Entry No. 8 — the Colorado Springs file — filed under: records
Land of Ozz
“so new even the regulars haven't fully found it yet”
A shadowy trove of rare vinyl, gothic threads, out-of-print books, and custom dark jewelry tucked into Ruxton Avenue — Manitou's most wonderfully weird back canyon — with a Manitou chapter so new even the regulars haven't fully found it yet.
The story
Most visitors marching up Ruxton Avenue are focused on one thing: getting to the Manitou Incline or boarding the Cog Railway. Keep your eyes lowered to no. 14, though, and you'll catch a shadowy canyon outpost from owners Sue and Marc Scozzafava. The pair originally came from New Jersey and established the first Land of Ozz down in Pueblo before expanding up into Manitou.
Inside, the neon-and-pastel tourist energy of the main drag completely dissolves. You're met with racks of gothic threads, trays of custom dark jewelry, vintage rock posters, out-of-print books, and crates of rare vinyl records. It feels less like a standard souvenir stop and more like a secret basement vault carved into the side of the canyon.
What it's like
Stroll up on foot from downtown Manitou rather than attempting to drive up the canyon—Ruxton Avenue is strictly residential-permit-only, and parking enforcement will ticket your windshield without hesitation. Inside, the space is dark, quiet, and designed for slow flipping through record sleeves and browsing alternative threads. Because hours run irregular for this chapter, phone ahead to confirm someone is actually there before climbing the road.
The move: Slip down Ruxton Avenue and lose an afternoon flipping through rare records and vintage rock posters while your date tries on gothic jewelry — one of the most genuinely strange rabbit holes in the whole Pikes Peak region.
📍 Before you go It sits low on Ruxton Avenue at no. 14, the canyon road that climbs from downtown Manitou up to the Cog Railway depot and the Manitou Incline trailhead. Don't count on parking at the door: Ruxton is residential-permit-only, so you'll get ticketed on the street — instead grab a downtown lot and stroll up (it's a short, mostly flat walk from the main drag), or ride the free Manitou shuttle from the mobility hub. Summer days the whole canyon clogs with Incline and Cog crowds; an off-peak weekday or shoulder-season visit is calmer. It's a newer second location (the original is in Pueblo), so hours run irregular — check ahead. Pair it with the springs and shops downtown, or the trailhead up-canyon.
- 📍 Manitou Springs
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 14 Ruxton Ave, Manitou Springs, CO 80829
Hours: Hours not publicly listed — call ahead: (719) 216-8764.
Pair it with
- Hart & Horn — Walk over to the Manitou Art Center to visit Angela Hartshorn's witch shop for a natural continuation of Manitou's dark, handmade counterculture.
- Wise Roots Apothecary — Head down to Canon Avenue to trade gothic vinyl crates for custom herbal teas inside a candlelit 1880s church.
- Cronk Art & Curiosities — Drive east into downtown Colorado Springs to continue the oddities run among butterfly taxidermy, tarot decks, and live tarantulas.
Good to know
Where is Land of Ozz located?
You'll find it at 14 Ruxton Avenue in Manitou Springs, on the lower canyon stretch leading up toward the Incline and Cog Railway.
Where should I park when visiting?
Do not park on Ruxton Avenue—street parking requires a local residential permit. Leave your car in a downtown Manitou pay lot and make the short walk up, or ride the free Manitou shuttle.
What are the store hours?
Hours are not publicly posted and can be irregular. Call ahead at (719) 216-8764 before making the trip.
What sort of items do they stock?
They carry rare vinyl, vintage rock posters, gothic apparel, out-of-print books, custom dark jewelry, and alternative collectibles.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Yelp · manitousprings.org · Facebook · socostudentmedia.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-04