Words & Photos by Kelly Branyik
Tucked behind The Hopscotch Bakery and Bella Sposa Bridal Boutique in the heart of Pueblo’s Union District, there’s the subtle hum of color bringing the night alive.
Neon Alley.
This carefully curated and restored collection of signs offers an experience comparable to the splendid Neon Museum in the Las Vegas desert.
It’s something you might overlook by day if on foot or just driving by. But by night, it’s a spectacle worth visiting after enjoying a delightful dinner downtown, or simply to capture Instagram-worthy photos.
Unlike the Vegas experience, this small stretch of alley, and a treasured local gem to the Steel City, might make you feel like you’re stepping into an alternate cyberpunk reality—especially if you’re lucky enough to catch a glimpse of it during a light rain.
Joe Koncilja, the man responsible for Neon Alley, hosts a variety of recognizable neon signs including Goodyear Tires, Greyhound, Corona Extra, McDonald’s arches, and Ford. If you arrive during the day, you can see retro and vintage posters and murals sprawled across the outer brick walls.
Koncilja, whose office is adjacent to the alleyway in the Union Avenue Historic District, is a longtime preservationist and criminal defense attorney passionate about saving historic structures in Pueblo. So why not place this spectacle along Union Avenue for all to see?
Zoning regulations.
Pueblo prohibits businesses from displaying neon signs facing public streets. But alleys? There are no restrictions, hence the speakeasy feel of this neon sign experience.
What started as 12 glowing signs in 2014 has grown into a collection of over 40, with plans to affix 100 or more. Koncilja continuously collects his signs through online auctions and restores them to their original brilliance with the help of Boyd’s Neon in Colorado Springs.
Koncilja’s dream for the Neon Alley goes beyond that picturesque place posted in social media pages. He envisions something more–small dance floors where people can linger and dance beneath the neon lights.
It’s the perfect way to end your day after spending the day exploring the Pueblo Riverwalk, shopping the many boutiques of downtown Pueblo, enjoying some craft beer at Brues Alehouse, or feasting your eyes on creations within local art galleries or the Sangre De Cristo Arts Center.
To find Neon Alley in the evening, stroll down Union or Victoria Ave. until you arrive at B Street. Just catty-corner to the Pueblo Union Depot, you’ll notice the gentle glow of rainbow lights cast along the streets. Follow those lights and you’ll discover this little bit of splendor.
This electric destination is free and a great place to capture memories of your time in Pueblo.
“It’s the greatest assembly of neon art west of Times Square and east of the Las Vegas Strip,” says Koncilja.
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Neon Alley, Pueblo, CO
- Alley between Union Ave.
- and Victoria Ave.
- (Spans B Street to C Street)
- (719) 544-0020
- Facebook.com/PuebloNeonAlley
Hours
- Accessible 24/7/365
- Illuminates at 8:00 pm daily
