Welcome fellow readers to A Morbid Minute, an exploration into the unknown where you get a brief glimpse of people who will definitely satisfy your morbid curiosity!
This week, Morbid Planet sits down with Stu Tinker, the owner of SK Tours (Stephen King) in Bangor, Maine. Without further ado, Mr. Stu Tinker…
Erin Chapman: Tell us a little about yourself and how you got into such a unique business?
Stu Tinker: My wife and I have been Stephen King fans since Carrie was released in 1974. In 1991 we bought the bookstore that he had done his book signing at. Betts Bookstore was the oldest bookstore in Bangor having started in 1938. We always tried to stock all of Stephen and Tabitha’s books, and the last 9 years, they were really the only authors we stock along with Terry Goodkind. When we sold the store I didn’t know what I was going to do for work. Since we had done unofficial tours for families and journalists over the years, it seemed like a normal thing to do full time.
EC: How long have you been doing this?
ST: We started SK-Tours of Maine in 2009.
EC: Can you tell us a little the tours themselves like the route where you go and what you see? How long is the tour? Are they still running due to Covid?
ST: The tours run about 3 hours each and we have been running all through the Covid crisis. The tours never leave Bangor, and we show our guests 20 to 30 different King sites. Place he has written about, places he has lived, and some film locations.
EC: Since you started this journey, what has been your most memorable moment?
ST: We have had a couple get engaged in front of the King’s home, and came back the next year and were married there. They have become good friends of Penney and me over the years.
EC: What is a fun fact that many people don’t know about you?
ST: At one time, I was the youngest pilot in the State of Maine. And, I bought my first airplane when I was a junior in High School.
EC: Where can our readers find your company online and with social media? Can they book online and what is the pricing schedule?
ST: Our web page is www.sk-tours.com. We have several Facebook pages, and have been very fortunate to have wonderful reviews on TripAdvisor.
EC: What’s next for you in the tour business?
ST: I am getting ready to “Retire” At the end of this year. Our Son Jamie will be doing the majority of the tours, but I’ll fill in when needed and will probably do a couple of days each week.
Make sure to follow SK Tours on Facebook!
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