitor played a super scary vampire, coffin and all.

“Each turn in the maze brought more elaborate and entertaining scenes,” Jayne said.

Her mother would dye sheets black in the basement of their home. The parents then strung rope all over the ceiling in the locker room to create a maze by hanging the sheets. Her mom invested her own money and accepted donations to buy black lights, fake bats, rats and many other items, Jayne Wilkinson said.

Josie Wilkinson, now 79, had taught school prior to having children and then became a stay-at-home mom with her husband George Wilkinson working.

On the first night, the line went all around the block with kids lined up. They charged 50 cents and made about $1,000 that first year.

“I really didn’t think it would go over the way it did,” said Josie Wilkinson, who ran the event through the PTA. “… I knew there would be kids that would come and enjoy it. But I never imagined the number of people.”

A New Jersey town truly, truly loves Halloween — to the point where it officially takes on a special name when October rolls around.

Merchantville, New Jersey, is known for such things as its Victorian homes and nature trails. However, in recent years, it's also become "Monsterville" every October, a tradition that is continuing this year.

The temporary name change is not a Halloween prank. Monsterville began in 2015 as a campaign from a group of residents led by Councilperson Anthony Perno to further promote its love for the celebration, according to a news release from the borough obtained by PEOPLE.

And an adopted ordinance made the moniker official.

Woman Takes Down Casket Halloween Decoration After Learning of Neighbor's Lung Cancer Diagnosis

“Halloween has always been a special holiday in town because of community participation and the beautiful tree-lined streets and homes that are close in proximity to each other,” Merchantville Mayor Edward Brennan said in an interview with the Courier Post in 2016.

“These qualities allow our walkable community to capitalize on the Halloween where those characteristics lend themselves a lot to trick or treaters both from in and outside of town," added Brennan.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Throughout the month of October, the town engages in such Halloween-related activities including the “Haunts of Monsterville” home decorating contest; a “Spooky Story Time”; and a “Zombie 5K Run and Walk.” A new addition to the Monsterville festivities for 2023 was the "Monster Mash Bash" that took place on Oct. 14.

A Complete Guide to Trick-or-Treating This Halloween

The borough also released its map for this year where visitors can check out the various “harrowing haunts” — including 101 E. Chestnut, where an old Victorian is situated.

“Michael Myers will be walking amongst those brave enough to visit,” according to the description, which references the infamous character from the Halloween movie franchise.

12-Foot Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Halloween Skeletons Pop Up in Indiana Town: 'We're Big Fans'

Another Monsterville highlight for this year is the newly opened “West End Manor Dead and Breakfast” at 27 Linden Ave., whose amenities include “extra drafty rooms (with our without cobwebs), moldy meals and endless screams."

The borough added in its press release that about 3,000 trick-or-treaters are expected to descend on Oct. 31.

“A lot of what Merchantville is is community involvement, and this is the epitome of the community being involved,” Brennan told NJPen.com in 2016. “Halloween is one of those holidays where mostly everybody’s involved. We said, ‘Let’s really go all in.’ Halloween is something that we think Merchantville can own.”

Charlie’s Crepes, a popular Merchantville eatery, will close by the end of the year, according to owner Charles Koory.

Koory made the announcement on the Charlie’s Crepes Facebook page and said inconsistent sales have made it a struggle to maintain his brick-and-mortar establishment.

Charlie’s Crepes had its beginnings in 2015 as a modified hot dog cart, which he and his wife turned into a crepe stand that has regularly appeared at farmers markets in Collingswood and Westmont.

They graduated to a brick-and-mortar location in May 2018, moving to a small shopping center on the 100 block of South Centre Street in Merchantville.

Cucina Carini carries onSouth Jersey restaurant rebounds from tragedy with community love and support

In addition to indoor seating, the site offered picnic tables in a garden setting. Signs in the front windows urged patrons to "Keep calm," and "Eat crepes!"

Koory recently shared an experience on Facebook, which illustrated what his business has gone through.

On a Wednesday, he had over $300 in sales at his shop. The very next day, sales were less than half of that, for the same offerings.

He said it “was the same, menu wise and everything else, nothing had changed, and I made just over 90 bucks,” he shared.

“So, what I want you to imagine in your 9-5 job is a fluctuating paycheck… Just imagine it. One week you may get x amount, the next week you may get xyz amount.

"'How could you live and finance that way?" he asked. "You couldn’t. So that is why, at the end of the year, we’ll cease operations."

Koory's post expressed gratitude for his customers. "And I also appreciate your patience and understanding as we move through this transitional time," he said.

Charlie's Crepes owner kept a promise to himself about his crepe business

In the Oct. 6 post, Koory said he had made a promise to himself when he started the business that if he ever hit a month where he couldn’t make rent, he would hang it up. That month happened and he had to dip into his retirement, ‘yet again’, just to make rent, he shared.

Experiences like that one brought him to the conclusion of shutting down. His tentative closing date is December 17.

“When the electric bill, and the grocery bill creeps up and up and up, and the customer visits creep down and down and down, it is a recipe for a crash,” he wrote. “For me to be sustainable, I’d need to double my prices and quadruple the amount of people coming through the door.

"I am so sorry this is the current state of affairs, and the thing that breaks my heart perhaps the most is that the unique, delicious mom and pop establishment has no place in this world.”

Koory, owned and operated both the food cart and café with his wife, Lisa Ciacciarelli Koory.

He has worked in the food industry much of his life, and he and his bride fell in love with crepes on their 2003 honeymoon to France, a previous Courier Post story said.

Community responds to the Charlie’s Crepes closure announcement

Many in the community expressed their disappointment on the Facebook page over the impending closure.

“So sorry, Charlie,” wrote Scott Wright. “RIP my favorite salmon crepe. You made some great food, and we will miss you. I hope a new opportunity presents itself soon for you."

Crepe shop opens in MerchantvilleCharlie's Crepes is ready to roll in Merchantville

“Oh boo!!!!,” wrote Sandie Hopper. “I'm so sorry to hear this. Your food is amazing and the recipes you come up with are insane. I'm sorry we couldn't pull through for you.

Said Lee Ann Hopkins: “Sorry to hear this…perhaps Charlie’s Crepes Catering/food truck? For events/private parties! I get it, my business is down by 2 employees, but the heat/air/taxes/supplies are still the same.”

“I’m sorry to hear this, “ Connie Correia stated. “I understand the pain of walking away. Takes heart and guts to start and brain and guts to stop. Congratulations for making so many people happy”

Koory shared that his shop will be open breakfast and lunch hours during the week Wednesday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 1p.m. Brunch hours are expected to stay the same on weekends, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

His post urged customers to use their gift certificates "and to get your crepe on while you still can! Big love to you all, and thanks again for your continued understanding and support.”

Omega Ellis has spent two-and-a-half decades cooking in kitchens throughout South Jersey. She’ll open the doors to her own restaurant for the first time this spring.

Just a few weeks away from the grand opening of her first restaurant, Chef Omega Ellis of Pennsauken is working to tamp down her excitement.

“I have every emotion bottled up, except for anger,” Ellis said.

“I’m anxious, I’m nervous, I am excited, I’m proud.

“I’m just happy,” she said.

The career chef is not only opening the doors to a restaurant bearing her name and outfitted to her tastes, but she’s doing it within the footprint of the former McFarlan’s Market, where Ellis once led the kitchen.

“I’ve cooked in the kitchen since I was eight years old,” she said. “Anybody who knows me will tell you, ‘Omega always wanted a restaurant.’ I’ve been working for so long for other restaurants; now it’s my time. I just wanted to give people me.”

Ellis’ touches are present both in its menu and its décor. Although she has spent more than a quarter-century cooking off and on for Camden City soul food landmark Corinne’s Place, she said Omega’s will not offer a classic soul-food experience.

“We make more than soul food,” Ellis said. “Even though those are my roots, and I can put a good rib on a plate, I just didn’t want to do that anymore.

“Everybody wants to box you into what kind of cuisine you should make,” she said. “I want it to be my experience; you are experiencing me, and not the other way around. Let me show you my personality in this place.”

The menu at Omega’s shows her attempt to “bridge the gap” between Caribbean and Southern flavors and modern American fusion. There’s a whole red snapper served with “jerty” rice, her jerk-inspired dirty rice recipe; and a jerk salmon cheesesteak, her spin on the “seasteak” popularized by Camden City seafood kitchens.

The menu doesn’t feature beef or pork, but it does have plenty of seafood, as in dishes like fish and grits, and macaroni and cheese with shrimp and crab.

Vegan meals, like the curried chickpea and chickpea “tuna” dishes for which customers at MacFarlan’s often clamored, will also appear on the menu, alongside meatless and pasta entrees.

She’ll offer a tribute to the McFarlan’s Market apple walnut salad, another customer favorite, as well as her popular soups: seafood bisque, French onion, and Greek chicken egg lemon, among others.

Desserts include peach cobbler and lemon mousse, but Ellis is particularly excited to debut her banana pudding cake: a slice of pound cake with pudding, bananas, cookies, and caramel drizzle.

Omega’s will also offer a weekly brunch buffet from 11 to 4 p.m. on Sunday. In addition to an omelet station and typical breakfast fare, diners can expect chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, and home fry dishes.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Omega’s Restaurant LLC (@omegas_merchantville)

On weekend evenings, Ellis hopes to offer live, light entertainment, from atmospheric musical acts to nightclub comedy.

“I want people to come in and enjoy themselves,” she said. “Even if they come in here on a not-so-good note, they’re going to leave here on a good note. After you eat here, you’re definitely going to be feeling good. I just can’t wait to serve everybody.”

With seating for 50 to 60 guests, Omega’s will be able to accommodate parties of all sizes, and its cozy look and feel will ensure that their time there will be well spent.

Artist Kailey Burgess translated Ellis’ style cues into a design she describes as “mid-century modern meets Tropicana.” The color palette features natural wood textures, offset by swathes of rust, deep emerald, and gold.

Muted pastel curtains hang around the dining room windows; a countertop bar wraps around the rear of the dining room, offset by a subway-tile backsplash and polished metal fixtures.

A small crew comprising Burgess, Ellis, and a handful of others transformed the former corner grocery into its new life as a restaurant, reupholstering the couch in its lounge area, fabricating the hostess stand, and cutting and staining the wood slats that create the tambour effect on the bar exterior.

“I wanted it to be something that’s not here,” Burgess said. “I didn’t want it to be a regular restaurant; it’s a destination. What would make someone want to come here and feel comfortable?”

“This place looks like summertime and springtime, which is my favorite season,” Ellis said, “[but]it’s still nice and warm and comforting all year round.

“There’s a lot of love in the building,” she said. “It has character from left to right. We wanted to keep it sharp.”

Omega’s offers BYOB service, and will welcome guests for dine-in or takeout. The restaurant opens for full service April 16.

Omega’s is located at 27 South Centre Street in Merchantville. Hours are 12 to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, with extended hours on weekends when live entertainment is on-hand.

For more information, visit Omegasrestaurant.com, @omegas_merchantville on Instagram, or call 856-702-5600.

The faith-based nonprofit agency hopes to fill a variety of community needs, from food, clothing, and fitness to entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and life after incarceration or domestic abuse.

Nearly a decade ago, when Mel Padin found herself struggling in a difficult stretch of her marriage, it was a group of like-minded women at her Pentecostal church who helped support her through it.

“I felt like I can’t be the only woman going through this,” Padin said.

“I came to find out I wasn’t.”

Week after week, as she continued to reach out, Padin connected with women who, like her, “needed community and needed love,” and began to build a holistic wellness program that would gather and strengthen them.

“That’s all we realized women really wanted,” she said. “No matter what we do, what programming it is, our whole hope is to offer them love and a place to call home and build community.

Over time, “we built this community of women, and then families,” Padin said.

Her small groups bloomed to regular gatherings of 20 and 30 in Padin’s Cherry Hill home, until one day, fellow parishioner, Noelle Lentz, approached Padin about the notion of scaling up.

“She was pretty much running a nonprofit through her house,” Lentz said. “I could see how charismatic she was. We decided to partner together to make this dream that had been planted in her heart a reality.”

With Lentz’s help, their collaboration was officially incorporated in 2021 as the WOW Center, a faith-based, nonprofit agency named for the testimonials from women participating in its programs.

“When you hear about a woman’s challenges, what she’s been through, you always hear ‘Wow,’” Padin said.

For the past nine years, Padin and Lentz have been working to deliver an array of necessary community services to women throughout South Jersey.

Now the duo are going to see what the agency can achieve with 2,800 square-feet of real estate behind it.

On Thursday, the center cuts the ribbon on its permanent home in the Merchantville downtown, at 44 West Chestnut Avenue.

In addition to fitness and wellness classes, the WOW Center offers programming in financial literacy and entrepreneurship.

It houses a food pantry connected to the Food Bank of South Jersey, and a curated, by-appointment professional clothing boutique for women entering the workplace.

The center also provides a job development program in partnership with the Hispanic Family Center, offers supports for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and delivers re-entry counseling for women leaving New Jersey’s only women’s prison, the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility.

Some courses are offered virtually in partnership with other organizations throughout the state, but all of them are free to access. The WOW Center is funded by donations, grants, and fundraising initiatives, as well as partnerships with some state grantee organizations.

Padin and Lentz have taken pains to assure that the environment in which they offer these services is as welcoming and comfortable as the smaller spaces in which they originated.

A lounge area in the front of the building features comfortable chairs and couches, greenery, and a beverage center. Women waiting for their appointments in the onsite boutique can rest in a softly lit, private seating area just outside the room. Groups and classes are led by female facilitators “with real, lived experience,” Lentz said.

“A lot of times, when you go to access social services, places feel cold and sterile,” she said.

“We want people to feel welcome.

“Certain programs are a way for people to take off the mask, and be real, and be vulnerable about the programs and services that they want to take advantage of,” Lentz said.

Ultimately, Padin said she would like to replicate the services offered at the WOW Center in other locations across New Jersey, or maybe even beyond.

“Community needs at times can shift,” Padin said. “We’re big on asking our community, ‘What do you need? Where are you in life?’

“As long as we can be flexible, and shift as we need to, we can accomplish much and serve many,” she said.

Lentz said the WOW Center will track both quantitative and qualitative outputs, from the numbers of women it serves, to their successes after availing themselves of classes, and even longer-term outcomes, like life changes.

“We never want to be a place that’s focused transactionally,” she said. “We want it to be transformative. Set a goal, and work with partners to make yourself accountable.”

The WOW Center is located at 44 West Chestnut Avenue in Merchantville, and operates Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Hours are variable depending upon programming. For more information, call 856-589-0444, e-mail [email protected], or visit thewowcenternj.org.