Interviewee:
Andy Maercklein
In your own words, tell us about your business, organization, or initiative.
By Lantern Tours is my way of introducing people to Marblehead through its stories. I lead small-group walking tours through Old Town’s historic streets, harborfront, and burial grounds, with plenty of room for questions, conversation, and a laugh along the way.
There are three walks to choose from: REV250 explores Marblehead’s role in the American Revolution; Legends & Lore introduces its colorful characters and surprising stories; and Ghosts & Consequences explores its darker history and folklore.
Ghosts & Consequences is new for fall and was created with Salem visitors in mind. Its stories of shipwrecks, pirates, scandals, and Marblehead’s own Salem witch trial victim make it a natural companion to a Salem visit. I love helping people discover how much there is to explore in these neighboring communities.
Tell us a bit about you and why you do what you do. Share your passions for your business, organization, or initiative.
I’m Andy Maercklein, and my background is in marketing and consumer insights—understanding what matters to people, what catches their attention, and what makes an experience stick with them. By Lantern Tours brings that curiosity together with my love of history and storytelling.
I love being able to stop outside a house or beside a headstone and share a story that changes how someone sees the place. For me, the facts are just the beginning. The connection comes from the people behind them: their choices, courage, mistakes, and the consequences that followed.
I bring that same curiosity to my guests. What brought them here? What interests them? What will they remember and tell their friends about? That shapes how I lead each walk, from the stories I share to the recommendations I make afterward.
It’s also why I’m excited to be part of the Collective. I enjoy thinking about how businesses can work together to make someone’s whole visit more memorable, and I’d love to bring both my storytelling and marketing experience to those conversations.
What is the last thing you read, watched, or listened to that had an impact on you?
The last book I read was At the Point of a Cutlass, which tells the story of Philip Ashton, a young Marblehead fisherman captured by pirates. What stayed with me was imagining a person from these familiar streets suddenly facing such extraordinary circumstances.
It’s the kind of story that makes history feel close and personal—and reminds me why I love sharing it. Someone who might otherwise be just a name becomes a person you’re rooting for. Ashton’s story is also part of my Ghosts & Consequences tour, so the book had a direct connection to the stories I’m bringing to visitors.
What’s the one thing people would be surprised to learn about you or your business?
The “ghosts” in Ghosts & Consequences aren’t all supernatural. Some are the consequences of people’s choices, beliefs that divided neighbors, and stories that a town never quite lets go of. The tour brings together history and folklore to explore what stays with a place—and with us. There’s room for laughter along the way, too!
What is Creative Collective?
Creative Collective delivers comprehensive business services – marketing promotion, technical assistance, business consulting, and advocacy at all levels – for Essex County entrepreneurs, creators, and innovators. We support the whole person, not just the business, through a collaborative community where members learn from each other, not just from us, because we know thriving businesses are built by thriving humans supporting each other. Learn more and join Creative Collective at www.creativecollectivema.com/join
