If you think ghosts are just for Halloween, think again.
Tucked into a historic building along downtown Mesa’s Main Street is a place where things go bump year-round—and people line up to see why. East Valley Paranormal, opened in 2024 by co-founders Heather Rhyneer and Michelle Vincent, is more than a museum. It’s a living, breathing experience built on haunted artifacts, psychic readings, ghost tours on whimsical scooters, and a mission to explore Mesa’s eerier side—with a smile.
From Neighbors to Paranormal Partners
Heather and Michelle didn’t set out to become ghost-hunting entrepreneurs. They met eight years ago as neighbors and quickly bonded over something strange: they both had real-life paranormal experiences at a young age—and neither had forgotten them.
Heather’s first brush with the unknown happened at her grandmother’s Missouri farmhouse when she was just five. Despite being told never to go upstairs, curiosity got the better of her. After throwing a ball up the steps, she went to retrieve it and walked into what looked like a World War-era hospital, complete with moaning soldiers on stretchers. She only snapped out of it when her grandmother pulled her back—and the room instantly returned to normal.
Michelle’s first encounter came at a funeral. The catch? She was chatting with the deceased. “He was just sitting next to me, telling stories,” she said. Only later did she realize no one else could see him. Now a practicing psychic medium, Michelle still receives messages before events happen, sometimes unsettlingly accurately. She offers readings and tarot card sessions as part of the museum experience.
Building a Spooky Community
What started as hobby investigations slowly turned into something more. The pair began exploring haunted homes and businesses around Mesa and eventually started inviting others to join. Word spread. Mesa locals—intrigued or desperate—began calling them to investigate strange sights, sounds, and feelings. They quickly realized they weren’t alone in their curiosity.
“We knew we wanted to build a spooky community together,” Heather said. And so, they did.
In 2024, they opened Mesa’s Haunted Museum, a low-light labyrinth of donated relics and haunted artifacts—many too spooky for even the Mesa Historical Society to display publicly. But don’t expect cheap jump scares or cobweb props. The goal here is authenticity: real history with unexplained energy attached.
One item that caught my attention was the Dead Bell, a simple brass receptionist-style bell that rings when it detects changes in the electromagnetic field—an indicator, some say, of nearby spirits. It remained eerily quiet as we talked about the museum’s origins. But when we moved to the back room dedicated to the notorious Cohen Brothers—a pair of reportedly hostile spirits—it started chiming. Soft at first, then faster and louder. I stopped mid-question, and Heather smiled. “They don’t like what we’re saying,” she whispered. My arms broke out in goosebumps.
It’s one thing to read about hauntings. It’s another to feel the energy shift in a room.
Haunted History, Real and Rumored
Mesa, it turns out, is a hotbed of haunted history. The city’s early days include Wild West drama, Prohibition secrets, and tales of spiritual unrest. Beneath the surface—literally—run a series of underground tunnels, once used for moving goods and people during Mesa’s boomtown era. Today, those tunnels are largely sealed off, but many believe they’re still very much… inhabited.
The museum contains artifacts believed to come from those tunnels, including charred wood, broken tools, and even a foggy mirror said to reflect things that aren’t there. And if you’re lucky—or unlucky—you might catch a whisper or chill in the air during your visit.
Still, Heather and Michelle are careful not to give everything away. “We like to leave a little mystery,” Michelle said. Some items in the museum are left unnamed on purpose, allowing guests to form their own impressions. And more than a few visitors report feeling watched or touched when no one else is nearby.
Even skeptics, they told me, often leave with raised eyebrows—and sometimes a few questions they can’t answer.
Ride with the Dead
When the sun sets, East Valley Paranormal hits the streets.
Their Ghost Tours on Rydables—colorful, motorized scooters decorated with Day of the Dead flair—offer a light-hearted way to explore downtown’s most haunted hotspots. The tour winds past historic buildings, shadowy alleys, and yes, some of those infamous tunnel access points. Stops include local legends like the Nile Theater, said to host a ghostly smoker in the balcony, and other secret-laden storefronts along Main Street.
What makes the tour unique is the evidence. Heather and Michelle carry tablets loaded with audio clips, video footage, and thermal photos from previous investigations. At one stop, a spirit box recording played through the speaker: a raspy voice clearly said, “Get out.” Another photo showed a human-shaped heat signature—despite no one being present when it was taken.
And yet, it’s all presented with humor and warmth. The Rydables move at a leisurely pace, making the tour accessible and fun even for cautious participants. “We want it spooky but not terrifying,” Heather laughed. “Most of the time.”
More Than Ghosts
Not everything they do is paranormal. Their Ultimate Food Tour takes guests around downtown Mesa’s best restaurants by day, offering samples of tacos, Thai tea, gelato, and more. They also host history-themed rides, special flashlight tours, and seasonal events for families, like Mini Monster classes and October “Lights Out” museum nights.
Their mission? To create a fun, engaging way to explore the city—while honoring its shadows.
Fall is Filling Up
If you’re even slightly curious, now’s the time to check it out. East Valley Paranormal is offering discounted pricing through August when booking for the fall season. Tours often sell out as Halloween approaches, and the museum plans to debut a few new artifacts just in time.
Spirits don’t keep office hours, after all.
So whether you’re a die-hard ghost hunter, a curious skeptic, or just someone looking for a fun night out, East Valley Paranormal offers a little mystery, a little Mesa history—and maybe a little something more. Something you can’t quite explain.
Just listen for the bell.
Plan Your Visit to East Valley Paranormal
📍 Location:
Mesa’s Haunted Museum
130 W. Main Street
Mesa, AZ 85201
📞 Phone:
480-687-5767
🌐 Website:
www.eastvalleyparanormal.com
📅 Museum Hours:
Wednesday – Saturday
12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
💻 Online Booking & Tours:
Ghost Tours, Food Tours, Psychic Readings & More
(Currently offering discounted fall bookings through August)
📲 Follow Them:
TikTok & Instagram: @eastvalleyparanormal
