Worst Pagan/metaphysical store you've visited?

[MyPseudonym]

Either brick-and-mortar or online, what is the worst store you have encountered while trying to buy items for your Pagan needs?

I found a shop in my town yesterday that has somehow managed to survive for almost 30 years.

It was very "Hollywood" magic. I don't imagine much of their clientele is over the age of about 17. It looks like it caters to teens who have just seen "The Craft" for the first time and want to try to cast spells. There is really nothing that a serious witch/Pagan/what have you would want that I saw. I got a kick out of the plastic "spell bracelets" they were trying to hawk...they were being touted as being able to increase the powers of your spells when wearing them...some people call these bracelets "sex bracelets." They also had "spell rings" made of anodized aluminum...my kid's gotten the same thing out of the quarter machine at Big Lots. They did have a few herbs, and some candles (overpriced - I am not paying $1.19 each for a small candle when I can get them for a quarter a piece elsewhere)...but I felt the store was kind of lame! The most interesting thing in the shop was the owner's black cat who was really interested in my husband and climbed up on him and rode around on his shoulders the whole time we were in the store!

Has anyone else encountered a store that looked really interesting, only to be disappointed when you go in?

[anunitu]

Re: Worst Pagan/metaphysical store you've visited?

Living in San Francisco,there are many "Magic" shops. Some are VERY interesting,like the one that was next to the church of John Coltrane,it was not a "Buy funkey magic jewelry" place,but sold most any herb or other things you could not find elsewhere. The one that most would be considered not actually worst but LARGE. It was like the Walmart of religious stores. That one covered EVERY religious path you could think of,it had Buddhist,New age,wiccan, and a host of others. There was a small shop just off the Height street,that I liked the most,it was small,and the owner/proprietor was a black witch(black as in skin) and very helpful. She had two cats that roamed the store and were friendly and beautiful.

---------- Post added at 10:39 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:30 AM ----------

If you wondered about the Church of John Coltrane,wonder no more.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/11/john-coltrane-as-a-saint-_n_833744.html

[Dufonce]

Re: Worst Pagan/metaphysical store you've visited?

found a local place through some searching that i hadnt found before, so i go up there during the week during normal business hours... theres a sign on the door saying to call the owner if you need assistance, they live 5 minutes away... now... its a shop and they do have things to buy in there... but its mainly advertised as psychic services... apparently they didnt know i was coming.

so as im peering through the windows to try to see whatever i can for merchandise and theres a big partition wall you have to walk around to get to see most of the stuff... but what i do notice is sitting in a bowl of rocks right by the front door... The Holy Bible.

[Ophidia]

Re: Worst Pagan/metaphysical store you've visited?

I can't exactly say The Psychic Eye is the worst metaphysical store I've ever been to, but it's the only metaphysical chain I've ever been to. They used to have about 30 stores between Vegas & southern California, but apparently that's shrunk some - now the website only lists 6. Guess they didn't see the recession coming, either.

For the most part, it's over-priced and everything in it is mass produced. If he buys locally-produced crafts at all, the owner would undercut the seller & you'd see the stuff on sale for much, much more than he'd paid for it.

[anunitu]

Re: Worst Pagan/metaphysical store you've visited?

The Psychic Eye is the one I mentioned in SF as the walmart of stores.

[Ophidia]

Re: Worst Pagan/metaphysical store you've visited?

The Psychic Eye is the one I mentioned in SF as the walmart of stores.

But you never mentioned it by name :P Only I am willing to invoke the wrath of a libel/defamation suit by the Wal-Mart of psychic stores, mwhuahahaha!!!

[Sean R. R.]

Re: Worst Pagan/metaphysical store you've visited?

There is one here called "Templo del Sol" (Temple of the Sun), it's pretty lame in terms of herbs, as it doesn't have any for sale. It has got many other good things too though, kinda expensive though.

[anunitu]

Re: Worst Pagan/metaphysical store you've visited?

It is my old and feeble mind that could not remember that name,that cursed and dreaded name.:='(:

[MyPseudonym]

Re: Worst Pagan/metaphysical store you've visited?

That seems to be a common theme in this kind of shop: overpriced/expensive! I realize that clovers are great for use in fertility rituals, but I am not going to buy dried clover for almost the price of ground beef per pound, when I have a whole field of them behind my apartment that I may collect for free!

[Miranda]

Re: Worst Pagan/metaphysical store you've visited?

I am sooooo fascinated by the information you all are sharing. I don't get much chance to go into stores like that though we do have a nice establishment in central Wyoming that carries books, minerals, music, tarot sets, etc. There is a Wholistic Fair next weekend in Casper where venders run from very good to "you're kidding me, right?" I personally don't much care for the manufactured cosmetics and herbal rememdies sold by reps a la Avon nor do I much like seeing a store full of items that are made in China or hecho en Mexico. I like to see things offered that are made regionally if not locally.

Of course, I am biased, being a fiber artist who does commissons that include ritual garments, etc. I handpaint silk and construct items with an understanding of how they'll be used and by whom so I can maintain the proper attitude and respect during the creation process. I suspect this isn't being done in mass production.

[volcaniclastic]

Re: Worst Pagan/metaphysical store you've visited?

You know, I don't think I've ever been in a bad metaphysical shop. Then again, I tend to think those kinds of shops are all nuts anyhow.

[Jembru]

Re: Worst Pagan/metaphysical store you've visited?

Not a store, but I hate to see those witches selling spells on ebay or twenty pounds a shot. They send the buyer a candle that was supposidly charged with magic. I'm not sure if it is the shamelessness that bothers me, or that people are stupid enough to pay, or that I didn't think of it!! Some sell hundreds of these overpriced chunks of wax, and are making a fortune out of the stupidity of others. Boils me pee somewhat.

[MaskedOne]

Re: Worst Pagan/metaphysical store you've visited?

I've been in one that really irked me but that may have more to do my strong suspicion that the owner was a criminal from the next state over and some idiocies he conducted locally.

[MyPseudonym]

Re: Worst Pagan/metaphysical store you've visited?

Not a store, but I hate to see those witches selling spells on ebay or twenty pounds a shot. They send the buyer a candle that was supposidly charged with magic. I'm not sure if it is the shamelessness that bothers me, or that people are stupid enough to pay, or that I didn't think of it!! Some sell hundreds of these overpriced chunks of wax, and are making a fortune out of the stupidity of others. Boils me pee somewhat.

Twenty pounds?! That's like $40 US. WOW. Have the decency to send a BOOK of spells for that price.

[Caelia]

Re: Worst Pagan/metaphysical store you've visited?

There's a place in Topeka named 3 Flowers. I would tell you more about it...if I can ever get in. Seriously, whenever I've tried to go they're never open due to very odd hours and their website doesn't really let you buy anything. I'm truly amazed they stay in business!