J.J. Blinkers Investigation

The Ghost Research Society, Ghost Criers and US Paranormal was the first teams to ever investigate this location!

It is uncertain who built the building but it has always been referred to the Klein Building so the guess is maybe Frank Klein.  He was a foreman at the Loon Lake Ice House and the only man by that name in Antioch in 1910 which was when it was constructed.  In the early days it was two storefronts.  In the fall of 1911 one was side was occupied by Maud Simons Sabin with a women's clothing store and the other side was Cash Shoe Store.  In 1912, Lee Strang purchased White's undertaking business and he then opened his parlor where the shoe store was and was there for over two decades.  In 1933, Strang moved up Main Street to the old Charles Thorn Farmhouse at 1055 Main St.  There was never anyone though embalmed in the Klein Building.

It also housed over the years Antioch Liquore Store owned by Morrie and Ruth Pickus.  Marianne's Dress Shop, Bernadette's Art Store owned by Paul and Bernadette Bay and E.J.'s Cameras.  Even the Antioch News was here at one point.  It's now been JJ Blinker’s for more than 32 years. 

The back section of the store now was a bar also at one time in the 1980's.

(History courtesy of US Paranormal; http://www.usparanormalresearch.com)

Address: 896 Main St., Antioch, Illinois 60002

Phone: 847-395-3770

Owner: Joanne Linker

Website: https://jjblinkers.com

Hauntings: It has been reported by the current tenants that they see shadow figures on occasion and out of the corner of their eye and lights in the basement area. They believe one of the ghosts is Gus, at least that what they named his as. 

The Ghost Research Society  investigated J.J. Blinkers on May 18, 2019 and the team members included: Greg Kos and Dale Kaczmarek with help from Aaron Thompson and Nick Simon from Ghost Criers

Equipment setup: Most of our investigations were performed in the back (newer) section of the building. The X-Cam SLS device was deployed in this region along with a Shadow Tracker which was placed in a hallway on the floor. A Melmeter and REM Epod were placed on the glass counter along with a K-II Meter. A digital recorder was used along with the Ovilus X, Phasma Box, SB-11 ghost box and some ghost applications; Ghost Hunting Tools.

Experiments performed: EVP, SB-11 Ghost Box, Ovilus X and Phasma Box sessions were conducted in the back of the building, while during one session, we recorded the Ghost Crier group when they were using a real-time EVP device.

Personal experiences:

Greg Kos: GRS members were Dale and Greg also helping was the Ghost Criers PI Aaron Thompson and Nick Simons. We alternated and investigated with every other group that came to Blinkers on a half hour schedule. I picked up no evidence on my voice recorder. I picked up quite a few high EMF readings on my K-II at the back counter while Dale was using his SLS camera and his Phasma Box. Dale’s Phasma Box seemed to have the spirits curious. There were quite a few intelligent responses to our questions. The groups that came though all seemed to enjoy their intro to our equipment and were very attentive. Dale did pick up on stick figure on the SLS. This was a great event and I would do it again.

Dale Kaczmarek: During the 2^nd EVP session in the back part of the building the X-Cam SLS device detected a stick figure climbing along the ceiling for a short time at almost the same time the K-II began to alert on the glass countertop.

Later during session #4 several participants detected the stench of cherry pipe tobacco in the air.

I personally did not have any unusual feelings or paranormal activity while in the building however we did encounter several very relevant responses on both the Ovilus X and the Phasma Box. The Phasma Box did called out a full year, “1997” and this was, to date, the only time any device that I have ever used that called out an entire year. The SB-11 Ghost Box however was very quiet and did not produce any voices at all.

Evidence Collected:

1997 blinkers.MPG – while conducting a Phasma Box session in the back room during session #6, the device clearly said the year, “1997.”  

Asshole blinkers.MPG – while conducting a Phasma Box session in the back room during session #6, the device blurted out a very clear, “Asshole.”

Doubt blinkers.MPG – while conducting an Ovilus X session in the back room during session #6, a question was asked, “Did the King family own some of the buildings in the area?” The device responded with, “Doubt.”

He’s dead; you’re fucked blinkers.MPG – while conducting a Phasma Box session in the back room during session #5, the device blurted out, “He’s dead; you’re fucked!”

Hurry back blinkers.MPG – while conducting a Phasma Box session in the back room during session #6, a question was asked, “Can you say good-bye?” The device replied with, “Hurry back.”

I don’t think so blinkers.MPG – while conducting a Phasma Box session in the back room during session #4, a question was asked, “Do you have a favorite toy here?” The device responded with, “I don’t think so.”

It was really great blinkers.MPG – while conducting a Phasma Box session in the back room during session #6, a question was asked, “What was your job here?” The device replied with, “It was really great!”

Mark blinkers.MPG – while conducting an Ovilus X session in the back room during sessions #6, a question was asked, “Do you have any children?” The device responded with, “Mark.”

No blinkers.MPG – while conducting an EVP that Ghost Crier was running with an application in the front room during session #3, a question was asked, “Can you please touch this box?” The device said, “No.”

Some saved my life blinkers.MPG – while conducting a Phasma Box session the back room during session #1, the device blurted out, “Some saved my life.”

Steve has a cold, I saw him blinkers.MPG – while conducting a Phasma Box session in the back room during session #1, a question was asked, “Can you tell me why you’re still here?” The device responded with, “Steve has a cold, I saw him.”

Steve Sandy blinkers.MPG – while conducting a Phasma Box session in the back room during session #1, a question was asked, “Who are we talking to? What’s your first name?” The device replied with, “Steve Sandy.”

Where’s Steve blinkers.MPG – while conducting a Phasma Box session in the back room during session #1, the device blurted out, “Where’s Steve?”

Words spoken by the Ovilus X in dictionary mode: Session #1 – mind, beast, stop, Beth, jewelry, front, field and enjoy; phonetic mode – help, stop it, higher, yeah, horrible, yeah, yeah, spooky and yeah; Session #2 (nothing very quiet) Gregg & Robert on Ghost Hunting Tools app; Session #3 (nothing session conducted by Ghost Crier in front room with their application); Session #4 – (Did not use Ovilus X during this session); Session #5 – famous, aura, Greek, molecule, waters, murder (a participant pointed out that Water was the name of a local feuding family who had a rolling argument and eventually someone was shot. Also one participant had stated that they had just attended the funeral of a Water’s family member on May 12, 2019), King, give, wicked and chance. In phonetic mode – arguable; Phasma Box – public relations, it’s hard, twelve years and hunger; Session #6 – van, few, ease, Vern, aura, Mark, murder, quick, beast, King, team, doubt, nickel, R, Greek, bush and clear.

Conclusions: This was an interesting location that had never been investigated thoroughly before by any paranormal team and locations that haven’t been tested before often produce quite a lot of EVP evidence as the resident spirits, if any, never had a prior chance of getting their message across or speaking to the living. This seemed to be the case here. Quite a few intelligent and direct responses to questions asked seemed to occur during the six EVP sessions conducted here.

For the most part participants did not whisper or talk in hushed tones too much during EVP sessions but could have asked more questions as this was their investigation as well as the paranormal teams.

There were a few battery drains that prevented the Shadow Tracker and other devices from working properly that could have been caused by spirit activity. It does seem that the town of Antioch has its share of public haunted locations.

An interesting side-note that the name Antioch, on the Orontes, was an ancient Greek city on the eastern shore of the Orontes River.  Its ruins lie near the modern city of Ankara. It is interesting to note that the word, Greek, came through on more than one occasion. Maybe the two mentions of the word, King, also had something to do with the ancient Greeks?