The Strange and Unusual Oddities Parlor featuring Steamy Hallows Coffee Shop

467 Wyoming Avenue, Kingston, PA

The Strange and Unusual is an Oddities Parlor that adds to the unique character of the West Side’s main drag of commercial activity, locally referred to as “The Ave.” Owner Josh Balz has always had an affinity for collecting “weird stuff.” Often spending much of his free time shopping around at local estate sales, flea markets, and antique stores all over the world, he began expanding his personal collection to excess. This led to the idea of opening an oddities parlor and he’s never looked back. Josh is a hardcore animal lover who strives to provide ethically-sourced and cruelty-free taxidermy, skulls, and bugs to his shoppers, most of which are priced affordably. The Strange and Unusual offers a sprawling selection of collectible items, gifts, furniture, and apparel at locations in Kingston and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Karilyn Alex is a lifelong artist, who initially developed her skills from a young age with drawing and painting. Karilyn spent much of her adolescence questioning beauty and the dichotomies it presents, which presently plays a critical role in her current art. She is a graduate of Penn State University. During her collegiate career, she worked for The Strange and Unusual Oddities Parlor where she explored the realm of macabre and unique specimens under Josh Balz and Ryan Malarkey. From there she began her tattoo apprenticeship in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Karilyn currently resides in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania with her fiancé Dan Vargo and several pet rats, tattooing full time at 570 Tattooing Company under Ron and Geena Russo. She enjoys tattooing nature, animals, insects, jewelry, baroque and intricate designs. Her future aspirations include incorporating her love of art and exploration/travel in the form of tattoo conventions and guest spots at different tattoo studios. At 570 Tattooing Company, she is further tailoring her craft to coincide with the desire to remain artistically limitless as far as medium, style, genre and themes.