Best Creepy Stuff 2024 | Curious Nature | Goods & Services | Phoenix
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Best Creepy Stuff

Curious Nature

When we say that Curious Nature carries some creepy stuff, we mean it as a compliment. The self-described "fine natural history emporium" in the Melrose District sells an awful lot of body parts, from wet specimens of diaphonized mice and shark pups to bear jawbones and coyote vertebrae. If you've got $3,000 laying around, Curious Nature even sells human skulls. (All physical specimens are ethically sourced.) Besides dead things, the store carries plenty of other items that appeal to the macabre customer. Depending on the day, you might find an antique Ouija board or some vintage funeral photographs. And the store has plenty of new items to browse, including a fascinating book selection and cool enamel pins. In addition to what you can buy, Curious Nature offers a stellar lineup of classes and lectures in case you ever wanted to learn taxidermy or experience a Victorian seance.

Place for Vintage Pop Culture

3G Vintage

Were the '70s,'80s and '90s really a better era, or do Gen Xers and millennials just miss the time when they didn't have mortgages and the earth wasn't heating up at an alarming rate? It's hard to say. But when we're longing for the simple pleasures of the past, we stop in at 3G Vintage. Located in Desert Sun Plaza in the Grand Avenue arts district, 3G Vintage hits us right in the nostalgia bone every time we visit. The shop is small but absolutely packed with merch, from baskets of mid-'90s cassette singles and back issues of Rolling Stone magazine to old VHS tapes and troll dolls. New stuff comes into 3G Vintage all the time, so we check the place out often to reminisce about the good old days.

Best Store for Your Inner Dino Nerd

Tyrannostorus

Between science class lessons, T-rex pajamas and "Jurassic Park," dinosaurs had a big impact on our childhood. We're adults now, and no one bothers to ask us what our favorite dinosaur is anymore (triceratops, in case you're curious), but we can still express our love for prehistoric reptiles at Mesa science boutique Tyrannostorus. We may have adult money now, but a trip to Tyrannostorus makes us feel like a kid again. From stuffed animals to books to actual fossilized dinosaur bones, there are plenty of items to choose from. And if your interests go beyond brontosauruses and pterodactyls, Tyrannostorus has goods pertaining to ancient Egypt, space, sharks and more, making it truly a place for science fans of all ages.

Best LEGO Store

Arizona Brick Co.

We're what you might consider casual LEGO fans. We loved them growing up and have been known to build a set or two as adults. We also know LEGO fanatics who drop hundreds of dollars on new releases and scour the internet for hard-to-find pieces. But no matter what your level of dedication to LEGO is, you'll find what you need at Arizona Brick Co. This family-owned and -operated store has been open for less than a year but has already become a must-visit destination for LEGO fans of all ages. There are new and used sets at a variety of price points, a case full of mini figures and huge trays of loose pieces that allow customers to replace a missing brick or pick up what they need for an original creation.

Best RC Lowrider Cars

Redcat Racing

Redcat Racing creates highly detailed radio control lowrider-inspired vehicles. And while cruising lowriders may be difficult in some areas around metro Phoenix, Redcat's RCs can be driven and hopped anywhere in town. The local company produces 1:10 scale models of the 1959 and 1964 Chevrolet Impalas, which can bounce like lowriders or roll smoothly on miniature spoked wheels. The radio-controlled vehicle manufacturer also unveiled an '80s-style Monte Carlo RC that can be lifted, lowered and made to dance with the flick of a joystick. Mini trucks with dancing beds were another hit in the late 1980s, and they'll be making a comeback in 2025 at Redcat — they're now accepting orders for the first mini truck RC, on which the truck bed raises and flops around. If you're local and want to scope out or test drive these dope-looking lowriders, visit AZ Turn and Burn RC in Surprise or Duncan's RC in west Phoenix and let them know who your plug is.

Best Place for Horror Buffs

Terror Trader

Thanks to horror genre's ever-growing popularity, spooky retailers have popped up across the Valley's desert hellscape in recent years like zombies in a George Romero flick. Terror Trader in Chandler, though, has cornered the macabre market locally and slays its competition by offering more than just horror collectibles for sale. Owners Jason and Gina Swarr have packed parts of their self-described "marketplace for the bizarre" with genuine thrills and chills, including a museumlike room filled with human skulls and creepy artifacts or an area where life-size doppelgangers of slasher film villains lurk. The black heart of Terror Trader, which operates similar to an antique mall, is the various cases, shelves and nooks — some shaped like coffins — stocked with horror-inspired artwork, jewelry, apparel and memorabilia from local vendors and creatives. Horrific highlights include a re-created '80s video store selling scary movies on VHS, ceramic versions of human organs by AdVANCEd creations and Avid Artifice's bloody metal and glass crucifixes inspired by "The Exorcist." Looking for a good scare or shopping for the ghoul who has everything? Head for Terror Trader.

Best Hip-Hop Shop

Trill

Why does Trill keep earning honors as the top hip-hop shop in the Valley? Easy. The store effortlessly reps every aspect of hip-hop culture — from MCing and DJing to graffiti art and breakdancing — and does so with style. Just ask any of the writers, dancers, turntablists and rappers who hit up Trill on the regular, including the legendary Ice-T. In 2021, the hip-hop star and part-time Valley resident gave props to the shop for everything it offers, from its spray paint and streetwear selection to its collection of paintings paying tribute to dearly departed rap icons adorning the rafters. "I respect the fact they're trying to respect the culture," he said. Trill's repping of hip-hop doesn't end there. In one corner, boxes of funk, soul and old-school 45s are next to shelves of vintage rap cassettes. Elsewhere, there are back issues of magazines such as 4080 and XXL, kicks from Converse and Vans, glass cases filled with hip-hop toys and memorabilia, a wall of boomboxes and a dance floor and stage where local breakers and MCs can perform. "You've got everything that is hip-hop under one roof, and it's absolutely amazing," Ice-T said in 2021. Word.

Best Skate Shop

Cowtown Skateboards

Here's how much of a pillar Cowtown is in the Phoenix skate scene: There are folks who shopped there since its 1997 opening who are now taking their own kids for the same Vans kicks and Alien Workshop boards. And, yes, things have changed for Cowtown since then; they're now a local chain thanks to new locations in Glendale, Tempe and Goodyear. They're also more community-minded, and since 2017 have run the Cowtown S.K.A.T.E. nonprofit to help the youth and build communities via skating. But some things will never change, and Cowtown has always been about skaters and cultural diehards helping and supporting their brethren. It's not just about having the right equipment and apparel; it's knowing that the people on the other side of the counter are just as passionate and committed to skating and the lifestyle that surrounds it. Cowtown is the epicenter for all things skating and skating-related in the Valley, and it perpetuates a culture whose values and ideals are in line with the best parts of our desert home (individuality, community, etc.) Whether you can pop shove it, or your knees simply wouldn't let you anymore, Cowtown will always be home.

Best Store for Wrestling Fans

The Wrestling Guy Store PHX

Professional wrestling is popular again? As WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle might say, it's true. After being dismissed for decades as, at best, a niche interest or, at worst, the hallmark of lowbrow culture, wrestling has been attracting more people than ever in recent years. Millions tune into shows such as "WWE SmackDown!" each week or pack sold-out arenas around the world — including Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale back in March. So it's not surprising that a dedicated retail spot for wrestling fandom has popped up in the Valley. The Wrestling Guy Store PHX is a five-star experience for marks and smarks alike. Other local geek emporiums may stock wrestling merch, but they're jobbers compared with the championship-caliber selection of collectibles and memorabilia from WWE, AEW and other promotions available here, from T-shirts and title belts to posters and trading cards, even Funko Pop! dolls and bobbleheads. They've also got rarities such as commemorative folding chairs (natch) from previous pay-per-views in Phoenix and legions of figures filling multiple walls. If you'd like to meet a wrestler instead of owning a plastic version, the store frequently has hosted appearances by legends such as The Godfather and Rikishi. The Wrestling Guy Store PHX, we acknowledge you.

Best Comic Book Shop

Ash Avenue Comics

You don't have to be one of Arizona's biggest comic book nerds to find something fun here, although you'll be in comic book heaven if you are one. Opened in 2003, owner Drew Sullivan's small shop is packed to its Abe Sapien gills with single issues, ongoing series and trade paperbacks. There are all the major titles from Marvel, DC and other big publishers, allowing you to scratch any superhero or "Star Wars" itch you might have. There are also shelves full of small-press collections and graphic novels as well as young adult and manga sections. Start your kid on a collection of Disney comics — such as "Darkwing Duck," "TaleSpin" or "Chip 'N Dale: Rescue Rangers" — while treating yourself to a classic like Alan Moore's "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen." If you're super into comics, Ash Avenue's staff has the encyclopedic knowledge to match yours. If you're just dabbling, they can point you in the right direction. And if you just want something offbeat, look no further. On a recent visit, titles like "Sir Charles Barkley and the Referee Murders" and "Winnie the Pooh: Demon Hunter" — ol' Pooh Bear's in the public domain, baby! — were on display.

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