The Horror of It All.

SUE Howison grew up in New England with a fondness for old cemeteries and the stories the tombstones told. One of her ancestors was burned at the stake as a witch.

Del Howison had a passion for horror movies.

Together, the couple stoked their passion for the macabre into a thriving business.

Since it was founded three years ago, Dark Delicacies, a Burbank book and collectibles store, has grown into a $200,000 business that has become ground zero for studios researching horror films and lovers of the genre from around the world.

"I think people (interested in this genre) like to know the people with whom they're doing business aren't just business people, they're fellow enthusiasts," said Peter Atkins, author of the novel, "Morningstar," whose screen credits include the classic "Hellraiser" films and "Wishmaster."

"It's very clear to the customers that they are enthusiasts. We share this same strange obsession for things that go bump in the night, and that has to be 70 percent of their success."

Between them, the Howisons have read nearly every book on their shelves. The couple's pair of dogs -- black, of course -- are named for the central characters from "The Addams Family," Morticia and Gomez. And despite their business success, Del Howison says he still gets his greatest satisfaction from chatting up the authors who frequent the store.

Even the store's origins stem from the couple's personal experience.

When they married (you guessed it, on Halloween), the Howisons wanted their home's decor to reflect their avocation, but couldn't find the items they sought in mainstream retail outlets.

"You could find lawn gargoyles, but that was it,' said Del Howison. "We thought, maybe we're not the only warped ones that enjoy this stuff. Other people must be wanting it too."

Del, a salesman in the garment industry, and Sue, who worked in the environmental affairs department at Nestle Corp., found a 1,300-square-foot store at Magnolia Avenue and Hollywood Way and opened shop with their personal collection of books and memorabilia and about $5,000. They took turns manning the store while holding down their day jobs.

"She'd sell some of her books, and the people would leave and she would cry," Howison said of that first year. "But we didn't have an option. It takes something of a sacrifice (to start a business)."

By the end of the second year, though, sales had doubled to about $130,000, and Del was able to join the business full time. Soon the company's inventory burgeoned to include new and used books, everything from vampire novels to histories of the Inquisition and the Plague; monster jewelry and key chains; licensed toys from such movies as "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas;" along with collectibles and furnishings (the store sells a coffin-shaped wine cabinet that retails for $400), videos and old horror magazines. In the process, Dark Delicacies moved to its current quarters, a 2,000-square-foot store on Burbank Boulevard.

Meanwhile, the movie studios had discovered the store. At first, Sue found she was fielding calls from researchers and providing them with information over the phone. But with her encouragement, they soon began coming to the store personally, sometimes buying out whole sections of books at a time to research a movie.

About 50 percent of Dark Delicacies' in-store sales now come from studios, but the Howisons have been able to cultivate an equally large base of avid fans buying for their own collections. There are avid followers of niches within the genre, collectors of such series as "The Nightmare Before Christmas," "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer," and a group of novels that developed from the highly successful "Halloween" film series.

"When someone walks in, I can say, 'Oh, the new so-and-so came in," Sue said. "They know they'll get called-if a certain book comes in. They never have to worry about missing a book."

Dark Delicacies also recruits new customers with its regular book signings that have attracted authors ranging from Ray Bradbury to Atkins.

"At least 95 percent of (authors and celebrities who deal in the genre) would rather sign with an independent," said Del Howison. "They know these are the ones that push their books and our customers are more likely to give the books to a friend to read because they're so excited about it."

Although the store's decor -- neo-spooky with dimly lit corners, spider webs and a life-sized model of a monster butler that greets shoppers at the door -- screams Halloween, the biggest sales days are Mother's Day and Valentine's Day. The vast majority of the shop's customers are women who, the Howisons point out, have become such significant consumers of vampire fiction that publishers have begun designing the books in the style of bodice rippers with lusty women in the forefront and the specter of their desire, buffed out and blood thirsty, hovering in the background.

"We get women coming in and telling us to tell (their husbands), 'I want this and that,'" said Del Howison. "So we're thinking about starting a registry for that kind of thing."

According to the Howisons, the interest in the horror genre is not unlike any other form of escapism.

"It's the analogy of going to Magic Mountain," said Del. "You get on the roller coaster, and it's going to scare you, but then the ride will be over. The scariest thing is reading a newspaper. This is a safe scare."