LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – The historic Baker Building downtown is known for hosting weddings, but it has attracted a couple from Brownfield for an entirely different reason.<\/p>\n
The 98-year-old building has seen many visitors since opening in 1928 as a furniture store. In the 1940s, it served as home to the USO, hosting military celebrations. It later became a rehearsal space and community center before its current use as a wedding and event venue.<\/p>\n
John and Alisha Coakley took over the building about a year ago, initially thinking it would be a typical wedding venue, but they quickly began having experiences that made them wonder if that was the case. They asked a previous owner about any unusual activity.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe goes, oh yeah, it\u2019s haunted,\u201d Alisha said.<\/p>\n
The Coakleys have heard and seen things they cannot explain, from what they describe as flirty touches from a spirit they call \u201cNaughty Nic\u201d to the smell of cigarette smoke and full-body apparitions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no exit coming out. There\u2019s a one way in, one way out. And when I turned the corner, nobody there. My hair stood on end. I got goosebumps. And I was like, holy cow,\u201d John Coakley said.<\/p>\n
But the owners say they have not felt anything evil or malicious.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe think that this has just been home to a lot of people who have celebrated life or who have worked in this building or have had such a big part of them here that a little piece of them still remains,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Fear Faction Paranormal<\/a> wanted to test the theory for themselves. BJ Alaniz and Chelsea Aguilar from Brownfield have always wondered if there could be something on the other side, but both struggled with finding anyone to believe them.<\/p>\n \u201cEven just being a kid at 8, I just experienced a lot of things…with things that I couldn\u2019t explain. And of course, shadow figures, seeing things like that, hearing noises, the typical stuff,\u201d Alaniz said.<\/p>\n A few years ago, they started visiting haunted places across the country. Then a few months ago, they began documenting their investigations<\/a> for followers on YouTube and social media. One of their videos from their investigation at the old Lubbock County Jail received more than 200,000 views.<\/p>\n \u201cIt kind of heals a part of you, like knowing that people believe you,\u201d Aguilar said.<\/p>\n They decided to investigate the Historic Baker Building next, letting KCBD come along.<\/p>\n \u201cWe love Lubbock, so we figured why not explore some places, especially the ones that they\u2019re willing to work with us and give us the time and opportunity to do it,\u201d Alaniz said.<\/p>\n The couple used touch-activated cat balls, flashlights and dowsing rods during their overnight investigation, asking yes-or-no questions to try and communicate with possible spirits. They later tried to detect Electronic Voice Phenomena through an app.<\/p>\n