BERKELEY, Mo. – Residents on Alder Avenue in Berkeley know which house will have a Halloween display worth stopping for. Steve Bishop hand-makes every piece of his holiday display that fills the front yard of his Berkeley home.

“He can make anything,” Monnica Fowler, Steve’s wife, said.

The theme changes each year. On Thursday, Bishop called his display Willie Wacko’s Chocolate Factory. He was dressed in character and stood still until parents and kids entered. He then lunges forward to give them a scare as Fowler hands out candy.

“It takes me about two days to set this up, but it takes about four months to build it,” Bishop said.

“Our kids have so much on their hearts and on their minds nowadays, it’s a joy to see them experience just fun and let loose a little bit,” Florissant resident Briana Guthrie said.

“My kids love it,” Berkeley resident Bianca Guthrie said.


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“Everyone says they look forward to it,” Bishop said.

He has an art degree but served as a police officer for 10 years. He said that commitment to serve carries over into his desire to create a neighborhood display that helps kids have a fun and safe Halloween.

“I love it,” Bishop said. “It’s what makes it all worthwhile.”