Entry No. 7 — the Columbus file — filed under: oddities
Cora's Curiosities
Curated by local burlesque icon Cora Mandragora, this Clintonville shop is a dedicated haven for the strange and unusual. Visitors can browse a fascinating selection of ethically sourced taxidermy, wet specimens, and artfully preserved skeletal bones.
The story
You didn't hear it from us, but the person supplying Columbus with mounted taxidermy and jars of wet specimens is the same performer running the city's longest-running Rocky Horror shadowcast. Cora Mandragora—a fixture of local nightlife who performs burlesque as 'The Courtesan of Columbus' and co-owns Bossy Grrl's Pinup Joint down the road—opened this storefront at 2600 North High Street in 2023. She attributes her obsession with unconventional collectibles to her late father, Gerald, who spent years quietly accumulating strange artifacts.
Step inside and you won't find generic antique-mall clutter. The shop operates as a dedicated repository for ethically sourced animal bones, wet specimens suspended in glass, uranium glassware, antique skeleton keys, gothic jewelry, and eerie vintage dolls. Whether you are looking for raw skeletal remains, artfully framed bone compositions, or humorously posed mounts, every surface reflects a deliberate taste for the macabre.
What it's like
Visiting feels like slipping into the private parlor of a Victorian collector who happens to command an underground burlesque empire. Shelves are crammed with jars, skull displays, sticker walls, and glowing glassware. Because one-of-a-kind oddities turn over quickly, the inventory shifts constantly. Just confirm their current operating hours online before heading out, as door times can flex around performance schedules.
The move: Spend an afternoon exploring the shelves of bizarre antiques, then pick out a unique wet specimen or a piece of gothic jewelry to take home as a keepsake.
- 📍 Clintonville
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 2600 N High St, Columbus, OH 43202
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- The Magical Druid — Walk four blocks north along High Street to browse herbs, ritual supplies, and earth-centered texts curated by two ordained Druid priests.
- Gates of Hell / Blood Bowl — Walk two blocks south to inspect the overgrown entrance to Clintonville's famous subterranean drainage tunnel running beneath High Street.
- Dirty Dungarees Laundromat and Bar — Head south into Old North to grab a cheap beer while doing laundry or catching an underground punk gig inside a functioning laundromat.
- Orton Geological Museum — Head toward the OSU campus to contrast Cora's skeletal specimens with real dinosaur fossils and glowing minerals inside a 19th-century stone castle.
Good to know
What kind of items does Cora's Curiosities carry?
The inventory includes ethically sourced taxidermy, wet specimens in glass jars, raw and articulated bones, uranium glass, antique dolls, skeleton keys, gothic jewelry, and oddity-themed stickers and art.
Who owns and operates the shop?
The shop was opened in 2023 by Cora Mandragora, a local burlesque performer, Rocky Horror Picture Show shadowcast director at Studio 35, and co-owner of Bossy Grrl's Pinup Joint.
Where is the shop located?
It sits at 2600 N High St, right on the boundary line between Old North Columbus and Clintonville.
Do I need to verify hours before going?
Yes. Because operating hours can vary around live performance dates and venue management, check their official website or social channels to confirm open hours before visiting.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · columbusmakesart.com
last checked: 2026-07-21