Archives: Haslams New and Used Bookstore Parts I, II, and III
January 2001, September 2002, Oct. 29, 2005
Haslams New and Used Bookstore
Business
St. Petersburg
Investigations January 2001, September 2002
The team investigated Haslams in January of 2001 and experienced high levels of activity. A door rattled and footsteps were heard prior to the investigation. Unusual EMF (electromagnetic energy) was recorded coming from areas of the bookstore with no known active electronic equipment or wiring. As the group toured, one member felt compelled to snap a series of photographs aimed at a wall of books. Of the 5 pictures, the third developed with a mist-like image, later judged and awarded by other ghost investigators for its authenticity in appearance.
Would the results replicate during subsequent investigations? Or would the reporter’s pen scare the ghosts away?
The answer to both questions appears to be “yes.”
The first investigation, scheduled in September, was host to some unusual manifestations. The meeting took place on a weeknight, with the store manager, Ray, remaining after hours to work with the team. The two representatives of Imago magazine drove an hour and a half to get to this location. The group members, many of whom maintain full time jobs, arrived after work. All appeared exhausted, though remained primed to see what types of manifestations, if any, would occur.
EMF was again recorded in unusual locations, but this time the readings remained consistent and most likely related to the internal mechanisms of the store. Unusual noises, consistent and steady, were tracked to a drip in the toilet of a bathroom.
However, sensitives recognized several entities who attempted to communicate with the team. The first was a little girl. Attracted to a member who was, herself, the mother of three children, this child-spirit stayed nearby for a time. Both EMF and temperature fluctuations occurred as the teammate attempted to soothe the entity. A digital image captured both an orb and a light mist in that area.
A second personality, relaxed and amused by the group, appeared to lounge in one of the store’s plastic chairs, which emitted EMF. No known logical source of energy was located in the area. Subsequent photographs reveal potential orbs, though they may also be light refraction on the surface of the chair.
The most unusual phenomena came from an area that held no known prior activity. A 35 mm film photograph shows both a mist-like image snaking through a nearby internal doorway, and a small blot of dense white material hovering in front of shelf of books. The negatives were examined by a 12-year professional photography veteran who determined that both were part of the image, and were not created by external tampering or film defects.
A third trip to the store occurred when the Tampa Tribune asked to write a story about the SPIRITS. This took place in October, near the death date of Jack Kerouac, the ghost most often said to haunt Haslam’s. While orbs appeared in digital and 35 mm photographs taken by the team, none seemed to related to Mr. Kerouac himself, who was thought to manifest near his own books.
Notes and reports from the investigation site. This was initially done by the original three founders of the group: Brandy, Karen West, and Lee West (deceased):
Reports
Brandy's Report
Haslam's New & Used Books
What we found:
v Immediately upon entering store I was informed that both Lee and Karen, who got there before I did, heard popping/creaking sounds coming from the floor in the back room. No one was in the building, and Ray Hinst, store manager, confirmed this.
v Before we started to do thermal checks, I asked Ray if the A/C was on. He mentioned it had been on at 72 or 73 degrees, but was currently shut off. Much of the building still seemed to contain the coolness of the a/c. We still detected slight temperature fluctuations. Karen had a strong fluctuation, from 73 to 67 degrees, followed by chills/goose bumps.
v For a while, we thought that the spirit might be guiding us through the building. We had spikes on the EMF meter in the back room and in the metaphysical section, near the Bibles. However, we did discover that there were circuit breakers behind the wall the Bibles were stored against, so that ruled out most unusual activity.
v After the tour, we returned to the first floor. Again in the back room we sensed high EMF particularly near a table of books called "Home Wiring Section". I had the urge to take photographs of the back wall. [Later film development showed a foggy image in at least one of the series of shots I took of the back wall].
v I had the impression of an older man, upper middle aged. He had gray hair, bush around the sides and back, thinning on the top. He also had a very bulbous noseI felt dizzy and drained towards the latter half of the hunt. [Later photographs showed that I had a "rainbow" aura surrounding and on top of me. perhaps the spirit. Lee and Karen also reported that in at least one part of the video I am followed by a white light]
v The store had Tiptoe, the cat. The cat attached itself to the Haslam's family and has become a store pet. The cat seemed to have no problems in the building, though Ray mentioned she did tend to stay out of the Religious/Metaphysics room.
Previous Paranormal Experiences:
v Ray said that he had experienced cold spots. These cold spots were very sporadic. At least one instance of malevolency from a cold spot, particularly when Ray walked through it. He thought it might be upset that he invaded its territory, but felt that since it was his store he had every right to move through it as need be. Staff has commented to him that they have felt watched during the day and evening, but no one is around.
v At one point, books used to move, particularly flying off the shelf in the late evening. This happened in the metaphysical and main lobby sections. Ray wondered if it was the spirit of Jack Kerouac, who was pinpointed by one psychic as haunting the building. Kerouac was an author who died Oct. 21, 1969 (age 47). He had moved to St. Petersburg to live with his mother. He did come to Haslams and often moved his books to what he felt was a better location (eye level) though that messed with the alphabetizing of the books.
v Ray also mentioned that the metaphysical room seems to hold an unusual energy. I, personally, know one person who was tapped on the shoulder while in the room. Also, Karen West felt a presence in there when they first opened the room. Evidentially, some of the public was upset with the use of the metaphysical mixed in with more orthodox religious books.
v A psychic before had scanned the store. She believed that a spirit had attached itself to a series of books.
Other information:
v 1933 Haslam's was founded, and is currently owned by the 4th generation of family. Ray Hinst is related to the family by marriage, his wife is the daughter of the Haslam family.
v The paranormal experiences in the building began in the late 1970's, after the People's Gas building had been bought. In 1977 a hole was created through the walls separating Haslams and People's Gas. Could it be coincidence that this is the time that unusual things began to happen?
HASLEM'S
St. Petersburg, Florida
02-08-01 7:00 P.M.
Report by Karen West
FACTS:
Business opened - 1933.
Business at this site - 1966.
Adjacent building acquired - 1977.
Building built - 1946.
Adjacent building built - 1959.
A lot of construction has been done.
Pet black cat in store.
OBSERVATIONS:
Did not observe any unusual odors. No unusual markings on walls, ceilings or floors
during the walk through. However, I did hear thumping and walking noises from the southwest (direction) room when we first arrived. During the walk through I experienced a cold wall in this same room. I sensed something was down the third aisle and when I started down this aisle the temperature on the digital thermometer dropped from 73 to 67 degrees, I felt extremely cold and got goose bumps. This lasted for approximately 2 seconds then the thermometer registered 73 degrees again.
When viewing the digital pictures of this room there were rainbow effects, a shadow behind Lee (photo to right), rainbow effect on the table (bottom arrow) and a rainbow on Brandy. We also experienced constant temperature fluctuation, on the digital thermometer, and EMF readings of 8 & 10.
Off of this same room (to the north) is an entrance to another room. In the back northeast corner of this room is a plastic lawn chair. Lee & Brandy were near this chair talking about feeling as if there was someone sitting in this chair. I didn't sense or see anything from where I was (approximately 30+ feet away) but I took digital & video pictures. When viewing these pictures, the digital (photo to right) showed a shadow that actually obscured the top of the chair. The video showed a stream of light coming from the upper east area over the chair, near Brandy's head, to lower west area near the chair seat. This area was dark when I was filming except for a flash light that Lee, on left, was using to read the EMF reader. On the video you can see the stream of light from the flashlight going towards the floor. Continuing through the room we experienced temperature fluctuation and when viewing the video we saw 4 light orbs in the room and 3 in the closet. There were rainbow effects on some walls & ceilings in the digital pictures.
OCCUPANTS INPUT: Ray shared a lot of history of the location. According to
Ray the first paranormal experiences started in the late 1970's, approximately 1977.
Book Incident: Sometimes when Ray is working late books will fly off the shelves. He
has had this happen in the Religious/Metaphysical Room and in the northeast corner of the store. The SE area is where the fiction books are located, to include the works of
Jack K_____. This author lived his last years in St. Petersburg (died in 1969) and came into the store on several occasions and moved his books from a lower shelve to a more prestigious shelve and would turn his books so the book face was visible. Ray's father-in-law, the previous manager of the store, & the author had words on some of these occasions resulting in the author leaving in a huff. Jack's books are some of the books Ray finds on the floor.
Customers & Employees: A number of customers & employees have shared with Ray that they sense someone is behind them and when they turn there is no one. Also, some have been tapped on the shoulder only to turn and find no one. This has happened in the Religious Room and in the Northeast Room (when metaphysical books were located there). Employees have also experienced coming in to work in the morning to find books scattered on the floor in the SE area and the Religious/Metaphysical Room.
Buildings: The adjacent building the Haslem's obtained was a building that previously housed People's Gas.
IMPRESSION & CONCLUSION
I did not sense any evil or dangerous situation during the investigation. I did however feel a presence in the (adjacent) building both on the first and second floor. A hole was put in the wall between the two buildings to join them. This was done in 1977 which is the same time frame that Ray states the paranormal experiences began. It is my belief that the presence(s) are generated from the second building. That is where I experienced the sites, light orbs, EMF readings, temperature fluctuations & rainbows referenced in the above report.
I feel there is a spirit of a middle-aged male (mid 40's to mid 50's) that is residing in this establishment. I get the impression he is tall, strapping, has thick silver gray hair and is happy. I believe he moves throughout the entire establishment and enjoys the place and the people.
VIDEO & DIGITAL:
A video and 40 digital pictures were taken of eight rooms on the first floor and the entire second floor. Three rooms showed something unexplainable. Of the 40 digital pictures - 10 showed something unexplainable. At the end of the video, last 10 seconds, we hear six distinct knocks. None of us can identify the source of these knocks.
Note: This is Lee's individual observations in addition to Karen's complete investigation report.
OBSERVATIONS:
Upon entry to the bookstore I was drawn to the SW section of the building. Prior to starting the walk-through and while still in the center south area of the store I heard noises which sounded to be knocking and possibly someone walking in the SW section of the store. Both Karen and I heard these noises and commented to each other that someone may still be working in that area. When introduced to Ray we inquired if anyone was in the SW area and he informed us that no one was in that area. The cause of the noises were never identified.
During the investigation of the SW section of the building I felt a presence in the SE and SW corners as well as the Center area of the room. Readings using the inferred digital thermometer and electrical magnetic field (EMF) meter were in normal ranges except for high EMF readings directly above the self help book table in the middle of the SW building area and the low temperature readings obtained by Karen. The 8 to 10 milligauss readings above the self-help table could not be explained. All other EMF readings in that vicinity were within the normal 0 to 4 milligauss readings. The EMF above and around the self-help book table was tested several times with the same results. There were no electrical appliances or equipment in this area, which could cause an increased EMF reading.
The investigation of the Religious/Metaphysical room resulted in some high EMF readings near the Western religion area. It was later learned that the Western religion book area is adjacent to the buildings electrical service area, which would explain the high EMF readings.
During the investigation of the NW area, Children's book section I sensed the presence again in the NE of this room. This area had a slightly higher EMF reading (4 to 5) above a plastic chair.
The remainder of the investigation of the store did not result in any unusual readings or senses. However on re-inspection of the SW building area I was again drawn to the self-help book table. I was also drawn to a door in the NE corner of this room which leads to the second floor book storage area. When I was standing near this door it began to knock and move. I looked through the glass insert on the door and saw a hallway and elevator. I went and got Karen and Brandy, who were still in the Religious book area, so they could come observe this area with me.
IMPRESSION & CONCLUSION:
I felt a strong presence in the area of the self-help table in the SW room. I believe this presence to be male, 40's to mid 50's, graying hair, physically fit body, wearing a brown suit, with an authoritative aura. I believe his presence is strongest in the SW section of the building, which was previously the Peoples Gas building. He is happy where he is and is freely moving about the store. I sensed that he liked to be a people watcher. I kept sensing that he was trying to tell us something or gain our attention when we were investigating the area of the self-help table. I sensed the presence in the Children's section and believe he was sitting in the plastic chair I referred to earlier, just watching and being entertained by our investigation of the store.
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SPIRITS article: 12/22/02
As 2003 dawns, the SPIRITS stand at the beginning of a new era. Through struggle, work, and a little bit of luck, the group stands firm in its quest to seek out and understand paranormal phenomena.
October was an exceptionally busy month for the team. In addition to nearly doubling in size, the media's spotlight fell upon us. Several individual publications opted to follow the team on investigations.
This left a bit of a quandary. The SPIRITS strive to maintain levels of privacy for the homes investigated. We needed known haunted areas that could be opened to the public, without fear of recrimination. Thankfully, Haslam's New and Used Bookstore agreed to host two separate investigations, both shadowed by members of the press.
The SPIRITS had some familiarity with the spectral happenings within Haslam's. The team had investigated the area in February of 2001, and experienced high levels of activity. A door rattled and footsteps were heard prior to the investigation. Unusual EMF (electromagnetic energy) was recorded coming from areas of the bookstore with no known active electronic equipment or wiring. As the group toured, one member felt compelled to snap a series of photographs aimed at a wall of books. Of the 5 pictures, the third developed with a mist-like image, later judged and awarded by other ghost investigators for its authenticity in appearance.
Would the results replicate during subsequent investigations? Or would the reporter's pen scare the ghosts away?
The answer to both questions appears to be "yes."
The first investigation, scheduled in September, was host to some unusual manifestations. The meeting took place on a weeknight, with the store manager, Ray, remaining after hours to work with the team. The two representatives of Imago magazine drove an hour and a half to get to this location. The SPIRITS members, many of whom maintain full time jobs, arrived after work. All appeared exhausted, though remained primed to see what types of manifestations, if any, would occur.
EMF was again recorded in unusual locations, but this time the readings remained consistent and most likely related to the internal mechanisms of the store. Unusual noises, consistent and steady, were tracked to a drip in the toilet of a bathroom.
However, SPIRITS sensitives recognized several entities who attempted to communicate with the team. The first was a little girl. Attracted to a member who was, herself, the mother of three children, this child-spirit stayed nearby for a time. Both EMF and temperature fluctuations occurred as the teammate attempted to soothe the entity. A digital image captured both an orb and a light mist in that area.
A second personality, relaxed and amused by the group, appeared to lounge in one of the store's plastic chairs, which emitted EMF. No known logical source of energy was located in the area. Subsequent photographs reveal potential orbs, though they may also be light refractions on the surface of the chair.
The most unusual phenomena came from an area that held no known prior activity. A 35 mm film photograph shows both a mist-like image snaking through a nearby internal doorway, and a small blot of dense white material hovering in front of shelf of books. The negatives were examined by a 12-year professional photography veteran who determined that both were part of the image, and were not created by external tampering or film defects.
A third trip to the store occurred when the Tampa Tribune asked to write a story about the SPIRITS. This took place in October, near the death date of Jack Kerouac, the ghost most often said to haunt Haslam's. While orbs appeared in digital and 35 mm photographs taken by the team, none seemed to related to Mr. Kerouac himself, who was thought to manifest near his own books.
The articles produced by both investigations are invaluable to the team. They have garnered the interest of the community and serve to educate the efforts of paranormal investigators. They also led to new faces and new opportunities for the SPIRITS as 2003 unfolds.
We wish to thank you for your continued support as we persist in improving ourselves and our investigative techniques, and as we maintain our efforts to eliminate the misunderstandings associated with the mysterious world of the unknown.
Notes and reports from location:
Location: Haslam's Books
Date: 9/12/02
Time:
Weather Conditions: Rain from tropical storm
Temperature: store: 78 degrees
Lunar Cycle: Post new moon, waxing 1 week.
Equipment used: Brandy's equipment: Olympus digital recorder, ELF meter, Samsung digital, 100 speed professional film, negatives,. 35 mm with 4-00 speed film, b&w and color, walkie talkies ( NO), Radio shack IR Thermometer, Polaroid 600, Susan: EMF meter, Panasonic digital/video camera, Sandy: EMF
Alan: Portable recorder, and digital camera. (Brands unknown).
Investigators Present: Brandy Stark, Susan Granby, Sandy Bard
Others Present: Alan, editor of Imago Magazine, Dick Zimmerman, photographer, and Ray, manager of Haslams.
EMF: YES Range of Reading/Spike_several minutes
Time & duration: ___7:10 PM, steady reading with a field that expanded and retracted. Ray didn't believe there were any live wires in the area, but Sandy followed a line of EMF consistent with wiring.
Location: Art Section, rear of store. (Old People's Gas Building).
Other occurrences: This is an unsubstantiated reading. There was also a temp fluctuation a short time later about midway between this room. A computer is central to this area. Several sensed cold, Sandy and Susan sensed multiple presences. EMF readings null. A/C was shut down in that area of the store, and Dick validated no air was moving through the vent. Temperature dropped from 79 to 72 degrees, then 80 to 68. A third reading went from nearly 91 to 73 degrees. Sandy sensed a heavy feeling in her chest. Susan caught the name Bill K. He is described as a man with salt and pepper hair, dark eyebrows. He possibly came in with books, or a teacher's estate. He was tall, curious. The number 72 came up, as either his age or the year he died.
Cigarette smoke was also smelled in the room. Dick reported the restroom has a smoke smell. All confirmed they were not smoking in the area. Brandy and Susan do not smoke, Sandy changed clothes and had not smoked. Alan and Dick refrained; Ray was not smoking. Ray did mention that he thought the cigarette smell was so strong that he had wondered if someone (Dick) had started smoking inside.
An interesting, but not necessarily scientific, idea came to Susan and Sandy of an elemental attached to the land and earth who resided in the store. The elemental, they felt, ran the gambit of the store, completing a circuit. It was described as a dog pacing a kennel.
EMF: YES Range of Reading/Spike 1.5/Susan's meter; "Caution", Brandy
Time & duration: 30 seconds, time: unknown.
Location: Central part of the back section of the store; near the children's books.
Other occurrences: Chiming sound heard; Ray informed us it was the phone. Second sound was a gurgling, also described as change rattling, or a cricket. Discovered it to be a toilet running in the back. (At least that was something "paranormal" we discovered, but more of a natural nature.). Sensed the spirit of a child named Peter with blonde hair. Laughing. He enjoyed playing with the books. Susan reported that her daughter often asked to play with the little boy at Haslams, and she thinks the entity is he.
EMF: YES Range of Reading/Spike: 1.5 /Susan
Time & duration: Unknown
Location: Children's section
Other occurrences:
Susan and Sandy sensed the Spirit of a child named Rebecca. She was lost and looking for her "Mommy". She described a car accident in which she and her mother were hit by a black car in an area near Haslams. The mother survived, the child did not. Her spirit wandered to Haslams. She doesn't understand why her mother left her. Susan asked the child to sit with her. She was lonely, afraid, and didn't want her picture taken. Susan's body temperature measured from 89-91 degrees on her left side but dropped in the area she said she felt the child to 76-77 on the left side. Information has not yet been researched or validated. Ray had not heard that before. Sandy reported that there was a guardian figure, who went for the child and shut down communications (like a wall came down) when he noticed the child was upset.
Two chairs contained the spirits of a prim woman who liked her "spirits" and cooking, and the salt and pepper haired man. Both seemed amicable to the investigation, and curious about it. Polaroid images turned up nothing; pictures of the area may have found an orb or a mist. Both chairs did emit EMF, though no wires could be found around the area. Similar phenomena happened during the last investigation.
Shortly thereafter, several spirits were sensed in the room including Joy, with blond hair, a "Florida girl", who was tan. A cookbook, which caught the eye of several, had a strong impression of a Donald or Ronald.
The hallway behind the children's section, which is used as storage, has an exit, and holds estate books, really startled Susan and Sandy. They sensed a negative presence and did not want to go down there. Brandy and Alan went with Ray through the hall. Didn't sense anything, but did note the cleanliness of the store (no dust despite the books) and caught a potential orb image (unsure). It did smell musty to some in the area of the hallway.
EMF: YES Range of Reading/Spike: Strange duration, caution, Susan's meter also spiked, didn't record reading.
Time & duration: Various
Location: Metaphysical room
Other occurrences:
Susan sensed a woman named Emily who is a very strong believer in Christianity. She didn't like Susan, who is of a non-Christian Faith. Susan sensed a heavy pressure on her throat, and had the idea that Emily had white hair; she had some problem with her gallbladder/stomach/or liver, and that she considered all non-Christians "heatern" (phonetically spelled).
Alan reported that his head hurt in the area of the metaphysical section. He does report that he has a sinus condition, but believes this particular sense of pressure is related to the entity, and not to the pressure.
In this area, EMF was sensed along the back wall near the Bibles. However, it was of intense duration, and consistent -- most likely a wiring system. Brandy remembers that a lot of wires are on the other side of the wall.
In one corner of the room Susan sensed a friend named Ron who stayed in Haslams quite a bit. Susan quotes him as saying that Books are his idea of heaven.
At the end of the investigation, Ray reports that he sensed a vortex that was opened in the area of the metaphysical section. He did not sense that energy there earlier in the day. He the area sometimes has unusual energies and reports that a lot of work has been made to get the area stabilized and positive.
EMF: NO
Location: Front room, right of main entrance
Other occurrences:
Sandy sensed a person reading a book. Felt it was a place memory of a man reaching up to get a book, and reading it. Possible temperature flux, but very mild and I didn't record the information.
EVP: NO - Not done on this hunt.
Other occurrences:
Possible doors slamming; could have been Ray's wife who came to work in the store for a while.
Other Notes:
Ray reported that the cat that was at Haslam's for the first investigation died one year ago. He sometimes senses her walking up behind him.
Observations & Conclusions:
This investigation was rather unusual for us. Several points are illustrated below:
A) The legend of Haslam's ghosts is well known. Jack K., is said to haunt the store. Also, several of the SPIRITS know people who have been "tapped" in the store.
B) Brandy investigated the store before and has talked with others about it. This is the store where she got her award winning ghost photograph of the mist image near the arts section, which she has displayed for others of the team, and public, to see.
C) Imago Magazine had two representatives: Alan, the editor, and Dick, the photographer. Though they stayed out of the way and also participated in the investigation, it was a distraction. Dick left early at approx. 8:30 p.m.
D) Most of us had gotten off of work after a long day. Sandy left directly from work to come to the investigation and looked quite drained by the end of it. Susan also had a long day and Brandy taught classes. Ray had also worked, and Alan came after a long list of prior commitments. Many already felt drained and tired at the start of the hunt (Brandy felt fatigued). Brandy, personally, found the investigation to be less organized than usual.
E) Three of the SPIRITS did not attend the hunt, though they had confirmed they would come. This reduced the investigation force by half. The store is quite large, and a tertiary trip may be needed to investigate the remainder of the area.
F) It was not scheduled during a new or full moon, as most of the investigations tend to be.
G) Several of the ghosts are new to Ray. He also suggested that the SPIRITS check to see whom they bring with them. Sandy acknowledges "Adam", a guardian figure, and notes when he is present. Susan feels that she and Brandy do not carry entities with them. Brandy does not believe that many people DO carry entities with them. It is her understanding that only in very rare cases do ghosts attach themselves to people. She has not found evidence of an attached ghost on herself, Susan, or Sandy.
H) The investigation results have been posted faster than usual. The SPIRITS have spent a lot of time over the weekend pouring over the results. Not all of the research will be completed by the time the magazine goes to press.
I) The team did NOT attempt an EVP session as we normally do. Not enough time and the store was very large.
J) Several anomalous images did show up in Brandy's photos. Photo technicians examined the negatives and determined the film was OK and the negatives were not tampered with; some of these unusual images are part of the photograph. A second opinion will be sought out to validate this.
1) One digital image shows what Brandy believes is a well-formed orb, with a potential mist around it.
2) One 35-mm image shows a fog image and a strange crab like blob moving across two books. Technician looked at the image and said it is not the film or negative.
3) A possible orb showed up in the area of the hallway near the estate books. However, it's hard to validate as it is light in color. Other images do not contain the orb image.
4) Several possible images showed up around two chairs that had EMF energy. One is a mist; the other is an orb. However, it's, again, hard to confirm this information due to light refraction.
5) No images appeared in the 5 Polaroid images Brandy took
K) Haslams does remain consistent with manifestation phenomena. However, how many ghosts are there, and who they are, remains a mystery. Sandy did not identify an individual named "Jack".will try to verify with Susan. I (Brandy) am not sure how many of the ghosts we can validate. The man with the salt and pepper hair evidentially has been active before. He may have been the entity from the first investigation sensed by Lee, Karen and myself. Ray told us that he has reputedly tapped a skeptic on the shoulder and asked him "How are you?" Turning to reply, the man found himself staring at empty space. This entity, whoever he is, is quite witty and seems to have a sense of humor.
Jack K. may be at it again:
Brandy, (9/29)
I think I did make contact with Jack Keouroak (sp?) While you and the boys were (against our better judgment) snooping in the hallway where the elevator shaft is I got a sharp pain in the neck. Sandy "saw" a man leaning his chin on my shoulder. She got out the EMF meter and got spikes that did move, oddly enough from my posterior! So all I can figure is that Jack goosed me.
Susan
Haslam's New and Used Books September 12, 2002
Sandy's Report
Present: Brandy Stark, Susan Granby, Alan (Imago editor), Dick (Imago photographer) and Ray (Haslam's owner)
Start time: 8:00 pm
End time: 10:30 pm
History & Activity:
See previous article on the SPIRITS website at http://centralflghosts.homestead.com/haslams.html
Investigation:
In the Front of the store I sensed an older man as well as several other spirits who were curious as to what we were doing. They found it rather amusing and were eager to be recognized. There was a roaming cold spot felt by all of us and temperature readings were taken. I also sensed a man who was taking books off the shelf and reading them. This is a place memory I believe.
Susan and I picked up a large presence that I got the word "elemental" on. It was as tall and wide as the doorway it was standing in. Possibly connected to the land and it roams a certain path within the store. I get very negative vibes in one of the hallways from this entity and would not return down it.
In the Children's Section I sensed the presence of an older man and got the word "Guardian". I think he looks over the kids who come into this section. Also Susan and I picked up the presence of a little girl lost that we believe had been killed in a car accident near the store. She is alone, scared and confused and while Susan was trying to offer comfort, the Guardian shut down communication with her. Varying temperature readings were taken during this time. There is a little boy here who likes to look and play with the books.
In the section with the cookbooks we picked up a man and woman sitting in the chairs at the end of the section. The man was stubby in appearance and had a bad left leg. The woman was very prim and proper and dressed in a tailored suit. They were aware of each other and though the woman was leery of the man, they manage to coexist peacefully.
In the Metaphysical Section Susan sensed and angry woman who was deeply religious and had issues with any of the books that were not of her faith. She especially had issues with Susan and considered us all "heatherens". Also in the far corner of the room Susan sensed a good friend of hers who had passed recently. He loved Haslam's and often spent many hours there while alive. He seemed an easy going and friendly man who enjoyed watching us work.
Conclusions:
Haslam's simply rocks with activity. There was so much going on and I was getting so much information so quickly it was hard to keep up. I was exhausted after word and it took several days to recover. I think it warrants further investigation, perhaps a section of the store at a time. I think spirits are attracted to the store due to its laid back and casual atmosphere; they're made to feel very comfortable there. And the energies are very positive.
SPIRITS Reader Observation:
In the course of surfing your site I read the section on Haslam's Book Store. Being fairly local (Port Charlotte) and found in fascinating. One thing I noticed, however. You found no evidence of jack Kerouac but you did sense the presence of a "John". Could this be the French "Jean"? Please see this quote from The Official Web Site of Jack Kerouac:
Jean-Louis Lebris de Kerouac was born on March 12, 1922 in Lowell, Massachusetts. Jack, as he was later called, spoke no English until he was around six years old. At home, his family spoke a French dialect called joual. Leo and Gabrielle Kerouac, Jack’s parents, were both descendants of French-Canadian immigrants who settled in New England.
As you can see, Jack would have been know by "Jean" until he was at least six years old. Seeing as how he moved to the Tampa area to take care of his mother, it is quite possible she called him Jean and this was the name he went by (at least at home) in his later years. It's a thought, anyway.
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Third investigation:
Oct. 29, 2005
What more is there to say for Haslams New and Used Bookstore? It is a mecca of knowledge, filled with tempting tomes and beautiful books. It also has some of the most well known ghosts in the Tampa Bay area, including the enigmatic spirit of Jack Kerorac whom we encountered in earlier investigations.
This trip through the store, however, allowed the team to meet a new entity. One of the legends that belongs to the bookstore is that of the "mysterious shoulder tapper." Multiple stories exist of individuals feeling a tap upon the shoulder only to turn around and find no one there. Now we may have a ghost to put with that action.
This investigation started with the sensitives, who picked up a man in his early to mid 20's named Jonathan. A product of the 1920s - 1930s era, this spirit is dapper as he applies hair tonic and sports a thin mustache. While not related to the history of the store, he chooses to stay there. He enjoys the books and he appreciates both the staff and customers in the area. He also associates the books with his lost love, Sarah, for whom he waits. To kill time, Jonathan walks the outskirts of the store, touching the books. He also taps people on the shoulders (sometimes the base of a neck), plays with the cats, and gets annoyed when people read too slowly.
An interesting aside occurred. Jonathan was quite cooperative and continued his conversation by describing 4 other entities who were also at the store. One is an older woman who comes between 12 – 2, and an entity who bothers the other entities (a ghost-bully of sorts). There is a “Jack” or “Jackie” (presumably "Jack Keroac"), a little boy named Tommy, and a woman in a white dress.
We attempted additional communication with the entity by utilizing the EMF meter, combined with EVP and video recordings. Jonathan appeared responsive to our requests, causing the meter to spike upon request and creating orb images in photographs in areas where we asked him to "stand." However, there was a point where Jonathan told us that he was "needed elsewhere" and walked away. Activity ceased at that point.
However, activity did increase in another part of the store: the metaphysical room. Two team members in the area caught the faint scent of perfume that flowed through the site. One turned to get a picture at the point where the perfume originated and an orb appeared. The entity in the room went by Lori, or a similar "L" name, but we got little more information about her.
Overall, Haslams continues to be a place worthy of study and interest. I am hopeful that we will again have an opportunity to investigate the region -- and maybe meet more "corporally challenged" bibliophiles.
As seen in Bayside News, March 15, 2001 edition.
For those residents who enjoy haunting Haslam's New & Used Bookstore looking for little known literary treasures, know that you are not alone. Haslam's has its own supernatural book lover who haunts the store in his own special way.
Haslam's books was begun by John and Mary Haslam in 1933, during the Great Depression. Mary sold handcrafts, roses and doilies, as well as used magazines. As the store's reputation grew, so did its merchandise. New books were added to the shelves during the 1950s. Haslam's moved to accommodate its growing bulk of books, settling in its current location in 1966. In the late 70s, the owners expanded into the People's Gas building next door. Later they bought the building and combined the two buildings into one, making Haslam's one of the largest new and used bookstores in the Southeast. This was also the time that the staff began to experience unusual phenomena in the store.
Customers and employees began to comment that they sensed someone behind them, but when they turned no one was there. On occasion, some felt an invisible hand tap them on the shoulder. Even Ray Hinst, who currently co-owns and manages Haslam's, has come across sporadic cold spots in the building.
Sometimes, books mysteriously fell off the shelves. Several of those who know of the ghost legend believe that the spirit of Jack Kerouac was responsible for the disturbances. Kerouac was a writer who spent the last years of his life living in St. Petersburg. He was infamous among the staff for coming into Haslam's and moving his books to locations that he felt better displayed them. He often moved them to a higher spot, eye-level to patrons, so they would be seen. This, however, ran contrary to Haslam's style of arranging books in alphabetical order. A few times, Charles Haslam, Hinst's father-in-law, would talk with Kerouac about not moving the books. Kerouac, it seems, was little deterred. After the writer died, Hinst often thought it was his spirit who returned to Haslam's to rearrange the books as he had in life.
The S.P.I.R.I.T.S. team set out to investigate. Immediately upon arrival, shortly after the store closed to the public, Lee and Karen West were drawn to the southwest section of the building. Prior to the walk through, and arrival of other teammates, both of the Wests heard noises coming from the area they were drawn to. Yet, they confirmed with the manager that no one else was in the store.
The southwest section of the building houses the How To, Careers, Business, and Liberal Arts books. Through out the investigation, this room provided the most activity. The S.P.I.R.I.T.S. team picked up several high EMF (electromagnetic field) readings near a table containing do-it-yourself home improvement books. There were no electrical conduits in the area, nor any reason known to explain these readings. Karen West also obtained a drop in temperature using the digital thermometer, which showed a decrease from 73 to 67 degrees.
"I felt extremely cold and got goose bumps," she said, "This lasted for approximately 2 seconds, then the thermometer registered 73 degrees again."
The digital camera produced several light streaks and rainbow auras in many of its photographs. The images remain unexplained, as there were no light sources capable of producing such strong and well-defined lighted areas. The video taken of the hunt also recorded up to 18 orbs of light. Images also appeared on 35 mm 400 speed black and white film. One of the most notable images is a slight fog produced in the southwest room.
Some also believe that the metaphysical room has attracted the attention of some supernatural being. Though this area did have high readings of EMF, the readings were explained by the presence of circuitry boxes located on the outside wall to the metaphysical room.
The members of the S.P.I.R.I.T.S. team all sensed the presence of a male entity and agreed that he seemed to have died during his mid-40's to late-50s. This does coincide with the death of the author, .Kerouac, who was in his late 40s when he died, though whether it is the author's ghost remains unknown.
The spirit appeared to be enjoying the attention received by the ghost hunters, and may have followed us throughout the old People's Gas side of Haslam's. He seems to be benevolent, and simply enjoys observing those who come into the store.
"I'm glad to hear there is no lingering malevolence and that all appear to be positive and even happy. That can't be beaten these days," Hinst says of the ghost. "We have a live and let live attitude. After all, there are many things that cannot be explained."
Haslams (student project)
by: Amanda Norris, Oct. 2007
Some say that immersion in a good book can give the feeling that the
author is right there in the room with the reader. If you head to Haslam’s
Book Store on Central Avenue to pick up one of Jack Kerouac’s books, such
as the newly released 50th anniversary edition of his famous beat novel
“On the Road”, the author may really be in the room with you. At least his
ghost may be.
In 1957 Kerouac published “On the Road”, a partially autobiographical
novel about a road trip across North America with a friend. The novel went
on to become the voice of the beat generation of the late 1950’s and early
1960’s. Kerouac retired to St. Petersburg in the early 60’s to live with
his mother and his third wife, Stella. He decided to put St. Petersburg’s
dive bars and local watering holes to good use, drinking away a good deal
of his time here. In fact, it was cirrhosis of the liver that finally
killed Kerouac. In between drinks, however, Kerouac loved to visit his
books, and Haslam’s was right in the middle of his bar-hopping route.
According to Ray Hinst, the current owner of Haslam’s and grandson-in-law
to the owners of Haslam’s during Kerouac’s visits, Kerouac would visit
often on his way from one bar to the next. Often he would be quite
inebriated, and was asked to leave on more than one occasion. Though
Kerouac would browse other books, his books were a constant source of
annoyance to him. Due to where his name fell in the alphabetical listing
of authors on Haslam’s shelves, Kerouac’s books were kept on the bottom
shelf. From a marketing standpoint, this is the last place an author wants
their books; eye-level is prime real estate. Kerouac would take it upon
himself to remedy the situation, moving his books to eye-level, where he
felt they belonged.
Kerouac passed away at St. Anthony’s in 1969, at the age of 47. His visits
to Haslam’s, however, apparently never stopped. For years afterwards,
Kerouac liked to visit and cause a little mischief.
“We’re always picking books up off the floor in the morning,” said Josh
Ladd, Haslam’s employee. Ladd can offer no explanation was to why the
books fall.
Hinst corroborates this, and says he occasionally hears books fall heavily
to the floor when he’s in the store late at night. Although neither Hinst
nor Ladd report ever having direct contact with Kerouac’s ghost, Hinst
tells a story of one employee who felt a tap on his shoulder and heard a
voice ask, ‘Hey, how are ya?’. The employee began to reply that he was
fine, thank you, and turn to greet the customer. There was no one else in
the room.
In 2001, and again in 2002 and 2005, SPIRITS of St. Petersburg, a
paranormal investigation and consultation group, visited Haslam’s to
investigate the possibility of a ghost residing in the bookstore. In
addition to reporting reactive spikes from their EMF (electro magnetic
fields) reader, photographs taken by the investigation crew revealed
images that the team claim are indicative of paranormal activity; what
appears to be fog is visible in one photo, and orbs of light of varying
size and intensity can be seen in others. According to reports published
on www.spiritsofstpetersburg.com, the investigators also claimed to “feel”
presences, noting unexplained drops in temperature and the general feeling
of being watched. Among a few other ghostly inhabitants, various
investigators reported the feeling of a disheveled man in his mid 40’s to
mid 50’s, with the name “Jack” or “Jackie” sensed. A few reports from the
investigators at Haslam’s reported contact from someone named “John”; it
should be noted that Kerouac’s first name was actually “Jean-Louise”, and
his French-Canadian mother would most likely have referred to him as
“Jean”. The team concluded that it is their opinion that paranormal
activity was indeed abundant in Haslam’s, but was benevolent and neither
evil nor dangerous.
“I think it is interesting that the entity there found us "amusing" on our
several investigations out there,” said Brandi Stark, founder and senior
investigator of SPIRITS of St. Petersburg. “It's nice to know that the
dead are just as interested in what we, the living, are doing as we ghost
investigators are in finding out what the dead are doing!
Human paranormal investigators aren’t the only ones who can see the
ghosts. Hinst claims that the bookstore’s resident cats, Beowulf and
Teacup, often react to what appears to be nothing.
“The cats will follow me from room to room. All of a sudden, they’ll just
refuse to enter a room. Sometimes I see them, more often Beowulf, staring
at something in a corner and then slowly backing away.”
Hinst says the cats don’t seem to be afraid of whatever it is they see,
but simply realize that it’s something unusual and out of place. This may
sound far-fetched, but cats are often thought of as having strong “psychic
abilities”; a recent article in the St. Petersburg Times told of a cat
that was reported to predict the death of patients in a nursing home.
Recently, the falling books and other occurrences attributed to Kerouac’s
ghost have been less common. In fact, Hinst reports a lack of any of
Kerouac’s books falling from shelves since the store was rearranged.
During the rearrangement, Kerouac’s books wound up at eye-level.
This is Brandy Stark's award winning photograph of a spectral mist at the bookstore. The power was off and EMF started to register right before this image was taken. This was taken with 400 speed black and white film. It won an award in horrorfinder.com (2004). This is from a prior investigation than the one listed below.
