Meet Ron Cauble, the Bone Collector

It's hard to fathom that, in between a Starbucks and an apartment complex, there lies a store that sells real human skulls in north Berkeley. But for Ron Cauble, founder and owner of The Bone Room, this strange career choice not only helps him answer his questions of the universe-it provides him with new ones.

Customers of the Solano Avenue store are greeted upon entering not only by the overwhelming sound of crickets, but also by Cauble himself. "Do you know what that is? Can I help you with anything? Do you have any questions?"

Founded in 1987, The Bone Room is a natural history store specializing in bones both human and animal, as well as a selection of insects, fossils and animal remains. The store originally spun off from the East Bay Vivarium, a reptile emporium still located in Berkeley.

The founding of The Bone Room sprang from Cauble's unending need to understand. "I'm selfish," says Cauble, unapologetically. "I want to learn more. I created a place where I want to come to work everyday." Whether it's fresh fossils or a rare relic, Cauble has managed to fashion an atmosphere where science, art and the bizarre congregate.

Rabbit fur, raccoon penis bones, femurs, fibulas and sternums are just some of the objects on display in the establishment. One shelf holds a row of human skulls labeled "Homo Ergaster," "Cro-Magnon" and "Cool Peruvian Lady."

When asked what his favorite piece in the store is, Cauble doesn't hesitate to point to a colossal skull above the register. "That's the largest hyena that ever lived," says Cauble, proudly. "It walked the earth seven million years ago. I'm not a macho man, but those are mighty impressive jaws, you think?"

Cauble, who has both a doctorate in chemistry and experience with rocket science, insists that curiosity and wonder were the driving forces behind The Bone Room. "A Ph.D can't help you understand things better," Cauble says. His appreciation and wonder for fossils transcend any conventional education he has received.

The Bone Room has attracted a diverse selection of customers over the years. Teachers, scientists, medical doctors and geologists have all been patrons, not to mention The Hell's Angels in 1970, who purchased live scorpions. In fact, Cauble argues his customers are as varied and as unique as the skulls and fossils in The Bone Room.

"I get more artists than scientists," Cauble says. Artists such as Damion Hurst have been loyal visitors at The Bone Room, often using fossils and remains as a source and inspiration for their artwork.

If you're wondering why you haven't heard of The Bone Room before, the answer is simple-Cauble never advertises. For the eccentric owner, managing his business has never been about making large amounts of profit. Instead, the owner is more interested in keeping the currency of curiosity flowing.

Indeed, it continues to attract some curious customers, including a man who once came in to study the snake in display, before jumping up and down, "dancing" the demons away from the nightmare he had experienced the night before. Producers for Christina Aguilera's music video "Fighter" have even made use of some of the store's moths.

It's difficult to take a quick stroll around the store and not feel death and mortality echo from the seemingly endless skulls and bones. Cauble, however, begs to differ. "Thinking of these skulls as ‘death' is so limiting. I want customers to look at things in a different way. "

"I love insects in amber," Cauble adds with a bittersweet tone in his voice. "It encapsulates what we've learned from the world. The only problem is not living long enough."

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