~ by Trevor Phipps ~
Woodland Park is now the home to a unique “indoor bizarre” located in the Safeway shopping center on the east side of town.
The new owners of Colorado Hidden Treasures call their store “A unique mountaintop bizarre experience.”
Store owners Jona and Mark Clemmings recently opened the one-of-a-kind business to help bring the community together. “We spent two years attending the Charis Bible College and we made a lot of friends and found the community loving and warming,” Jona said. She mentioned that the idea of the store came to her in a vision when she was living in Bristol, England four years ago. Earlier this year, the family believed it was the right time and place to make Jona’s vision a reality.
Colorado Hidden Treasures is a shop that consists of four different parts. In the front of the store, many high-quality Christian gifts can be found. Many different types of items including name brand bags and jewelry can be found amongst the good selection of Christian gift items. “We wanted to give locals an alternative to having to travel to Colorado Springs to purchase high quality gifts and clothing,” said Mark Clemmings.
Another part of the store has a live workshop where local craftsmen can come to make and sell gifts. The area is set up to encourage local artists and creators of all kinds. Anyone can come to the workshop, create their artwork or gifts and then sell them in the same spot inside the store.
Further to the back of the business is where the store’s selection of quality clothing can be found. Their clothing department is also the home to a Love Vintage and Retro corner.
In the very back part of the store is a gem that cannot be found anywhere else in the region. In the rear of the building, sits a very luxurious English Tea Room. The décor of the room features an elegant balance of Victorian and Contemporary England themes. Inside the room, shoppers have a place to sit down and relax while they look for gifts for their loved ones.
The friendly atmosphere is set up so that people can enjoy a cup of tea and socialize with other shoppers. “We wanted to provide a place where people could come to shop as well as have a place to sit down, relax and meet new people,” said Clemmings.
