Judika Illes' Message about "Brick and Mortar" Pagan Shops

Author Judika Illes (Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells, Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, Pure Magic, Magic When You Need It, Encyclopedia of Spirits) made a beautifully heartwarming post on her journal recently. With her permission, I have posted it here to share:

Brick-and-mortar stores (meaning real, physical stores with doors and walls where you can visit and interact with real flesh-and-blood, knowledgeable employees) that cater to the metaphysical/magical/witch community are an endangered species. This has been true for years but even more so now under the present economy.

People ask me where I learned what I know. My metaphysical education started very early because I was lucky enough to live in the vicinity of the old Samuel Weiser bookstore, one of the first and at that time only bookstores dedicated to metaphysics. Then as a teenager and young adult, I was privileged to live near a variety of witch stores (the late, lamented Magickal Childe among them) and many botanicas.

I spent a lot of time in those stores (sometimes just standing there, looking stupid) and people-- other customers as well as proprietors-- were very kind to me and very patient. I learned quickly that if I stayed in such a store long enough, someone would eventually teach me something. And I was a teenager with a very limited budget. People spoke to me from a sense of community and sharing, not because they were aggressively trying to sell me something. That's something I try to pass forward in my books, especially as I know that so many of us live where no such stores are easily available. I learned my basic skills from other people but in the 21st century, many learn only from books because that personal, human touch is now very rare and hard to find.

If I was a teenager now, would I grow up to author my books? Honestly, I don't know. Those early mentors provided me with a sense of safety and direction. Those old stores were the equivalent of universities. Then as now, most metaphysical stores are owned and staffed by knowledgeable adepts: people who are committed to the traditions they represent among their wares. It's not just a money-making venture: operating a brick-and-mortar witch store means total, public commitment and dedication to the preservation of our community.

Readers e-mail me searching for craft materials but also for human contact: they seek interaction with kindred spirits. When I first began receiving these e-mails, I answered each one individually and at lenght but this became very time-consuming and I began to post links on my website(http://judikailles.com/market.html scroll all the way down), so that people could easily find conveniently located stores. Links are arranged by state and by country.

Brick-and-mortar metaphysical stores are the hearthfires of the greater metaphysical/magical community. They are the public front-line. They provide intangible gifts as well as items for sale: a sense of community and welcome for adepts and new witches alike. Rents tend to be ridiculously high. Stores must purchase stock without any guarantee that customers will buy. When you're thinking about where to spend YOUR money, think about using it to support our community because that is exactly what these stores do. I am old enough to remember when no mainstream bookstore (big chain or otherwise) would carry magical books such as those I write. Once upon a time, occult tools often HAD to be mail-ordered. Unfortunately, with the disappearance of so many magical retailers, we seem to be returning to those days.

I'm grateful for on-line sellers, too. (And many brick-and-mortar stores also offer on-line shopping, the 21st century equivalent of mail-order. Check their websites.) They make a broad selection of products more easily available to more of us. For those still lingering in the broom-closet, on-line sellers provide privacy and discretion. (No need to worry that inquisitive eyes will see you venturing into a witch store.) But even though many offer forums and do provide a measure of community, by their very virtual nature, they cannot provide what a brick-and-mortar store can. I'm sorry for rambling on like this but I feel so strongly about this issue. It KILLED me when my Element Encyclopedias became unavailable to independent retailers and I'm so glad 5000 Spells will once again be accessible to all stores, not just one big chain.

So anyway, to get to the point, I am so honored to belong to the magical community and I'm trying to do my bit to support it. If you are a brick-and-mortar store catering to the metaphysical shopper in any capacity (books, herbs, candles, crystals) or if you know of such a store, please feel free to e-mail me with a link and I will do my best to add it to my website as quickly as possible.
Two conditions:
* It must be an actual store (walls, shelves, door, etc.) that people can visit
* I must receive the request for the link from someone who actually works in the store (owner, manager or so forth). I need to have their permission before adding the link.

So go support your community: SHOP!

Come and meet Judika Illes, along with other authors like Arin Murphy-Hiscock, Brendan Myers, Meredith Macdonald, Greg Stroll and Rob St. Martin at our upcoming Beltane Fair, April 25th and 26th from 10am to 6pm both days. They will all be giving free lectures all fair long, as will many other wonderful speakers from our pagan community. Join us to enjoy discussions, workshops, an artisans' crafts fair, refreshments and 10% off everything in store all weekend long!