We had the good fortune of connecting with Jen Spincic and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jen, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I wouldn’t necessarily call this a business, more like a volunteer labor of love. It was 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic, and kids weren’t trick-or-treating. Like every year, folks in Burbank really went all out with their decorations. But this year it was different, even more families were decorating. My family spent our evenings driving around the Burbank neighborhoods, checking out all the spooky houses to have some fun and pass time.

That’s when it hit me – why not start a Facebook group for locals to share addresses of decorated houses? It would give families a chance to get out and enjoy the community safely. The group took off, and soon enough, I put together a map where locals could mark their houses for decorations or safe trick-or-treating.

It turned into an incredible way to bring the community together during a tough time when everyone needed a little extra cheer.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m really proud of how my interactive maps have brought the community together. The Facebook group I started, Holidays & Events in Burbank, now has over eight thousand members sharing all the amazing events happening in Burbank and Los Angeles.

During Halloween and the Holidays, the group becomes a hub for people to post about all the decorated houses and events around town. It’s a space where everyone can come together and have fun without any discussions of politics or religion. This way, we maintain a positive and inclusive environment where everyone gets along.

Every year, the Halloween in Burbank map gets better. Last year, we had over 200 houses participating, and the map received over 1.4 million views, which is just mind-blowing to me. The houses here are next-level!Many locals work in the entertainment industry and they create movie set-like decorations with live actors and haunted houses in their yards.

Besides locals listing their home haunts, people also list their events happening around Los Angeles, from family friendly pumpkin patches to scary attractions. And best of all, it’s all free for the public to use!

On top of the map, my family and I create alternative kids’ albums with a variety of music genres like punk rock, surf, rock n roll, and dance. We aim to introduce kids to different types of music in a fun way that parents can enjoy too. You can find our music under Yeti Crab Tunes: Kid Songs that Aren’t Lame- on all streaming platforms and we’ll be releasing our new Halloween kids album soon!

Oh, and in my professional life, I’m an HR Director. So, yeah, I definitely stay busy!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Ooooh, this is a great question!

We’d definitely do Burbank because there are so many amazing stores here!

I think we’d start with a Spooky Burbank Tour on Magnolia. First stop: Halloween Town & the Mystic Museum. Halloween Town is a Burbank staple with the best Halloween shopping ever. The Mystic Museum always has a fantastic horror exhibit and the coolest oddities. Next, we’d head to Vulture Culture Oddities. If you’re into the strange, they’ve got a fantastic art gallery and an amazing display of taxidermy and unique jewelry. And I can’t forget about Dark Delicacies, a local horror-themed bookstore that hosts events!

For lunch, we’d go to Pinocchio’s on Magnolia for some pizza. I love the old-school cafeteria vibe there.

After that, we’d visit Satara on Burbank Blvd. It’s a great retail store with gifts, crystals, and apothecaries. They also host weekly therapeutic events for women like healing moon circles, candle making, and manifesting workshops!

Then, we’d cross the street to Sliders Ice Cream. They have the BEST homemade ice cream and cookies, with flavors changing every week.

To wrap up the day, we’d head over to Griffith Park and hike around the old zoo grounds. There are some great trails up there, and it’s always fun to explore the abandoned zoo caves. I’ve heard the caves are haunted, but I haven’t had a chance to bring my paranormal investigation equipment there yet!

That’s my perfect day in Burbank with a friend – a mix of spooky fun, great food, and outdoor adventure!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The Burbank community – the most spirited city I’ve ever lived in! They go out of their way every year to go above and beyond with decorations, add their houses to my map, and welcome visitors. They are the ones who make Burbank one of the best places to visit on Halloween and during the Holidays!

And, to my husband, Josh Spincic. Year after year, he drives me around 3x a week to all of the local decorated houses while I talk to the owners and take pictures. He’s just the best.

So, if you see a car creeping slowly down your street this Halloween, don’t worry – it’s just us, hunting for the next great spooky spot!

Website: https://map.proxi.co/r/HalloweeninBurbank

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/halloweeninburbankmap?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/groups/610103193016059/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF

Other: Halloween in Burbank Map-

GOES LIVE Oct 1st!

https://map.proxi.co/r/HalloweeninBurbank

Halloween in Burbank Map TikTok:

@halloweeninburbankmap

TikTok is a new account

Apple Music:
Yeti Crab Tunes: Kids Songs that aren’t Lame

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/yeti-crab-tunes/1613400395

New Halloween album being released soon available on all streaming platforms

Image Credits
Jen Spincic

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.