Salem council approves limited extended hours for proposed Warren Occult Museum after heated hearing

Salem's City Council on March 26 voted to allow modified extended hours for a proposed Warren Occult Museum at 259 Essex St., after an extensive public hearing that drew dozens of speakers for and against the plan.

Applicant Elton Castell (who said he and his partner will operate the museum) asked the council to permit year-round late hours to make the business financially viable. He said the plan includes time-ticketing, a revised schedule he submitted to the council, and offers to hire off-duty police or private security and to add crowd-management measures. "We did come in here, take all that feedback...and I did immediately go back to the architect, move some things around, readjust it," Castell said.

Supporters, including local business representatives and the manager of Black Craft Salem, said a permanent museum could provide year-round jobs and steady off-season foot traffic that benefits nearby shops. Thomas Vasquez, general manager of Black Craft Salem, said the proposal could create consistent employment beyond the seasonal haunt business.

Opponents, concentrated in Barton Square and on Essex Street, said the requested hours (initially proposed as as-late-as 1 a.m. in some drafts) would cause nightly noise, trash and safety issues in a mixed-use neighborhood that includes year-round residents. Neighbors described repeated October problems with crowds and trash, argued the museum's late-night model is different from a conventional museum, and urged the council to limit hours. "The hours represent a reasonable balance between supporting tourism and protecting the quality of life for year-round residents," one resident told the council.

Councilors weighed business benefits against neighborhood costs. Several members suggested compromise plans: a limited trial, reduced closing times on school nights, time-ticketing and coordination with police. An amendment proposing a different 90-day schedule failed on a roll-call vote (3-8). The council then approved a motion to allow the museum to operate with extended hours that were clarified in council debate: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. The council scheduled a follow-up hearing for September 10 to review the arrangement; in discussion some councilors described the arrangement as a temporary or conditional measure to be re-examined.

Councilors and residents asked the applicant to work with the building inspector, fire marshal and police, and to confirm operational details (ticketing, queuing, restroom and trash plans) before opening. Several councilors emphasized the decision does not change other municipal rules that allow later hours for licensed establishments and noted the council can revisit hours if problems emerge.

The council's vote was framed by neighborhood testimony and detailed council discussion; the approved schedule attempts to balance the museum's business model and the residents' expectation of quiet in a mixed-use downtown area.