A quirky specialty shop in Old Colorado City is reaching a significant milestone this summer. Owners Manfred Burkholder and Nancy Milliron describe their business as something that "all started with a mess — and a really good idea," and it has since grown into a successful entrepreneurial venture now marking three years in operation.
The store occupies the former Simpich Showcase performing arts theater on West Colorado Avenue, situated just opposite Bancroft Park in Old Colorado City. The 2,500-square-foot interior is densely stocked with an eclectic range of merchandise — musical instruments, vinyl records, vintage toys, collectible timepieces, corded phones, books and novelty memorabilia, among other items.
Milliron described the store's central purpose as offering "a solution to a problem someone is having, especially when they're looking for a unique gift." Burkholder, a Vietnam-era Army veteran, and Milliron, who spent years working as a real estate broker and residential property manager, founded the business three years ago and have drawn customers from throughout Colorado Springs and the broader Pikes Peak region. Over that time, the shop has built a reputation as a go-to destination for vinyl records, collectibles and hard-to-find treasures.
The business grew out of the couple's property cleanout work, through which they repeatedly came across distinctive objects they felt were too valuable to discard — pieces they began holding onto and eventually put up for sale. Burkholder built a presence at the Colorado Springs Flea Market and remains a familiar face there, though his focus has since shifted primarily to running the storefront. The shop also handles repair work on instruments, clocks, watches, turntables and radios.
Roughly a month ago, the owners unveiled a year-round Christmas and German retail section inside the store — a 250-square-foot area where shoppers can browse German-manufactured goods, among them delicate gold ornaments, authentic beer steins, lederhosen and music boxes. The concept took shape after the Old Colorado City Christkindlmarket drew strong holiday crowds to Bancroft Park last season, prompting Burkholder and Milliron to look into what the local market might support. Burkholder noted that while Colorado has German restaurants, bakeries and sandwich shops, no dedicated German retail store exists anywhere in the state — a gap he called "interesting."
The official anniversary celebration is scheduled for Aug. 12, and the owners plan to mark the occasion by offering a complimentary gift to every visitor who comes through the door, while supplies last. Shoppers will be able to choose among three items: a patriotic flag necklace, a poker-themed money clip and watch combination, or an oversize novelty Betty Boop banknote — described in a company release as "a playful nod to the same spirit of surprise and discovery that fills every shelf in the store." The shop's standard hours run noon to 5 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays, extending to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, with appointments also available.
Whether the new German retail section gains traction heading into the holiday season — and whether the Christkindlmarket returns to Bancroft Park to send additional foot traffic its way — remains to be seen.