Wandering Into Witchcraft

This Halloween Eve, I recall first stumbling upon Enchantments, New York City’s oldest and most venerable witchcraft shop, in the late '80s while aimlessly wandering in Alphabet City. With a mix of trepidation and ironic detachment, I crossed the threshold into a realm filled with well-stocked shelves of herbal ingredients for potions, exotic incense, ready-made and custom-carved candles, colorful tarot cards, esoteric books of spells, and a staff of wary yet well-meaning witches. There was even a small altar.

The façade of Enchantments

Enchantments was stern about witchery in those days and had yet to fully embrace its status as a tourist trap. They catered only to serious and aspiring students of their craft, casting aspersions on casual curiosity seekers like me who came to gawk.

The herbs they sold looked nothing like the ones at the grocery store. These creepy-looking things with archaic-sounding names like Eyebright, Knot Grass, and Lady's Mantle were stored in customized apothecary jars and gained potency as they aged.

I had occasionally told Joe about “the witchcraft shop.” Then one time, to my amazement, we found ourselves outside the latest location of this occult apothecary one evening after a vegan dinner in the East Village. I had to nudge my chary husband inside.

Times had changed. Enchantments now embraced its touristic side and developed a light sense of humor as they hopscotched from one spot to another around the East Village. Now a media darling, they added a friendly cat, signs proclaiming, “My other ride is a broom” and “The Witch is In,” and a photograph of Margaret Hamilton (whom I once met) as The Wicked Witch of the West. Enchantments had become such a part of New York’s subcultural fabric that it was name-checked on Sex and the City.

Witches making potions

This is a good time to tell you that the witches of Enchantments carefully avoid any hint of black magic. The FAQ on their website clearly states that they aim to practice benevolent spirituality, and anyone trying to harm others with their supplies or magical advice is messing with forces they don’t understand and should fear.

Photographs are prohibited without permission at Enchantments to safeguard trade secrets and products from public view. However, I couldn’t resist surreptitiously taking the shots you see here during a visit with Joe, which earned me a sharp rebuke from the head witch.

After reproving me, Stacy (left), the Witch-Owner, softened and confidently told me she could see I was troubled. That was probably true at the time, as I was between jobs and struggling to figure out my next move.

A selection of Enchantments' candles

I invested in a custom-carved candle meant to attract positive energy around life changes. I carefully wrapped it in a towel, put it in my suitcase, and brought it home to Cleveland. I then lit the candle in a special spot at home while I was going through a series of interviews for what would become my next job.

It was a good gig—for a while, anyway. I finally delved into white magic decades after first stepping into the witchcraft shop, a fascinating place I highly recommend exploring if you find yourself with any free time during your next visit to downtown Manhattan.

Oh, and Happy Halloween.

Book of Spells

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