Horror served at House of Gore
St. Paul haunted house provokes fear with gruesome detail
October 22, 2014
Most haunted houses are geared mainly toward children, but the Butcher Shop House of Gore aims to scare those of all ages.
The Butcher Shop steers away from psychological horror, focus- ing mainly on the style of gruesome, bloody monsters from classic gore films.
Michael Etoll, the creator of the haunted house, said he started the Butcher Shop to keep himself busy.
“We put everything together in nine days,” Etoll said.
“We were Dumpster diving for materials. We scrapped it together, and it was a lot of fun. Now we just keep improving it,” he said.
According to Etoll, his first interest in haunted houses arose when his uncle tricked him into going through one as a child.
“I was terrified, and this had a profound effect on me,” he said. “All of this became trapped in my brain, waiting to leak out and inspire the imagery that I create for The Butcher Shop.”
Now in its fourth year, the Butcher Shop continues to modify the haunted house by adding props and shifting construction and hopes to add on to the space for the 2015 season, according to Etoll.
Etoll said the classic style and the use of original decorations set the Butcher Shop apart.
“Because we are totally indepen- dent, we don’t have to hold back on the blood, guts and gore,” Etoll said. “We also incorporate many elements from the past. It’s not a nostalgia show but it’s reminiscent of haunted houses from the ’60s.”
Sophomore Troy Richardson said he fears the gore style of haunt- ed houses.
“I think I’m more scared of ugly things jumping out of nowhere than psychological terror,” Richardson said.
Etoll said people who attend the Butcher Shop come for an original experience.
“The creatures who inhabit the Butcher Shop do not follow a script, and you will never feel like you are watching a show,” Etoll said. “I think that is important. If you want a fulfilling cultural experience, go elsewhere. We do this to scare the fecal matter out of you.”
