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A Pretty Little Shop in Salem
We recently visited a little shop on the corner of a block in Salem, MA that is filled with personality and charm. There’s a warmth when you walk in the door and the cozy vibe seems to invite you to make yourself at home. There’s also a lot more there than meets the eye.
On the surface, the store appears to be a gift shop with a slant toward magic, Tarot, and witchy things but when you stay and chat for a while, you realize it’s so much more. HausWitch Home + Healing is a hub for a community of women and makers who celebrate creativity, healing practices, and a connection to the earth, moon, stars, and the intuitive self. And true to the essence of Salem, the women who own, run, and connect with this store, identify with the rich history of witches, spells, and magic that this city has become known for.
We photographed their store on a winter day in January and through our interview, learned more about the owner, her team, the store, and their place in the community.
The HausWitch Home + Healing that you visit today came about through the inspired actions of Erica Feldmann and her team. Here’s the interview and what we learned about the business.
What attracted you to this business?
The idea of magically transforming a space came to me in one of those “Aha!” moments where I realized that my passion for interior design really came from a place of creatively improving spaces using as little money as possible. The challenge of keeping the budget low while utilizing other resources (recycling, repurposing, re-imagining) is just really exciting for me and to some people, that ability is magical. But also, there is a strong energetic connection between people and their surroundings, so it made sense to combine some intention-based magic with a focus on interiors. Which is how the spell kits came about and then the shop, and, well the rest is history!
What are the most interesting, unique, and noteworthy (historically) features of your location?
We literally call HausWitch the sunbeam treasure palace because of our ginormous windows that catch the morning light. The exposed brick makes our customers wish they could move right in and the downtown location is perfect for foot traffic.
We’ve also been having the lovely, local artist Morgan Elliott do our windows up with these magical illustrations every season. Between that and all the handmade art and maker work, it’s hard to pick just one thing that makes our shop interesting!
Shout out to Morgan Elliott on our website.
How did you end up in your current location?
This location opened up and then sat open, practically waiting for me. I walked in, saw what the shop could be and signed the lease soon after. Who can say no to exposed brick?!
What are the reactions when people visit your shop?
To be honest, it’s more about the smell than the visuals! People walk in and say “Wow, it smells amazing in here,” which is thanks to the DE-LISH candles our friends over at Blackjack and Soy Much Brighter make. Then they usually say it feels like a good “vibey” place and respond to the amount of natural light—which is equally wonderful.
What do you most want people to know about your business?
HausWitch Home + Healing is a modern metaphysical lifestyle brand and shop. We sell witchy and handmade products from independent makers from around New England and the US. Since opening in 2015, HausWitch has drawn in a community of loving, creative individuals who continue to put their energy into worthy causes, community projects, and local activism. We’d love for more folks to come to visit us!
Do you have any special projects in the works?
Well! My book, HausMagick (HarperCollins) came out February 12th and I’m so excited for everyone to read it. Drawing on interior design, witchcraft, tarot, astrology, and more, HausMagick shares simple, affordable ways to make your home super cozy and beautiful. All the good stuff, ya know?
Do you donate or volunteer from your business in any capacity?
We donate all the proceeds from our WITCH Boston postcards to Black Lives Matter, and try to donate as much as we can to causes like Charity Water, Planned Parenthood, HAWC and the EMA Fund.
