Today we’d like to introduce you to Andre Scott.
Andre, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Our story didn’t start with a big investor or a boardroom pitch — it started with boredom, heart, and a genuine desire to bring joy back to our community.
It was around 2020. The world felt heavy, quiet, and disconnected. One day, my co-owners and I were sitting together, simply bored and asking ourselves, “What can we do to bring life, laughter, and a little excitement back to our city?”That question sparked a conversation that changed everything.
We began brainstorming, leaning into what each of us naturally brought to the table. One of us had the vision and creativity to imagine something no one had seen before. Another had the business mindset to make it sustainable. Someone else brought logistical and operational expertise, and another knew how to connect with people, sell a dream, and turn it into an experience. What started as a casual conversation quickly became a purpose.
Together—very organically—we created the concept of a haunted house restaurant. It wasn’t forced, it wasn’t copied; it was pure, born out of friendship, imagination, and a shared hope to make people smile again.
What began with boredom and “what ifs” turned into late nights, honest teamwork, setbacks, comebacks, and a whole lot of community support. And today, we’re proud to say that little spark has grown into a place where families, friends, and strangers can come together, laugh, scream, and make memories all year round.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Anything worth having is rarely easy, and this journey has proven that over and over again. We’ve faced obstacles, setbacks, and moments where we had to completely pause, reflect, and start from scratch. But we’ve always embraced every challenge, because we truly believe that struggle builds strength, and each obstacle makes us better.
One of our biggest hurdles was operating during a time when the world was just beginning to feel stable again. People were healing, businesses were reopening, and expectations were higher than ever. On top of that, we were learning the true depth of the hospitality industry — and hospitality is no joke. From the outside, it may look simple: you come in, you eat, you enjoy your experience. But behind the scenes, there are endless moving parts — staffing, supply chain, customer expectations, safety, emotions, outside factors we can’t control — and not everything goes according to plan.
We take every review seriously. We listen, we adjust, and we work every single day to make things more efficient, more thoughtful, and more memorable for our guests. Some of our toughest challenges have been figuring out how to function smoothly as an operation — how to manage people, systems, timing, communication — all while staying true to our vision.
There have been times we’ve had to go back to the drawing board, reset, and ask ourselves: How can we do this better? What needs to change? How can we grow without losing who we are?
We constantly challenge ourselves, our managers, and our team to rise above — especially when outside forces make things difficult. Because while running a business is never easy or smooth, what we have is special, it’s genuine, and it’s rooted in passion. And no matter what obstacles come our way, we will always find a path forward — more strategic, more empathetic, and more understanding than we were before.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
At The Haunted House Restaurant, we’re not just serving food — we’re serving an experience. Located in the heart of Cleveland Heights, we’re incredibly proud of how far we’ve come and the name we’ve built within the city and beyond. What started as a creative idea has now become a destination. People travel from all over the United States just to experience what we offer — and that’s something we don’t take lightly.
We specialize in combining dining with immersive entertainment. Think of us as a live scary movie theater — but instead of just watching, you’re part of the experience.
Live Spooky Characters: As you dine, you’re greeted and entertained by our costumed horror characters. They interact, perform, and bring Halloween to life 365 days a year.
Popcorn Instead of Bread: Instead of the typical bread basket, we serve fresh popcorn to set the tone — just like you’re getting ready for a movie… but this one screams back.
Immersive Atmosphere: Every corner of the restaurant is designed with cinematic detail, from eerie lighting and horror-themed décor to music, sound effects, and surprise moments that keep guests on edge — in a fun way.
Great Food & Service: Despite all the theatrics, we’re serious about hospitality. Our team delivers high-quality food, creative drinks, and attentive service to complete the experience.
Promotions & Community Experiences
We love giving our guests reasons to come back. Some of our popular promotions and themed experiences include:
Kids Eat Free Nights
Villain or Character-Themed Brunches
Birthday Purge Celebrations
Movie Nights & Watch Parties
Holiday Horror-Themed Events (Christmas Nightmare, Valentine’s Slash, etc.)
Trivia Nights, Costume Contests & Dance-Offs
Special Discounts for Local Schools, First Responders, & Community Events
These promotions are always evolving, but our goal remains the same — to make every visit unforgettable.
What We’re Most Proud Of
We’re proud of our brand’s relevance, the community we’ve built, and how we’ve become a staple in Cleveland Heights. We’re honored every time a family drives hours, or someone flies in from another state, just to dine with us — because they’ve heard about our atmosphere, our characters, and the way we celebrate Halloween all year long.
More than anything, we want your readers to know that The Haunted House Restaurant isn’t just a place to eat — it’s a place to escape, laugh, scream, celebrate, and make memories.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Honestly, we wouldn’t be where we are today without the incredible amount of support we’ve been blessed with. There have been so many people who believed in us, pushed us, and stood by us — and we are forever grateful for our support system. But above all, all praise and glory go to God. None of this would exist without His guidance, grace, and protection over us and this vision.
From the beginning, our family and friends were our first believers — they were the ones who encouraged us when this was just an idea and reminded us to keep going when things got tough. Our team — from our managers to our servers, cooks, hosts, performers, and everyone behind the scenes — they have been the backbone of this operation. They are the ones showing up every day, serving with passion, creativity, and heart.
We’ve also had mentors and business advisors who helped us navigate the parts of entrepreneurship we didn’t fully understand at first — from finances to operations and hospitality. Local supporters, Cleveland Heights community leaders, and our loyal guests have also been a huge part of our success. Every person who shared a post, left a review, brought a friend, or traveled miles just to dine with us — they helped build this.
So yes, we’ve had an entire village behind us, and we’re thankful for every single one of them. But above all, God gets the glory — because He gave us the vision, the strength, and the favor to make it real.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thehauntedhouserestaurant.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehauntedcle
