Occult Bookstore — Local services in Jefferson Township

I have always had a craving for knowledge. All the more for the unknown. The Hidden. Actively sought books to satisfy this hunger. Came here. Since 1918 The Occult Book Store has been an institution in Chicago, here on Milwaukee and its previous location on State. This year, 2018, marks its Centennial. It served me well. There are a number of reasons this made sense as a destination. The accessibility of titles. The range of subjects. A knowledgeable staff - the most important reason. I started with Basics. When presented with the breadth and depth of subjects that could provide information, I needed more than reviews. So many variants, authors, editions, publishers to choose. Here was a great deal of information on arcane knowledge, ancient wisdom, diverse streams of esoteric traditions. The full spectrum. Light and Dark. High and Low. How to decide which authors would suit my needs? I started with surveys. Availability of the classics varied. They had works not always accessible elsewhere. Staff here were more familiar with titles and topics more obscure to others. Could suggest related topics or writers when searches bore no fruit. How and if pertinent items can be found. Abridgements or complete volumes. Many only available used, some paper. Many out of print for years were expensive. Do not be surprised. It helped to know what I was looking for. Asking for. Before I came. New Age topical ephemera were more easy to find. A partial list of subject areas include: Theosophy; Alchemy; Esoteric Religions, Qabalah. Magickal (vs. stage magic) practices. Others including Western Mystery Tradition, Diaspora, Native American, Zen or Tantric Yoga. There are also tools to aid and focus. Tarot. Incense. Candles. Crystals. Workshops, spiritual readings, also available. It also serves as a gathering place for unique events. Nicely but not too brightly lit. Well-organized. Limited hours. Closed Mon & Tues. Open at 12N except Weds at 2pm. Closes at 7pm except Sun at 6pm. The helpful staff will guide you in your search. Just ask. One caveat.This is a serious place not for the squeamish or timid. Nor the flippant or facetious. Where sacred and profane co-mingle. Books and statuary. For the best experience remain respectful of the beliefs and craft of those here,...

I first found The Occult Bookstore when I was 16. It was a much needed Magickal Retreat for my lifetime search for a meaning to it all! It was a place of self therapy! I learned to call out to the knowledge I seek on the shelves and I would always find a gem, that helped me to attain every step! I haven’t been here since my daughter was born, I was good friends with the two previous owners. I decided today to again seek in this great place and lo and behold, to my utter dismay, the bookshelves were practically bare with just a few groupings of second rate novella at new book price! It was so dark within that I had to get up close to see the titles, and just when I started to be annoyed, I did see a great collection of tomes that I wanted to see and to touch, to call to. But those books weren’t even within arms length, unable to connect with, unable to read their titles due to the distance and lack of light! If you are interested in selling these books, you might consider allowing the customer access that doesn’t resemble, glassed in registers at gas stations in rough neighborhoods! This place no longer has the power and mystique it once had, a shame! A death for me occurred today in this once respectable...

To begin with the clerk didn't even look at me when I walked into the shop but laughed under her breath for some reason.

I asked about spiritual jewelry for protection and she pointed out some runic charms for protection only to then say "But it's Nordic so it probably won't work for you".

I take this as a weird reference to the fact that I'm black. I'm not necessarily offended by the allusion to ancestral traditions but considering the clerk was rude throughout my experience and carried very negative energy I'm wondering if her decision to actively discourage me from making a purchase was based in prejudice. It's just very odd especially considering there is a sign saying its black owned and operated.

Other than that it's worse than other spiritual shops as many items have no prices marked and the clerk's rude behavior from the moment I walked in did not exactly encourage me to ask her about it. The selection is limited compared to other places as well and all in all it was a waste of time and I took my shopping...