Inside Suite 510 at Concord Mall in Wilmington, Delaware, three fictional urban explorers break into an abandoned mall and run straight into trouble. That is the premise behind The Curley's Haunt, the homegrown Halloween attraction now running its second season, with detailed sets, actor-driven scenes, and scares built for thrill-seekers of all ages.
The attraction was created by Thomas Curley and Adam Risen, according to 6abc Philadelphia. Curley developed the haunt out of a childhood hobby, and he and Risen ran it as a neighborhood home haunt. The pair eventually relocated the operation to Concord Mall, as 6abc Philadelphia reported.
A Decade of Backyard Scares Becomes a Mall Takeover
The jump from a residential yard to a commercial retail suite marked a major scale-up for what had been a strictly neighborhood affair. Before 2025, visitors came for sets built in a private yard; now they walk a themed corridor inside a retail space at 4737 Concord Pike. The 2026 season runs weekends through November 8, per the same listing, and the walkthrough itself takes roughly 8 to 15 minutes to complete.
The charitable angle has stuck around as the haunt has grown. The haunt has raised more than $20,000 for breast cancer research, with a portion of proceeds supporting the cause.
A Mall on Borrowed Time
Concord Mall itself is a fading relic of a different retail era. Located on Concord Pike, the mall has drawn out-of-state shoppers seeking Delaware's tax-free retail environment, a draw tied to regional retail demand, per the Mid Atlantic Real Estate Journal.
That faded mall is also living on borrowed time. Real estate firm Abrams Realty & Development submitted plans to New Castle County in August 2026 to demolish 846,896 square feet of the mall's interior structure, clearing the way for a smaller 233,100-square-foot retail complex, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal. The proposal also calls for retaining some anchor buildings.
A Small Haunt In a Crowded Field
In 2026, a record 74 U.S. haunted attractions earned certification as the Haunted Attraction Association's 2026 Top Haunts. The criteria include completing the C.H.A.O.S. safety program, carrying $1 million in general liability insurance and undergoing state and local safety inspections, according to Morningstar.
Delaware has other Halloween attractions, including Frightland in Middletown, according to Morningstar. Curley's Haunt offers an indoor attraction at Concord Mall, which organizers describe as affordable Halloween entertainment for thrill-seekers of all ages.
