Horror-themed pop-up bar Spirit Lounge opens in Brea

Jeff Schiefelbein had an idea seven years ago.

What if he created a horror-themed bar where Halloween fans could mingle and immerse themselves in all things horror — with cocktails in hand?

The Brea resident is the owner of Sinister Pointe Productions, which creates haunted attractions for movies, television, amusement parks and live events, including an upcoming Halloween event at the Westminster Mall called Mist.

Schiefelbein almost turned his bar concept into reality in 2013. But it never opened, due to issues with city permitting.

But the idea never left him, and with the current popularity of pop-up bars, he decided to try again.

Spirit Lounge recently opened in downtown Brea and is scheduled to run on Thursdays through Sundays until Sept. 1.

It’s located on the second level of the Gateway Center in an indoor-outdoor space.

The lounge is decked out from top to bottom with horror-themed artwork, decor and full-sized replicas, including a very realistic-looking Regan MacNeil from “The Exorcist.”

A lifelong horror fan, Schiefelbein didn’t have to go far to find much of the decor featured in the lounge.

“Some of the stuff is on loan, but most of it is my own personal collection,” he said.

For fans of “The Conjuring” and “Annabelle” films, the Annabelle doll sits menacingly along one wall of the outdoor bar.

This was an actual display case Sinister Pointe Productions built for movie theaters to help promote 2017’s “Annabelle: Creation,” according to Chris Foglesong, the company’s entertainment manager, who also cosplays as various characters in the Spirit Lounge.

Guests of the lounge can also expect to see Pennywise the clown with little Georgie in his yellow rain slicker from “It”; The Hatbox Ghost, an animatronic character from Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion; Freddy Krueger from “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and more.

“It’s everything you wanted as a kid but now as an adult, you get the adult version of it,” said Foglesong.

Spirit Lounge sets the mood with atmospheric music and horror movie soundtracks playing in the background, while televisions show horror movies.

Even the cocktails have a horrifying twist. Along with regular bar items like Jack and Coke and vodka tonics, Spirit Lounge offers four themed “interactive” drinks, including The Holy Water (cherry vodka and Sprite, served with an ice cube in the shape of a cross), The Texas Chainsaw, The Ectoplasm and The Killer Clown.

Horror fans 21 and over can make reservations for Spirit Lounge, but only by figuring out clues via Sinister Pointe’s social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter).

“I think Halloween, it gives people the opportunity to just kind of step out of the box and get creative,” said Schiefelbein. “It’s just a fun outlet for people to just kind of let loose and do something different that they don’t get to do all the time.”

IF YOU GO

What: Sinister Pointe’s Spirit Lounge

When: 7 p.m. to midnight on Thursdays and Sundays, 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, through Sept. 1 (with the possibility of an extension).

Where: 375 W. Birch St. Brea

Cost: $13, reservation required

Information: (601) 272-2791; sinisterpointe.com

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