Entry No. 9 — the Colorado Springs file — filed under: witchy
Cronk Art & Curiosities
A queer-owned downtown curiosity shop where ethically sourced butterfly and beetle taxidermy shares shelf space with tarot decks and live tarantulas — and after dark, the owners have been known to let a ghost hunter in.
The story
Andrew Cronk’s path to running a curiosity shop began in 2004 when he built a pollinator garden in 7th grade, eventually leading to a job at a local nursery where he raised butterflies to teach visitors about metamorphosis. After pinning two monarchs that died naturally in his habitat in 2018, he fell down the rabbit hole of ethical entomology. In 2021, he teamed up with Chris Dantzler to create a physical haven on North Tejon Street designed specifically as an inclusive, queer-owned space for the offbeat.
Step past the threshold and you won't find grim taxidermy or poached specimens. Every swallowtail, atlas moth, and iridescent beetle on display is ethically sourced after completing its natural lifespan. They share shelf space with carefully curated tarot decks, hand-built shadow boxes, and enclosures housing live tarantulas. And—between you and us—the store's lingering atmosphere has even drawn late-night interest: after hours, the owners have been known to turn off the lights and slip a local ghost hunter inside to see who else might be browsing.
More than a store, Cronk acts as an anchor for the local counter-culture scene. Beyond hosting hands-on insect-pinning classes where you manipulate delicate wings onto spreading boards, the shop organizes the monthly 'Moon Market'—a low-cost street vendor fair that gives local artists, occult makers, and naturalists a dedicated platform downtown.
What it's like
Walking into the ground-floor storefront on Tejon Street, you’ll find a surprisingly bright, airy space with clean displays rather than a dim, dusty oddities hoard. Live tarantulas quietly observe from their enclosures while framed arthropods and tarot decks line the walls. If you want to attend an insect-pinning workshop, do not rely on a walk-in—the small-group sessions sell out quickly online. Aim to browse late in the afternoon before the downtown dinner rush hits, grab your framed moth, and stroll straight to a neighboring cocktail spot on Tejon.
The move: Book a hands-on insect-pinning workshop — you'll spend an hour coaxing a swallowtail or atlas moth onto a spreading board, leave with a framed piece you made yourselves, and have a genuinely strange story to tell at dinner.
📍 Before you go You'll find Cronk on N Tejon Street, the main walkable spine of downtown Colorado Springs near the Pikes Peak Avenue intersection — it's a ground-floor storefront, so just stroll the block and watch for the window display. Street parking lines Tejon, with metered lots and the public garages a block or two off if the curb is full. Dropping in to browse the taxidermy, tarot, and live tarantulas is open to all, but the insect-pinning workshops run on a small reservation-only schedule and sell out, so claim a session well ahead. It's a tightly packed shop — go a little before the dinner rush. Pair it with one of the nearby downtown cafes or cocktail bars and make a full evening of the strip.
- 📍 Downtown Colorado Springs
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 104 N Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Hours: Mon–Thu 11am–6pm, Fri–Sat 10am–7pm; workshop times vary — book ahead at cronkartco.com/classes as sessions sell out.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Panthers Gate Lil Witch University & Metaphysical Store — Follow up Cronk's tarot decks and preserved specimens with structured occult coursework and intuitive readings down the street.
- Meraki Springs — Trade insect-pinning needles for resin or leather carving in a day built around hands-on artisan crafts.
- MatchBox Candle Co. — Pair the careful precision of mounting an atlas moth with pouring your own custom scented candle in nearby Old Colorado City.
- Star Party at Garden of the Gods — Shift your perspective from intricate terrestrial arthropods on Tejon Street to deep-space nebulae through telescopes in the park.
Good to know
Are the pinned insects ethically sourced?
Yes. All butterflies, moths, and beetles in the shop died of natural causes in sanctuaries and habitats before being preserved.
Do I need experience to join an insect-pinning workshop?
Not at all. Instructors walk you step-by-step through relaxing a specimen, mounting it on a spreading board, and securing it in a take-home frame.
How do I book a spot in a pinning class or event?
Workshops run on a limited schedule and must be reserved in advance at cronkartco.com/classes.
What is the Moon Market?
It's a monthly artisan market hosted by Cronk that brings local artists, vendors, and makers of natural and metaphysical goods to downtown Colorado Springs.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · koaa.com · gazette.com
last checked: 2026-06-04