Greg Little
Kicks Editor
Monster with Haunted house on human bones scene,3d rendering
20_q_interviews
20Q: Catching up with Paradise Guitars owner Thor Davis
Anthony Wahl
Thor Davis
Thor Davis
The new owner of Paradise Guitars in Beloit might be named after a prolific Norse god, but his “hammer” is constructed from wood, steel and strings rather than leather and stone.
A regular on the Beloit music scene, Thor Davis purchased the shop earlier this year after it moved to a new location—431 Park Ave.—and longtime owner Mike Johnston retired after 35 years.
Davis, a Beloit native and 2013 Turner High grad, had been lead guitar tech at the shop before deciding to buy it, and he apprenticed there under his father, Jim, who himself repaired guitars at Paradise for more than 20 years.
In buying the store, Davis put on hold plans to relocate to Nashville and pursue a career in music. Now single and close to home, he spends time away from the shop with his 90-pound pitbull, Franklin, and his parents, mom Dani Buchko and dad Jim Davis.
To learn more about Davis and his plans for Paradise Guitars, visit or search it out on Facebook and Instagram.
1. Guitars are fun. Is it enjoyable selling and repairing them all day, or does some of that fun wear thin when they become what you do for a living? There are definitely days where I don’t even want to look at a guitar after work, but they don’t happen very often. I never wake up totally dreading going to work. I love everything about guitars. I’ll never get sick of it.
2. You now own the music store your dad, Jim, worked for when you were growing up. Is that kind of weird or kind of cool for you? It’s surreal to be honest. I’d say it’s a little bit weird, but cool. I always knew I would work there one day because it’s always been a huge part of my life. I’m honored to own it now.
3. When Paradise was at its former location, you started out working there by providing lessons and doing repairs. Did you know back then that this was a career you wanted, or were you on a path toward something else? Not at all. My plan since I was 19 was to move to Nashville and pursue a career playing guitar. I was all set to move in August 2020, but the pandemic changed that. With the current state of the world and (former owner) Mike (Johnston) announcing his retirement, continuing Paradise was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
4. I have a cousin whose middle name is Thor, but I don’t know anyone with that as a first name. Do you embrace it, and what is the story behind it? I totally embrace my name. The great thing about it is that it’s hard to forget! My father chose that name for me because he wanted me to have a unique “rock ’n roll” name. We also have a lot of Scandinavians in our heritage.
5. People would be surprised to know: Most people are surprised by my taste in music. People assume by my appearance that I only listen to metal. I listen to mostly older music, especially ’70s country, blues and jazz.
6. What is the best thing about owning a guitar store? I never have to go out and buy strings for my guitars!
7. Some rather famous musicians have walked through the doors at Paradise. Share one of your personal experiences from those encounters. Meeting Rick Nielsen (lead guitarist for Rockford, Illinois-based Cheap Trick) was the coolest. We worked on a lot of his gear at the old shop. He was such a cool and fun guy to meet.
8. What is your most prized possession? My 1954 Martin 000-18 is my most prized guitar. I purchased it in Nashville, and I’ve never heard a better sounding acoustic.
9. You’ve got some neat ink. What was your first tattoo, and what would you like to get next? My first tattoo was a Norse Thor hammer I have on my right arm. It seemed like a logical first one to get. Most of my back is still open, so I think I’m going to fill that up next with something music-related.
10. What is the most dangerous thing you’ve ever done? That’s a tough one. I would say one of the scariest things I’ve ever done was to drive out to California in my old van and hike the redwood forest by myself. It was one of my best experiences ever.
11. At the grocery store, what item always goes in your cart whether you need it or not? Dr. Pepper! It’s been my favorite since I was a kid.
12. If you could meet anyone living or dead, who would it be? It would either be my favorite guitar player, the late great Roy Buchanan, or Leo Fender, who created the ultimate guitar line, in my opinion.
13. If you weren’t running a guitar store, what would you be doing with your life? I would either be in Nashville pursuing my guitar playing dreams or traveling around the country in a van playing my guitar for whoever would listen. I have extreme wanderlust.
14. If you could have tickets to any music show in any location, who would you want to see and where? I would love to see someone such as Marcus King or Billy Strings at Red Rocks in Colorado. I’ve never been to that venue but would like to get there sooner than later.
15. What is your favorite food, and where is your favorite place to get it? Tacos! My favorite spot in Beloit is Tacos Neno on Wisconsin Avenue. They have the best tacos I’ve had in the area.
16. What is your worst habit? Probably my addiction to caffeine. I could take it a little easier on the coffee some days.
17. Describe your first car and how you obtained it. It was a 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, and it was green with tinted windows. I got it from my stepmom for super cheap when I was 16. I ended up trading it for a Jeep, and then I traded that for another car.
18. What is the single greatest challenge facing your business today, and what are you doing to overcome it? Getting new guitars! COVID-19 really put the hurt on distributors, which makes it tough to open new dealers like me. To overcome it, I’m trying to get in as much cool used stuff as I can.
19. Name a popular music act or television show that is popular with the general public but that is completely lost on you. All pop music of today. I couldn’t tell you very many chart-topping artists, if any. I prefer the older stuff. The ’70s was the golden era of music, in my opinion.
20. What makes you smile when you get up in the morning? I would say my dog Franklin and some good tunes. A nice jazz record in the morning is probably my ideal way to start the day.
Kicks
Centerpiece
Shockwave Haunts owner seeks to scare you out of your skin
Anthony Wahl
Above: Dressed as an Old McDonald type of character, Kevin Green is one of the actors at Shockwave Haunts in Whitewater this year.
Anthony Wahl
Sue Lien give a short tour of a haunt themed “Twisted Tales†at Shockwave Haunts in Whitewater. The haunt is a warped take on classic fairy tales.
Anthony Wahl
Sue Lien give a short tour of a haunt themed “Twisted Tales†at Shockwave Haunts in Whitewater. The haunt is a warped take on classic fairy tales.
Anthony Wahl
Sue Lien applies makeup to her grandson Carter Lien while preparing for the haunt themed “Twisted Tales†at Shockwave Haunts in Whitewater.
Anthony Wahl
Dressed as a pumpkin man, Huey Long is one of the actors at Shockwave Haunts in Whitewater this year.
Anthony Wahl
Sue Lien give a short tour of a haunt themed “Twisted Tales†at Shockwave Haunts in Whitewater. The haunt is a warped take on classic fairy tales.
Anthony Wahl
Sue Lien give a short tour of a haunt themed “Twisted Tales†at Shockwave Haunts in Whitewater. The haunt is a warped take on classic fairy tales.
WHITEWATER—By day, The Fuzzy Pig country mall resembles a scene from an Old West movie. Likewise, WhineyÃÛèÖÊÓƵ Wood Fire Pizza and Wine located closely nearby give off a welcoming rustic vibe ripped from the 1800s.
But come sundown during the month of October, the affectionately-named “Fuzzyville’’ dispenses with the nostalgia, and owner Dick KrausÃÛèÖÊÓƵ Shockwave Haunts injects fear and anxiety into the rural destination.
Housed in a 10,000-square-foot barn, the two haunted attractions emit a spine-tingling aura that beckons all who dare enter.
Kraus and his sister, along with his wife, Pam, operate the haunted houses, and Kraus makes it his personal mission each year to scare his guests to the point of wetting their pants.
Anthony Wahl
Sue Lien give a short tour of a haunt themed “Twisted Tales†at Shockwave Haunts in Whitewater. The haunt is a warped take on classic fairy tales.
“A lot of people can’t handle it, and they go (running) out,†Kraus said of the haunts he has hosted for the past 12 years.
With the 2020 event canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kraus is champing at the bit to frighten unsuspecting victims this year—and he has enlisted an unlikely villain to help accomplish that goal.
In past years, Shockwave Haunts has featured a variety of themes ranging from toxic factories to a deranged circus and a carnival of violent, disgruntled clowns.
“(They’ve) been a riot; itÃÛèÖÊÓƵ just been a ball,†Kraus said.
But for this yearÃÛèÖÊÓƵ haunt, Kraus chose to put a demented spin on the holiday favorite by presenting “The Grinch that Killed Christmas.â€
In this horrific iteration, the Grinch exists in a world where humans are unwelcome and killed if they enter his realm. As guests navigate the pitch-black maze of death, Kraus and his band of actors devilishly feed on their vulnerabilities and waste no chance to scare the daylights out of them.
Anthony Wahl
Sue Lien give a short tour of a haunt themed “Twisted Tales†at Shockwave Haunts in Whitewater. The haunt is a warped take on classic fairy tales.
“Men will get on their hands and knees and crawl, because they don’t want to go through,†Kraus boasted, remarking on the thrill he gets when he “drops†a 30- to 50-year old man. “ItÃÛèÖÊÓƵ kind of a high.â€
For the actors who are returning this year, KrausÃÛèÖÊÓƵ philosophy is easy to buy into.
“I get a thrill out of listening to them squealing when they come through,†said Donnie Sparks, who has played characters for Shockwave Haunts for six years.
And when visitors scream particularly loudly, Sparks said, “ThatÃÛèÖÊÓƵ when you know you did something right.â€
The 70-year-old actor also points out a stark difference between Shockwave and most other haunts is the absence of animatronics and over-the-top pyrotechnics.
“ItÃÛèÖÊÓƵ people; all people,†he said. “ThereÃÛèÖÊÓƵ no fancy light shows or robots. The characters are real characters.â€
One of the secrets to KrausÃÛèÖÊÓƵ haunt is his manipulation of whatever environment he creates. Preferring to keep his themes spartan and dark, he uses the element of surprise and misdirection to catch guests by surprise.
Anthony Wahl
Sue Lien give a short tour of a haunt themed “Twisted Tales†at Shockwave Haunts in Whitewater. The haunt is a warped take on classic fairy tales.
“(Scaring) in the dark, itÃÛèÖÊÓƵ just awesome,†he said.
Kraus acts as a conductor, of sorts, to ensure each scare is timed correctly. To avoid bottlenecks, he keeps his actors aware of groups moving too quickly or too slowly, waiting in the wings to scare what he calls “human centipedesâ€â€”people who duck low and rush through the maze.
Kraus said he is baffled by such people who rush through the attraction, considering they pay upward of $20 to essentially close their eyes.
Once each group makes it through the black abyss of the maze, several scenes break through the darkness and display carnage left behind by The Grinch. Realistic-looking skeleton torsos and dismembered animals—so intricately designed they are almost ornate—grace the walls, and a gallery of tortured souls demonstrate why this isn’t your grandfatherÃÛèÖÊÓƵ Grinch tale.
Kraus describes his scare tactics with such detail and enthusiasm that itÃÛèÖÊÓƵ easy to see why he revives his haunts year after year. As morbid as it might sound, he said he gets his kicks conjuring up new methods of causing people to nearly jump out of their skins in fright.
Anthony Wahl
Sue Lien give a short tour of a haunt themed “Twisted Tales†at Shockwave Haunts in Whitewater. The haunt is a warped take on classic fairy tales.
One particular scare Kraus recalled involved a teenage girl who literally trembled with fear after he snuck up behind her. After he checked in with her to see if she was OK, she started laughing.
“Just to have that happen is what keeps me going,†he said.
KrausÃÛèÖÊÓƵ sister, Sue Lien, runs the second haunt, which is themed “Twisted Tales†this year. A warped take on classic fairy tales, SueÃÛèÖÊÓƵ sets are the antithesis of her brotherÃÛèÖÊÓƵ, as each set is colorful and well lit, relying on more visual effects to scare guests.
“I keep everything in black, (but) my sisterÃÛèÖÊÓƵ sets could be in Hollywood,†Kraus said.
Anthony Wahl
A sign welcomes fright seekers to Shockwave Haunts in Whitewater. The attraction offers two different haunts to visitors.
Blank gravestone ready for an inscription isolated against white
Halloween Jack-O-Lantern isolated on pure white background
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