The Guardian checks in with a feature on Enchantments, 424 E. Ninth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue, which has been selling custom-carved candles, blended oils and various herbs and resins the past 34 years.
To some excerpts with owner Stacy Rapp:
The shop does not perform spells, Rapp tells me, after leading me to a quiet backroom away from the heady smell of the incense. The shop provides supplies that people use to perform a spell. Enchantments strictly sells supplies for good magic, Rapp explains, which is one reason to which she attributes its continuing success. The shop puts out positive energy, so positive energy comes back to it, she explains.
And...
Not everyone is charmed by the pink-haired witch of East 9th Street and her egalitarian spiritual musings. People have called the shop in the past to tell employees that they are going to hell and are in league with the devil, says Rapp. When an article on the shop ran alongside photos of Rapp years ago, men would call the shop proposing to marry her in order to save her soul.
Image via the Enchantments website
I was there on opening day in 1982! I knew a friend of the original owner (whose name I don't recall) and went along on a visit to pay our respects and wish the new venture well. When I was introduced to the proprietor, she pointed at me and said "This one's a Scorpio; you can tell by the way he hides everything behind that smile." As it happens, I was indeed born under that sign, and friends told me I concealed what I was thinking by smiling all the time.
ReplyDeleteIt's conceivable, though unlikely, this could have been arranged in advance for my benefit, but I think it more likely the proprietor simply made a lucky guess and got it right. Still, it made enough of an impression that I've remembered it for all these years, and it's the first thing that comes to mind whenever I think of that shop. I hope it continues for many more decades.
Actually, I'm not disputing they're 34 years old, but weren't they in a different location on the other side of 1st avenue for several years? I know they were in a smaller, older building, and moved to this location.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Scuba. They have only been in the current location for a relatively short time, compared to their history. They used to be where the "Tap Room" side of The Immigrant is now, and for many, many years.
ReplyDeleteHi Scuba Diva,
ReplyDeleteI remember their 9th Street store, on the north side, just off 1st Avenue. Shopped there a lot and had a lot of custom oils blended there.
When I moved to NYC it seemed there was a lot of emphasis on alternative practices. There was Magickal Childe on the west side and Other Wordly Waxes. Meadowsweet Apothecary also had lots of herbs, gemstones, talismans, essences and incense. Ayurveda (next to Prana Foods) had really good books. There was another holistic shop on 3rd or 4th Avenue, I seem to remember, too. It's good to see Enchantments thriving. While I didn't have a lot of money I felt rich enough to spend a little on some oils or incense in these places and doing that and being in that kind of environment (I could spend hours in Penny's General Store) was comforting. Thanks, Grieve for the reporting and the memories.
I liked Magickal Childe better.
ReplyDeleteYes, the store moved one block east about eight years ago. That doesn't alter the fact that it's the same business and it's been going continuously for all these years. (It was the original location I was talking about in my earlier comment, of course.)
ReplyDeleteAr 8:59 AM, Anonymous said:
ReplyDeleteI liked Magickal Childe better.
Fortunately, the Magickal Childe lives on at www.magickalchilde.com, and yes, they are still home to three witch covens and presided over by Herman Slater, as far as I know.
Enchantments is a good place. Nice people, and good supplies.
ReplyDelete