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Antiques, Oddities and Caffeine: Inside Prometheus Esoterica

Creepy handmade masks are among the macabre merchandise at this Winter Park curio shop that also serves killer coffee. Photos by: Jim Carchidi

Halloween is known as the “spooky season,” but for Adam DeLancett and Whitney Hays, spooky is a year-round business with their curio/coffee shop Promethius Esoterica, located at 3744 Howell Branch Rd.

“We’ve both been collecting stuff like this in one way or another for our whole lives,” said DeLancett. He and Hays grew up with a fascination for history, science, and mythology that forged their partnership in business and in life. “It’s kind of what we talked about on our first dates.”

Whitney Hays and Adam DeLancett share a passion for oddities that inspired their marriage and started their business.

“My grandma loved spooky things and loved to play tricks on us, so I grew up loving all that sort of darker aesthetic,” said Hays. “And when Adam and I met we were like, ‘okay what if we make our own little spooky shop.’ And just kind of went from there.”

DeLancet and Hays travel the country to attend estate sales, meet with collectors, and seek out objects to compliment their collection. Inventory ranges from costume items and vintage photographs to civil war-era medical instruments and roadkill taxidermy.

The shop is filled with items acquired from estate and warehouse sales, collectors, and artisans.

“All of our taxidermy comes secondhand, so we don’t ever work directly with importers or hunters,” said DeLancett. “We work with a lot of local artists who focus on roadkill salvage and natural death specimens. We really have had to study the industry itself to make sure what we’re offering is sustainable and ethical and legal.”

Their collaboration with local providers goes beyond macabre artifacts and art with an extensive selection of coffees and teas by Monteverde-based Coffee Shop of Horrors. Customers can sip on a wicked brew as they shop, or buy a bag to serve at home.

Flavors like Judgement Day Chocolate Mint and Tribal Scream Roasted Chestnut from Coffee Shop of Horrors are sold by the cup or by the bag.

Halloween is a busy time of year at Prometheus Esoterica, but it’s not the only one. Seasonal open houses include creepy Christmas displays in winter, and a tiki event in the summer. The shop attracts locals, vacationers, and travelers from as far away as France, Egypt, and Bulgaria. Social media is used strictly for promotion and all sales happen in person.

“When you’re selling this kind of product, you’re also selling an experience,” said DeLancett. “You can go on Amazon.com and buy a cool witchcraft book, but wouldn’t you much rather buy it from the creepy shop with all the coffins and antiques? It gives everybody the Harry Potter experience of going into the old curiosity shop and finding a treasure on a dusty shelf. That’s what we’re all about.”

Prometheus Esoterica is open Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

A medical school skeleton that dates back to 1916 is a permanent shop display that is dressed up for seasonal celebrations.
Wall shelves are filled with a unique assortment of books.
A cryptozoology sculpture by Tampa artist Juan Cabana, inspired by P.T. Barnum’s Fiji mermaid.
Vintage toys and games are also part of the collection.
Detail of a vintage prosthetic arm; one of several that are on display and for sale.
The shop also carries vintage photographs, jewelry, and religious items.
A glass case filled with medical equipment, some dating back to the American Civil War.
This Himalayan ceremonial headdress was recently acquired during a day of visiting multiple contacts and estate sales throughout the state.
The shop also keeps a sense of humor with a selection of whimsical sculptures, apparel and seasonal greeting cards.