Drive-By
Delano-district drive-by
Visit the historic 535 W Douglas storefront, part of the Wichita Ghost Tour route, where ghost-tour groups stop to hear the Travel Air and salon hauntings.
- Duration:
- 15 min
Photo coming soon
Other Dark Tourism Site
Salon 5thirty5 (former Travel Air Manufacturing Building)
A Delano-district hair salon in the former 1920s Travel Air Manufacturing building, where Clyde Cessna and Walter Beech built aircraft, now reportedly haunted by a Victorian woman and a red-haired gunslinger.
535 W Douglas Ave, Wichita, KS 67213
Wheelchair Accessible
Research-Backed · 3sources
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Active hair salon; visit during business hours and book a service to experience the space.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Storefront, flat sidewalk.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1925 · 1920s home of Travel Air Manufacturing Company · Connected to Wichita aviation pioneers Cessna, Beech, and Stearman · Anchor stop on the Wichita Ghost Tour route · Featured in Visit Wichita's official haunted-places blog post
The Delano-district commercial building at 535 W Douglas Avenue has roots in Wichita's early aviation industry. In 1925, the Travel Air Manufacturing Company was founded in Wichita by Clyde Cessna, Walter Beech, and Lloyd Stearman — three of the founding fathers of Wichita's aircraft industry. The building at 535 W Douglas housed Travel Air operations during the company's earliest years.
Travel Air designed and produced biplane and monoplane aircraft that helped establish Wichita's reputation as the 'Air Capital of the World.' The company was later acquired by Curtiss-Wright in 1929. Cessna, Beech, and Stearman each went on to establish their own iconic aircraft companies, all based in Wichita.
In subsequent decades, the building transitioned through commercial uses typical of the Delano district. Today the storefront houses Salon 5thirty5 (also known as Salon 535 @ The Perfect Touch), a full-service hair and beauty salon offering haircuts, color, nail services, and other beauty treatments. The building remains a working storefront on a still-active commercial stretch of W Douglas Avenue west of the Arkansas River.
Sources
- https://www.kansashistory.gov/index.php?url=kansapedia/travel-air-manufacturing-company/17386
- https://www.visitwichita.com/blog/post/wichita-haunted-places/
- https://www.kmuw.org/community/2013-10-03/photos-four-places-in-delano-you-might-not-suspect-were-haunted
Apparition of a Victorian-dressed woman near manicure areaApparition of a red-haired man in period dressNail files and chairs moving on their ownEVPs including 'get out now' and a woman screamingStylists leave flowers to placate the female ghost
According to Visit Wichita and KMUW reporting, staff at Salon 5thirty5 have for years described two recurring apparitions. The first is a woman dressed in Victorian-era attire who appears near the manicure area at the rear of the shop. Stylist Vivian Smith told KMUW: 'She has a thing for flowers and jewelry and sparkly things, so she's in the right spot' — and stylists reportedly bring fresh flowers to keep the woman content.
The second figure is a red-haired man in period dress, sometimes described as resembling an Old West gunslinger, seen elsewhere in the salon.
Workers also report nail files, chairs, and other small objects moving on their own. Paranormal investigators connected to the Wichita Ghost Tour route have captured electronic voice phenomena (EVPs) in the building, including reportedly a voice saying 'get out now' and a separate recording of a woman screaming, according to the US Ghost Adventures Wichita Ghost Tour materials.
The Delano district more broadly has a documented frontier history of saloons, gambling, and at least one famous 1870s shootout involving Edward T. 'Red' Beard — a context Visit Wichita explicitly notes when discussing the neighborhood's haunted reputation.
Notable Entities
Unnamed Victorian-era womanUnnamed red-haired figure / gunslinger
Media Appearances
- Visit Wichita — official tourism-board haunted-places blog
- KMUW Wichita — Four Places In Delano You Might Not Suspect Were Haunted (2013)
- US Ghost Adventures — Wichita Ghost Tour
Plan Your Visit
1 way to experienceSources & Further Reading
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Salon 5thirty5 (former Travel Air Manufacturing Building) family-friendly?
Friendly active business; ghost stories are gentle salon-staff anecdotes, well-suited to families and curious tourists. Overall family fit: High.
How much does it cost to visit Salon 5thirty5 (former Travel Air Manufacturing Building)?
Active hair salon; visit during business hours and book a service to experience the space.
Do I need to book in advance?
Yes, reservations are required.
Is Salon 5thirty5 (former Travel Air Manufacturing Building) wheelchair accessible?
Yes, Salon 5thirty5 (former Travel Air Manufacturing Building) is wheelchair accessible. Terrain: Storefront, flat sidewalk..