It’s that time of year for spooky, scary skeletons, the whole lineup from “Monster Mash,” and the best queer costume parties. But, let’s be real, queer folks love Halloween-esque experiences all year round. Whether you’re gathering supplies for spells, channeling your ghostly forebears, cleansing with crystals, or just like a dark academia, haunted vibe, these Columbus witchy shops have everything you need.
WitchLab is a shop that combines occult oddities and medical curiosities.
WitchLab
True to its name, WitchLab combines occult oddities and medical curiosities. With a large, 2,500-foot storefront at 1185 W Broad St, Columbus, OH 43222, there’s plenty of space for their many spooky offerings. You’ll find raw and tumbled crystals ad infinitum, books on all manner of witchcraft, enough tarot decks for you and everyone you love, and endless good-smelling things ranging from candles to incense to ritual oil. If you’re a tea lover, don’t skip WitchLab! They have organic, locally harvested, hand-blended loose-leaf tea that’s as tasty as it is powerful.
And the self-care section? Imagine if Lush was a locally owned store run by a vampire queen. With small batch, handmade soaps, bath bombs, and other hydrating, aromatic skincare, you’ll feel good skipping the mall. Some might even say your skin looks so good it glitters in the sunlight. Coincidence? We think not.
Pro tip: Be sure to check WitchLab’s events calendar for fun weekly happenings like karaoke and tarot readings.
Magical Druid
You don’t have to be Pagan or practice Druidry specifically to appreciate all Magical Druid has to offer. Run by two Druid priests, the shop at 2887 North High St. Columbus, OH 43202, is a full-service spiritual hub offering anything you might need to complete your altar. If you’re looking for goblets, cauldrons, singing bowls, wands, and more, you’re in luck! And if you’re out of luck, they have plenty of spell ingredients so you can brew your own.
Crystals, oils, candles, incense, and jewelry are plentiful, so there’s something for everyone. Magical Druid even has modern witchy clothing and home decor, so if you want to be spookily adorned but don’t have the budget for antiques and oddities, this is the place.
Pro tip: Looking for someone to perform sacred rites for weddings, births, and deaths, but aren’t religious in the traditional sense? Magical Druid has you covered. Be sure to check their events calendar if you’re interested in participating in rituals and taking classes. If you want to get in tune with your innate powers and cultivate your inner divinity, workshops on reiki, creating spiritual pacts, divination, and paranormal investigation will help you gain the skills you need.
Afterlife Oddities & Tattoos has a special retail section.
Afterlife Oddities & Tattoos
Afterlife may have only been open for a year, but they splashed onto the Columbus spooky scene in a big way. If you’ve ever been in a cool tattoo shop and wished you could buy the decor right off the walls (who hasn’t?), Afterlife was made for you. Although you don’t have to have a tattoo appointment to shop the oddities section of the store at 1350 E Livingston Ave, Columbus, OH 43205, imagine how nice it’d be to find that special, one-of-a-kind item you’ve been searching for your whole life while waiting to get a tattoo you’ll take to the grave. A spooky match made in heav––ahem, hell.
Because the nature of oddities is that they’re often rare and unique, Afterlife’s inventory is constantly changing, but if skeletal bones, wet specimens, and taxidermy is your jam, this is where you’ll find it. (Adorable skunks that won’t spray the dog? Sign me up!) And if you have a sense of humor, you’ll especially enjoy the taxidermic animals in compromising positions and those with an extra head mounted on their bodies.
Pro tip: Dark academia-enchanted queers will especially appreciate Afterlife. As if the possibility of turning your home into a haunted natural history museum wasn’t convincing enough, Afterlife also has a gorgeous collection of antiquarian books. Swoon!
Cora's Curiosities is a gift shop full of your freaky favorites.
Cora’s Curiosities
Cora Mandragora is a fixture in the Columbus entertainment scene as a burlesque performer, model, voiceover actress, co-owner of the beloved bar Bossy Grrls Pin-Up Joint, and starring member of the Fishnet Mafia, which does monthly performances of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the endlessly endearing locally owned movie theater, Studio 35. More recently, she applied her entrepreneurial talents to opening Cora’s Curiosities, where you’ll find delightfully creepy antique dolls, uranium glass, wet specimens, skull bones, skeleton keys, and more creepy-cute trinkets for your collection.
Pro Tip: Cora’s Curiosities is in the Old North neighborhood of Columbus (2600 N High St, Columbus, OH 43202 to be exact), which abuts Clintonville. Both neighborhoods are well-known for their vintage and antique shops, so make a day of hitting up all the fun stores nearby as well.
Rock Candy Healing Stones is a shop focused on metaphysical wellness.
Rock Candy Healing Stones
Regardless of how you practice your spirituality and self-care, it’s undeniable that crystals beautify a space, are fun to hold, and harken back to happily collecting rocks as a kid. Going to Rock Candy Healing Stones is like the adult version of your favorite field trip where you went on a cave tour or natural history museum and got to pan for gems, aka SO much fun! Sometimes, the crystals you’re most drawn to, even without knowing their meanings, are the ones your intuition is telling you that you need, so trust your instincts to guide your shopping.
While you’re there, pick up your new favorite journal, candles to set intentions, oracle decks, herb bundles, and more. Check them out at 3343 N High St, Columbus, OH 43202.
Pro tip: The vibe is more modern and bright, so if you’re pastel witchy but not goth spooky, Rock Candy is your gem of a shop.
Pearls of Wisdom
Last but far from least is Pearls of Wisdom. Open since 1991, they’re the oldest metaphysical shop in Columbus and one of the oldest in the country. In their shop at 5326 N. High St., Columbus OH 43214, Pearls of Wisdom specializes in philosophies that are grounded in the earth and their spiritual accouterments, including Tibetan, Buddhist, Hindu, Native American, Wiccan, Pagan, and Celtic traditions.
With perhaps the widest selection of crystals in the area, there’s everything from crystals meant to go in your pocket or purse to tall, freestanding geodes. Crystals are available in specific shapes as well, including pyramids, eggs, spheres, and hearts. If you prefer crystals as wearables, the jewelry section includes guaranteed authentic creations from the Pueblo Nation, whom Pearls of Wisdom has been working with for three decades
