Entry No. 86 — the Denver file — filed under: records
Chain Reaction Records
Run by brothers Josh and Justin Lent - longtime fixtures of Denver's hardcore scene via their band Clusterfux - this is Colorado's de facto punk, metal and hardcore headquarters, on a rough stretch of W Colfax in Lakewood among gun shops and bail bondsmen. Collectors swear it stocks pressings you won't find within a thousand miles, and the shop runs its own label putting out local punk acts. The hardcore kids all know it; almost no tourist guide does.
The move: Best if one or both of you actually like loud music - dig the punk/metal bins together, grab a band shirt, and let one of you school the other on a scene you didn't know existed.
📍 Before you go It sits in an unassuming strip on the north side of W Colfax in Lakewood, between Wadsworth and Kipling — easy to blow past, so watch the address numbers rather than hunt for a flashy sign. There's a dedicated lot out front, so skip the meter math, and the W Line light rail runs this corridor if you'd rather not drive. Go in daylight: the surrounding blocks are gritty, and it keeps mostly daytime hours and is closed one day a week (check ahead). The bins reward unhurried digging, and there's more than vinyl — shirts, tapes, books. Pair it with Casa Bonita, the cliff-diving sopapilla spectacle a mile or two east on the same Colfax strip.
- 📍 Lakewood / West Colfax
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 8795 W Colfax Ave, Lakewood, CO 80215 (north side of W Colfax, between Wadsworth and Kipling)
Hours: Roughly Tue-Fri 11:30am-7pm, Sat 11:30am-7pm, Sun 12-5pm; closed Mon. Confirm before going.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · travelinghobbyist.com · Yelp
last checked: 2026-06-07