Metaphysical Shops

[Joan Marie]

I mentioned in a previous post about a workshop I attended on the topic of the rise of Metaphysical Shops all over the world as places for people who are into Tarot and other related interests to gather, meet and shop.

The workshop was run my Michelle Welch, owner of SoulTopia in Texas. She actually has 2 shops and is opening a third one.

These shops are more than just suppliers of interesting things. Very often they become hosts to the community, they guide people new to the crafts as well as the experienced.

I was really surprised, as were many Indy deck creators there, at just how many decks she sells from her shop. She stocks around 100 different titles at any given time. In my recent travels I made it a point to find and visit some different shops and I was amazed at how busy they all were and how many different decks they had displayed for sale. I knew these shops were around but I never realised just how popular they are, and now that I'm onto it, I'm really not surprised at all. Most of them have a great atmosphere and knowledgeable staff. On Saturdays people stand in line for tarot readings and shop while they wait.

I also noticed a lot of people shopping in pairs, like it was kind of an outing for people on a Saturday or whatever.

We talk a lot here about online shops and crowd-funding as our go-to sources for decks, but I wonder how many of you shop at these stores and buy your decks from them.

I made a little polling question here to get a feel for it, and it would be great if you could also maybe tell us about shops in your area and what you like about them or think about them. I feel like we all get caught up in the online world, which is okay of course and very convenient, but it's nice to learn that real shops are doing so well out there and that people are enjoying them so much.

[jaq]

My favourite-anywhere store for tarot cards is Edge Of The Circle in Seattle http://www.edgeofthecirclebooks.com/pics.htm. Has the best selection of tarot cards I've ever seen in a store.

Here in Vancouver, most people go to Banyen Books but I actually find that Dragonspace has a better, more interesting selection https://www.dragonspace.ca/

A disappointment were all the metaphysical stores in Germany I went to. There was one in Munich that prided itself on a great selection of tarot cards and they had maybe ten decks and another ten oracle decks.

A lovely surprise was a store in Paraguay, El Septimo Rayo, that had a larger selection than I had expected in a store in a (wonderfully) forgotten place like that, including the Tarot Cabalistico, which I have grown to like quite a bit http://www.latiendadeltarot.com/catalog ... -1157.html

[Libra]

Well hello from the lower mainland, jaq! I'll be checking out Dragonspace next time I'm out that way, so thank you for the tip!

[reall]

we don't have *local in my part of the world! But I would definitely if there is One!x,x

[AstralPasta]

We've got a few here. There's a whole wall of tarot decks. And he has a display of OOP decks too. The only thing is they're mainly mass produced, or had been mass produced. Not really any indie decks or self published decks. Still, a great resource.

We have a new 'old age' pagan shop too now, and a new 'new age' fancy pancy expensive ass shop now too. They don't have as many decks, and I don't know if the former sells indie decks but I wouldn't be surprised to see them carry one or two. But the latter seems to prioritize them. I've seen the Moonchild and Starchild there. The former has hosted swaps though. I think there's another metaphysical store that's opened up but it's a bit far from me.

We also have an anarchist bookshop that sells some decks. I've seen the Gaian tarot, put them onto the Next World tarot which I bought there, the Ostara tarot, and I've been trying to get them to carry Numinous tarot but I'm sure that they're trying to budget this all right....but yeah. Apparently decks sell alright there.

We also have two used bookstores that sometimes carry decks. I got the Lunar Nomad oracle deck at one of these places with a secret santa gift card. I think they get new decks too because I saw the Dame Darcy mermaid tarot (the gold edition). You aren't allowed to open and look at the new ones unfortunately and it was in a somewhat opaque drawstring bag didn't have a title but luckily I was aware of it and could identify it by the backing already. Someone out there is going to have a beautiful and magical connection to it. So they carry indie decks sometimes. And I've seen the Voyager there. and also at the more retail-y place.

And my coworker also bid $50 - $70 on a HUGE selection of tarot decks at this non-profit furniture donation thrift store and won, and got the Sakki-Sakki, Mary El, 2 lenormand decks, Paulina tarot, Tarot of the Absurd, and some others. I was both jealous and floored, and also happy for them because that's awesome and we were able to talk tarot now haha (plus I already had the Sakki-Sakki and hadn't wanted the other decks, but luckily I also had recently heard of the oop Tarot of the Absurd - it was in a bag with no title). So now I try to keep my eyes peeled for potential decks when I'm there.

Sometimes there are flea markets and pop up shops where people will have decks for sale, but nothing that's ever interested me. I've seen knock-off Centennials (??? why) and a couple Ms. Cleo decks.

We also have a hippie store that opened a location near me that sells a sort of random rotating assortment of decks. Usually nothing that interests me but sometimes they surprise me.

I am very blessed, tarot-wise in this city. And consequently reluctant to move. I think the only indie deck I've bought in real life was that Next World tarot. But also a surprising majority of people I work with dabbled in tarot or owned a deck or were interested, etc. Not as hard core as me, though one guy is more experienced with actual reading and knows a good amount, but still, it's pretty crazy. And I've recently found out that anarchist bookshop has a monthly tarot meet-up. So that's cool, and I might try and go to that. And the other day at work I over heard someone with a Pagan Otherworlds 10 of Swords tattoo talking about the Thoth deck to the one guy I mentioned.

I knew I was lucky, but writing all this down is pretty nuts. So many avenues and opportunities. It is a pretty hippy town though.

edit: just remembered we also have Barnes and Nobles and another small bookstore that has decks and such. Wowee wow I am hooked up. But I didn’t wanna make a separate post xD I already feel like I’m rubbing it in or something

[Amoroso]

Had a few gems from the metaphysical shops/bookstores here but the selections are quite limited.

[Rachelcat]

The only meta shop near me is a big one. They have tarot and other readings and sometimes workshops.

For cards, they display empty boxes and have a few chains with sample cards strung on them. They're mostly mass market decks, but sometimes they have a few I haven't seen online: Psalm Cards is one. And they have a good selection of tarot books.

And lots of rocks, incense, candles, statues and jewelry. I've had my eye on an Isis necklace there for years. But since I don't really have a connection with Isis or Egyptian mythology, I have to let it go. But it's so beautiful, matte gold!

Their stuff is a little pricey because they're in a high rent touristy area, but I have to give them credit just for being there!

[Charlie Brown]

I'm interested to learn about the supply chain for the various music CDs they always have there. The artists and labels basically have zero web presence and are pretty much never on the streaming services. It's like they exist solely in this particular little eco-system but I have no idea how one accesses it.

I don't suppose anyone here has any insight into that.

[reall]

aww, @AstralPasta i'm so jelly right now thinking where do you live? I Should move to!?x,x lol

@Rachelcat I'm lol every time someone mention they actually string cards on Chain?x,x I mean wtf think of that? so silly! facepalm

[Foxy Gekkerson]

I don't have a metaphysical shop near where I live, but there is a local music shop and a couple game shops in town that sells incense and tarot cards. I hope that once The Vulpine Tarot is published, I can get consignment deals with them.

[Diana]

Is this an American term "metaphysical shop"? In my part of the world they're called esoteric shops. It's odd that word metaphysical for a shop.

[AstralPasta]

We all have to take psychedelics before we go looking for them Probably why the ever efficient JM started this thread, probably making a map of these shops on the astral. Sort of a liability issue, tripping balls and babbling about crystal shops in public spaces.

[Joan Marie]

Is this an American term "metaphysical shop"? In my part of the world they're called esoteric shops. It's odd that word metaphysical for a shop.

Where I'm originally from in the middle of the US, we called them "Magic Shops" because they had all kinds of witchy stuff and gothy stuff. But that was a really long time ago.
I picked up the term "Metaphysical Shop" (which I agree is an odd word for it) at the tarot symposium I attended in the US. That was how they were referring to them.

Esoteric is a better word.

[RavenOfSummer]

The only meta shop near me is a big one. They have tarot and other readings and sometimes workshops.

For cards, they display empty boxes and have a few chains with sample cards strung on them. They're mostly mass market decks, but sometimes they have a few I haven't seen online: Psalm Cards is one. And they have a good selection of tarot books.

And lots of rocks, incense, candles, statues and jewelry. I've had my eye on an Isis necklace there for years. But since I don't really have a connection with Isis or Egyptian mythology, I have to let it go. But it's so beautiful, matte gold!

Their stuff is a little pricey because they're in a high rent touristy area, but I have to give them credit just for being there!

Rachelcat, are you talking about Sacred Circle in Alexandria? I like that space, although it is pricey as you mentioned and some of their offerings are...questionable, at least to me. But I've gone to a couple of nice rituals and classes there. I wish we had a shop in DC proper!

[archimedes]

So jealous of these marvelous stores. I live in a fairly small, conservative town - metaphysical shops never last long here. There used to be one, I'd sometimes take my daughter there. There's one of those hippie shops, which can have some surprisingly nice crystals, but the decks are pretty much limited to Doreen Virtue. The local bookshop has some terrible decks. I considered offering suggestions, but they're a chain, so it's probably dictated from above.

[Rachelcat]

Rachelcat, are you talking about Sacred Circle in Alexandria? I like that space, although it is pricey as you mentioned and some of their offerings are...questionable, at least to me. But I've gone to a couple of nice rituals and classes there. I wish we had a shop in DC proper!

Yes, Sacred Circle! It has a nice vibe (very incense-y), but yeah, kind of pricey.

I wish there was one in DC, too. That would be nice. There used to be one in College Park years ago, but they closed. I don't think they did much business. I guess you have to get the right location combination: funky enough so the rent isn't too high, but plenty of foot traffic and curiosity shoppers to keep it going.

So you and I should go into business together!

[RavenOfSummer]

Rachelcat, are you talking about Sacred Circle in Alexandria? I like that space, although it is pricey as you mentioned and some of their offerings are...questionable, at least to me. But I've gone to a couple of nice rituals and classes there. I wish we had a shop in DC proper!

Yes, Sacred Circle! It has a nice vibe (very incense-y), but yeah, kind of pricey.

I wish there was one in DC, too. That would be nice. There used to be one in College Park years ago, but they closed. I don't think they did much business. I guess you have to get the right location combination: funky enough so the rent isn't too high, but plenty of foot traffic and curiosity shoppers to keep it going.

So you and I should go into business together!

That would be so fun!! It really seems like a dream job, although running any sort of business is way harder than it looks! They often have the seasonal temporary jobs come up at Sacred Circle, and I've thought about applying for one, just because I think it would be so interesting to work there!

[AstralPasta]

The only issue I can think of that could be troublesome about working for a metaphysical shop is having people coming in or calling because they think their house is haunted or something and they need advice

Like idk that stuff freaks me out too buddy, good luck.

It could be interesting too though, so long as I wasn't running the shop, hehe

[Witchywitch]

I regularly purchase tarot and oracle decks from metaphysical shops, as there are so many different styles available. It's great that you have a unique connection with each one and I appreciate collecting them. Tarot and oracle decks can be powerful tools for self-discovery and introspection, and having a variety of decks to choose from can help to explore different aspects of yourself and your life. I'm enjoying building my collection and exploring the insights that each deck has to offer!