“What’s the matter? I have to be a witch, I have to be a mortal, I have to be a teenager and I have to be a girl all at the same time!” So laments Sabrina Spellman (Melissa Joan Hart) of having to navigate her newly-discovered supernatural powers on top of the normal trials and tribulations of everyday high school life in an early episode of “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” Such is the crux of the ‘90s fantasy/comedy sitcom, which was adapted for the small screen from the Archie Comics series of the same name by writer/showrunner Nell Scovell. A self-proclaimed “weird kid,” Scovell sought to “create a show that my teenage self would have watched.” And she succeeded.
Audiences quickly fell in love with the eponymous teen witch with a heart of gold (not to mention the most stylish hair!) upon its September 27, 1996 debut and the series soon became a mainstay of ABC’s coveted TGIF lineup, popular with kids and adults alike. Though it eventually moved to the WB network for its final three seasons, where it suffered low ratings before going off the air in 2003, it remains beloved today. Currently streaming on both Hulu and Paramount Plus, stalwart fans went wild when news of the show’s 25th anniversary and a faux reboot announcement hit social media last week.
And now, the bewitching Victorian where Sabrina lived with her 600-year-old aunts, Zelda (Beth Broderick) and Hilda Spellman (Caroline Rhea), and their pet, Salem (voiced by Nick Bakay), a warlock “sentenced to 100 years as a cat” after attempting world domination, is for sale – just in time for Halloween! And this is no black magic! Offered for a spellbinding $1,950,000, the listing is being handled by Century 21 Action Plus Realty.
Though “Sabrina” is set in Massachusetts, Scovell’s home state as well as the site of the infamous Salem witch trials, Spellman Manor, as it is often referred to, is actually located in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Purported to be at 133 Collins Rd. in the fictional town of Westbridge, the decidedly New England-style property can be found at 64 E. Main St. in Freehold, a charming bedroom community situated about 50 miles south of Manhattan. (Please remember this is a private building. Do not trespass or bother the residents or the property in any way.)
Of choosing the Queen Anne-style abode for the show, Nell told NJ Advance Media, “Victorian seemed appropriate for witches.” Indeed, when it comes to productions of an otherworldly nature, Victorians are almost always pegged to star.
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Image Credit: LoopNet Though no doubt historic, the residence’s provenance is somewhat of a mystery. While PropertyShark notes that it was completed in 1905, NJ.com asserts, “A building survey report provided by the Monmouth County Historical Association said the Victorian-style home was built some time in the third quarter of the 19th century. Stylistically, it looks to have originated in 1870, according to the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection’s Historic Preservation Office.” The latter date more closely aligns with the “Sabrina” storyline, in which Hilda and Zelda are said to have purchased the place in the late 19th Century. Whatever the case may be, there is no denying that the dwelling, with its perfectly situated corner turret, bay windows and decorative woodwork, is, as described by a 1971 Ashbury Park Evening Press article, “Freehold’s most beautiful Victorian house.”
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Image Credit: Century 21 Atlas Plus Realty Initially constructed as a private residence, the pad was transformed into offices in 1971 and remains so today. It currently boasts two move-in-ready commercial spaces, which the listing notes are both “remodeled but have the old charm that Freehold Boro is known for.” The larger front office suite measures 4,862 square feet and includes a full kitchen, four entrance doors, a wraparound porch and an attic that is currently unfinished (the perfect spot for stashing away Daniel Boone, perhaps?), all spread out over three floors. Complete with a fireplace, the locale makes for quite the snazzy workplace!
The rear suite measures 2,000 square feet split across two levels and features a kitchen, five offices and two bathrooms. Don’t go looking for a linen closet that serves as a portal to the Witches’ Council anywhere on the premises, though. That, of course, was just a fictional element of the set.
The Victorian sits sandwiched between a photography studio (coincidentally named Magical Encounters!) and a bank on a 0.43-acre parcel in downtown Freehold with plenty of parking.
There’s good news for those not in the market to shell out $2 mil for the property, but who are still hoping to report to Spellman Manor for work each day as both office spaces are also currently available for lease. The front suite is priced at $9,750 a month, while the rear will run you $3,200.
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Image Credit: Google Spellman Manor last hit the market in 2013, eventually selling the following year for $335,000. At the time it was bank-owned and the listing described it as “distressed,” “in need of rehab,” and “priced accordingly,” noting it presented “a great opportunity for any contractor or handyman who can take this work on.” The buyers ran with that advice, completely renovating both the interior and exterior of the space and thereby removing much of the ornamentation made familiar on “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” Gone are the dark shutters, third-floor balconies, and veranda and porch railings that greeted audiences each week on the small screen. But aside from those minor alterations, the place is still very recognizable from its enchanting TV stint 25 years ago.
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Image Credit: ABC Only the exterior of the Victorian was utilized on “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” The inside of the Spellman residence was a whimsical soundstage-built set that first existed at Universal Studios during the show’s inaugural season and then at the Paramount Pictures lot for seasons two through seven.
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Image Credit: Century 21 Atlas Plus Realty The property’s real-life interior is much more subdued and office-like than what was shown on TV. Of the differences between the actual home and the set, Novell said, “Of course the architecture of the inside of the house didn’t really match the outside. We tried to match the ornamentation of the front door, but the New Jersey house was way bigger than anything we could recreate on a soundstage.”
Interestingly, the Victorian is not the only New Jersey site to be featured on “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” Dwight Morrow High, located at 274 Knickerbocker Rd. in Englewood, masqueraded as Westbridge High – home of the Fighting Scallions! – the school Sabrina and her friends attended during seasons one through four.
Update – in honor of the property’s famed TV role, the Century 21 team will be hosting a Halloween-themed open house with decorations, prizes, games and more on October 31, giving potential buyers and superfans alike the opportunity to tour the premises and participate in some otherworldly fun! So grab your witch’s hat and Magic Book and make like Sabrina by heading over to 64 E. Main St. this Sunday between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.!