Entry No. 73 — the Denver file — filed under: records
Rocky Mountain Punk Nature Art & Oddities
A completely unremarkable Wadsworth strip-mall storefront hiding handmade bone jewelry, pinned-moth-and-butterfly nature domes, insect art, houseplants, and vintage music memorabilia. Run by self-taught artists Emily and Joe Salazar, who've been making nature art since 2013, with work from about fifteen other local makers crammed in alongside. It doubles as a small art collective. You would never guess it's here from the parking lot.
The story
Pull into Parkridge Plaza on Wadsworth Boulevard, park in front of the Jefferson County DMV, and look for Suite C sandwiched near a Scales N' Tails. From the asphalt, it looks like a standard suburban tax prep office. Step across the threshold, though, and self-taught husband-and-wife artists Emily and Joe Salazar have converted the strip-mall footprint into a packed studio collective crammed with pinned-insect domes, upcycled furniture, house plants, and bone craft.
The operation grew out of punk flea markets and oddity expos before putting down permanent roots. Emily—a Morrison native and former body piercer—began collecting pine cones on mountain trails as a child, later turning to pinning butterflies and moths to conquer a childhood phobia after an insect flew into her mouth at age eight. Joe upcycles discarded materials into custom lamps and handmade coffee makers. Today, their workbench output sits alongside pieces curated from roughly fifteen to thirty-five local makers, paired with bins of vintage vinyl and music print memorabilia.
What it's like
Drive out during daylight hours, park for free in the front lot, and head straight for Suite C. Inside, display tables and shelves are tightly arranged with fragile glass domes, potted greenery, and specimen jewelry—navigate the narrow aisles carefully so you don't bump the glass. Emily or Joe are typically behind the counter ready to talk through how individual pieces were preserved or fabricated. If you time your visit right, you might catch one of their outdoor pop-up markets where local vendors set up canopies right in the parking lot.
The move: Browse the oddities and pinned-insect domes together, pick out a piece of bone jewelry or a tiny nature dome as a weird souvenir of the day, and chat with the artists who actually made the stuff.
📍 Before you go It hides in a Wadsworth Boulevard strip mall in Lakewood — look for Suite C, roughly across from the Jefferson County DMV, so use that as your landmark; there's free lot parking out front and no fancy signage to guide you. It's a small, artist-run shop, so go gently, give the makers room, and know that browsing the cramped displays of domes and bone jewelry rewards a slow, unhurried visit. Hours shift seasonally for a tiny independent shop, so check ahead; daytime is your safest bet. Time it for one of their occasional outdoor pop-up markets if you can. Pair it with nearby Belmar's open-air shops and restaurants (Wadsworth at Alameda) or the 40 West Arts District galleries along West Colfax.
- 📍 Lakewood
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 2099 Wadsworth Blvd, Suite C, Lakewood, CO 80214 (strip mall, free parking)
Hours: Per listings: Sun-Mon 12-6pm, closed Tue, Wed-Sat 11am-7pm. Small independent shop, so confirm hours before driving out.
Pair it with
- Chain Reaction Records — Pair Rocky Mountain Punk's vintage music memorabilia and DIY roots with Lakewood's hub for punk and metal vinyl just two miles down the road.
- CC Oddities by Cera — Follow up RMP's insect domes with a short drive north to Edgewater for ethically foraged bone art and mineral specimens.
- African Grill and Bar — Grab West African fufu and slow-simmered stews at another unassuming Lakewood strip-mall destination less than a mile away.
- Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls & Toys — Match RMP's tiny preserved nature domes with a visit to Lakewood's dense collection of thousands of historic miniatures.
Good to know
Where is Rocky Mountain Punk located?
It sits in Suite C at 2099 Wadsworth Boulevard in Lakewood, CO, inside the Parkridge Plaza center near the Jefferson County DMV.
Who owns and operates the shop?
It is run by husband-and-wife artists Emily and Joe Salazar, functioning both as their retail storefront and as a collective for local makers.
What kind of inventory can I expect to find?
The shop carries pinned moth and butterfly domes, bone jewelry, upcycled lamps and coffee makers, taxidermy, houseplants, and vintage music memorabilia.
What are the regular business hours?
Standard hours are Sunday–Monday 12:00 PM–6:00 PM, closed Tuesday, and Wednesday–Saturday 11:00 AM–7:00 PM. Because it is a small independent shop, hours can shift seasonally, so verify before driving out.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Atlas Obscura · Westword · rocky-mountain-punk.square.site · voyagedenver.com · canvasrebel.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-07