Colorado Springs’ Best Kept Secrets: The Leechpit

Adam Leech, the owner of The Leechpit, examined a beat-up canvas backpack a customer handed him. Johnny Cash music played in the background, and the faintest hint of incense drifted through the small shop. "It's not really my cup of tea," he said. "But I'll give you five bucks for it."

The Leechpit is a Colorado Springs fixture. Owned by Leech, a UCCS alumnus, the small shop specializes in vintage, punk, retro and indie goods.

According to Leech, "Vintage just means that something was made in a certain year. You can have something that's vintage 2012. Retro means that something is made to look like it was made in a certain year."

The store has huge collection of items ranging from racks of clothing, to cases full of vinyl records, costume jewelry and knickknacks. Witty stickers adorn almost every display.

The front door proclaims, "Shoplifting will be prosecuted, banished for life, blacklisted and humiliated on Facebook."

The vinyl case says, "Hell yeah, we got turntables! Just ask the jerk at the counter!" Leech pointed out one he likes next to it: "Be nice, or we'll raise the price."

Leech said, "Our motto is ‘All Killer, No Filler.' Everything that is in here is here for a reason."

Leech and his wife Heather opened the store in 2003. At that time, they were next to a liquor store on Weber Street.

Last year, they moved to their current location on Nevada. "We outgrew our margin over there," Leech said.

In addition to running the shop, both Leeches have other artistic pursuits that are becoming profitable as well. Leech himself creates "Hobo Nickels" – regular nickels with Jefferson's head carved into something else.

Popular items are American Indian faces and skeletons. Leech recently completed a nickel with a Spock head on it – and "Live Long and Prosper" replacing "In God We Trust." He is also working on a documentary showing the history of Hobo Nickels.

Heather creates Doll-o-Ramas, dolls made of non-traditional mediums. "She uses found objects and assembles them into really amazing creatures," Leech said.

Currently displayed in the store are a winged skeleton, a demon and a shoplifting baby. Heather is currently working on getting her creations displayed in a couple of galleries in Chicago and Japan.

The store also hosts events from time to time. On Feb. 11, the Leechpit will host a fundraiser by Occupy Colorado Springs. Leech is donating the space and time for the fundraiser.

Running the store has become a way of life for the Leeches. Leech said, "The music, the vinyl. That's my true history."

One of Leech's jobs as a teenager was selling music at a record store that used to occupy the same lot where The Leechpit now stands. "I've been selling music for going on 17 years," he said.

Leech enjoys all aspects of hunting for vintage items. "No matter where we are on earth," he said, "we can go to junk shops and know what our customers want, and what they will pay for it."

But beyond that, he added, "It's my job to keep cool things in Colorado Springs."