Charlene “Charlie” Blankenship is the owner behind Laurel’s House of Horror, one of the DMV’s premier haunted attractions. Alongside her late husband, Rich Blankenship, Charlene helped transform an abandoned movie theater in Laurel, Maryland, into a sprawling 28,000-square-foot destination for immersive horror, escape rooms, and paranormal experiences.
Since taking over the operation following Rich’s passing in 2021, Charlene has continued to build upon the vision they created together, leading a dedicated cast and crew while bringing new scares and experiences to life each season. Her passion for entertainment, creativity, and the Halloween community has helped Laurel’s House of Horror grow into a beloved regional attraction while preserving the legacy she and Rich built together.
Christopher Smith is an entrepreneur, business owner, and creative force with a passion for building memorable experiences and bringing ambitious ideas to life. As the owner of Step One Construction, Christopher has built his career around leadership, craftsmanship, problem-solving, and turning a vision into reality.
In 2022, Christopher was brought on board at Laurel’s House of Horror, where his experience in construction, business, and operations quickly became an important part of the attraction’s continued growth. Since joining the team, he has helped expand and elevate the show, contributing to the development of new concepts, improvements to the attraction, and the overall guest experience.
Today, Christopher remains focused on growing both Step One Construction and Laurel’s House of Horror while continuing to raise the bar for what guests can expect from the show. His dedication to constant improvement, creative development, and building unforgettable experiences has helped shape Laurel’s House of Horror into what it is today with even bigger things still to come.