Jody Bossert is project manager of Haunted Nightmare at the Nile golf course in Mountlake Terrace. The nightmare begins Oct. 7.
The 43-year-old leads a scream team of volunteers for this fundraiser to scare up money for the Nile Shriners fraternity. It is a sideline job for Bossert, who works in his family’s business, Elle Marie Hair Studio.
He and his wife, Courtney, have two sons, Brody, 11, and Colby, 8. As summer winds to an end, he becomes a bit of a ghost — vanishing to raise the ghouls and goblins of the Haunted Nightmare.
Talk about Haunted Nightmare.
Haunted Nightmare began in 2009 as a small, indoor 3D blacklight attraction in Bothell. It was left up year-round in an unused section of warehouse at a large children’s bouncy house. Guests loved the unique nature of a haunted house featuring 3D glasses, but the venue was too small. For the fourth year, the Haunted Nightmare team moved to a popular farm in Snohomish and added two haunted corn trails. Unfortunately, a windstorm in mid-October blew down the corn and the team was forced to sell the remaining indoor 3D attraction to the highest bidder to break even. After that, a partnership was formed with Nile Shriners in 2013.
How scary is it?
This ain’t your grandpa’s yard haunt. It can get pretty intense at times. It’s definitely geared toward the 18-and-over crowd, however, we recommend it for brave 13-year-olds and above. We have to walk a bit of a fine line because the attraction needs to be intense enough to draw the 18 to 30 crowd, though some younger kids are braver than others and we don’t want to exclude them.
How long does it take to set this up?
For our dedicated crew of volunteers, haunting is a year-round passion. Through May, you can find us attending haunted house conventions from Portland to St. Louis in search of the year’s best new scare products. The haunted attraction features multiple scare houses, each of which are built within the Nile’s various picnic shelters. These shelters are rented out for family and corporate events throughout the summer. Once the final booked event takes place, it’s a mad dash of construction leading up to opening night. This year, our final shelter wasn’t available until Sept. 17, so you can just imagine all of us haunters running around with our heads cut off to get things built in time for opening night.
Do you have nightmares?
Yes. I live a constant nightmare worrying that we won’t have the attraction built in time. But then I take a deep breath and remember that it’s simply my attention to detail keeping me up at night. The general public probably won’t notice 90 percent of the stuff I’d like to get done, but may not get around to … at least not by opening night.
If you could have a drink with anyone alive or in history, who would it be and why?
Vincent Price. No, no, just kidding. Although that would be awesome. In all honesty, probably Lorne Michaels. I’m a huge “Saturday Night Live” fan. Love sketch comedy. Always have. Even did my college internship at KING 5’s “Almost Live!”
Fill in the blank: People would be shocked to know…
I’m not really a huge horror fan (although science fiction is my favorite and they often overlap). My interests in haunted attractions lie more in the fact that I’m a big Disney fan.
People would also be shocked to know that by day I work in the beauty industry. Together, with my mother and sister, we own Elle Marie Hair Studio locations in Mill Creek, Lake Stevens, Alderwood and Woodinville. I am not a hair stylist however. As VP of Marketing, I work to keep the chairs filled for our team of almost 100 stylists. If you truly want me to do your hair, I’d be happy to, but only if I could use you in the haunted house afterward. It wouldn’t be pretty.
What’s your most proud moment?
When I’m on the field coaching my boys’ baseball and football teams. Watching them try their hardest and support their teammates in the process is enough to make any father proud. Then, to look up in the stands and see your wife ringing her cowbell like a bat out of … well … out of a haunted house is guaranteed to put a big ol’ smile on my face. She really is the ultimate sports mom.
What are you wearing?
Green cargo shorts and a green T-shirt (both covered in paint) and Timberland boots. I’m supposed to be at the haunt building right now. Gotta get these questions answered quick. The haunt’s not gonna build itself. Or … or maybe it will. Maybe it’s just that possessed.
What are three things in your fridge?
I haven’t had time to look in there much lately. Plus, my wife’s got me on this protein shake diet thing.
(Editor’s note: Now that’s scary.)
— Andrea Brown, Herald Writer
Do you know someone we should get to know better? Send suggestions to abrown@heraldnet.com or call 425-339-3443.
Scary sites
Haunted Nightmare at the Nile is at Nile Shrine Golf Course, 6601 244th St. SW, Mountlake Terrace. Tickets are $18 at the door or $15 online at www.HauntedNightmare.com.
Check out the haunted house nearest you or make the rounds for a night of fun terror. These include: Stalker Farms, 8705 Marsh Road, Snohomish, www.stalkerfarms.com. Thomas Family Farm, 9010 Marsh Road, Snohomish; www.thomasfamilyfarm.com. Carleton Frights, 630 Sunnyside Blvd. SE, Lake Stevens, frightmaze.com.
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