PART SHOP, PART CABINET DE CURIOSITÉ, Taxonomy is rooted in a love of natural history, local creativity, and offbeat charm. Co-owned by Avian and Kyrstin Thorson Rogers, the store just off Taos Plaza reflects the couple’s values and creative instincts. 

“It’s a place to get cool gifts and affordable local things and to give something back to the community,” says Avian, an encaustic painter and enamel sign maker who spent five years in the U.S. Army as a mortuary technician. “I have an ADHD superpower that lets me talk to strangers pretty easily. If we share a love for something, I instantly think we’re best friends.”

from top left 1. Mourning Breath Studios tote, $24. 2. Kelsey Chmil BoneWare mugs, $90 each. 3. Sacred Decay: The Art of Lauren Marx, $60. 4. Zhon Creations vegan taxidermy mounts, from $240. 5. Black bear skull, $425. 6. Pygmy goat skull, $178. 7. Javelina skull, $178. 8. Sheep skull, $60. 9. Mounted pheasant skull, $280.

They refer to the shop’s aesthetic as Western gothic. Think animal bones, moody tones, and plant-themed artistry with a dose of humor. “Anything that shows appreciation for things in nature,” Avian says. Inside, dark wood shelving and matte black walls set a rich backdrop for Taxonomy’s “oddities and artistries”—tiny 3D-printed skulls, yarn-wrapped antlers, and acrylic earrings featuring possums and veggie faces. Local art includes Kelsey Chmil’s BoneWare ceramics and ironstone clay cauldrons that beckon for a burn ritual.

Formerly a mix of houseplants and oddities, the shop has evolved into a model that uplifts emerging artists, produces its own screen-printed tees and apothecary items, and co-hosts events such as an October queer market. 

There’s no designated spooky season at Taxonomy—just a year-round celebration of life, death, and creative expression.

Shop Taxonomy at 102 Doña Luz St., in Taos, or online at taxonomytaos.com.