Reverend Zombie's House Of Voodoo — Local services in New Orleans

Was really excited about going into my first voodoo shop, but was treated VERY rudely. Not knowing that there was an alter almost immediately inside the door, I was intrigued by the artwork on a candle (one of several in a rack) and lifted it just enough to see the bottom of the drawing then gently put it back. A red-headed girl yelled at me from across the store, "You just picked up a candle. Don't do that again. There's a sign that says not to touch anything on the alter." There was a small sign on the opposite end of the altar from where I was standing that no one in our party of four people saw until she pointed it out. I apologized and said, "I didn't know or see the sign." My mother told her quietly as we were walking to the next room, "There is a nice way to say that instead of yelling across the store." The girl and then the guy behind the counter kept yelling and arguing with her as we turned and left. If the altar is THAT sacred, perhaps it should be moved to somewhere it would be completely visible instead of being one of the first things you come to in a gift shop. Instead of treating your potential customers like idiots, perhaps consider not being the idiot that would put a sacred altar that looks like a rack of candles as the first thing you see when you walk in the door. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that a small sign written in red not facing the door on the far end of a long rack isn't going to be visible when you walk into a dark room from the afternoon sun. Common sense would tell you that many of your customers are tourists and aren't familiar with voodoo culture. So, you are putting a sacred rack of candles into a dark gift shop that sells candles during daytime hours in a highly tourist populated area and expecting no one to touch them because of a tiny sign that isn't visible as you approach? And you think...

We went on our first trip to NOLA back in May and this was my first time in a voodoo shop, so I was in awe over how interesting it all was. The reviews are right however, the staff is super rude about the no picture thing. I hadn't even walked in far enough to see the first of many "No Photos" signs. I had my phone ready and the employee was directly behind me at the register. I heard her snap at me. Again before I even understood that pictures were not allowed. My boyfriend was in the center of shop and was looking at an alter of offerings that customers can give as they visit the store. He did not know it was offerings because at first it looks like buyable products. My hand wasn't even on the thing before she snapped at us again. Several times in a row actually as I tried to tell him we shouldn't touch it. I understand being respectful of the items and the meaning of the products, but geez. Just let us know kindly when we walk in, whether or not we intended to take photos at least then we would have a fair warning and begin to see the 80 signs about it as we...

Very snooty for a place that sells glorified souvenirs. I understand the vibe they were trying to go for but still... You walk in and the first thing you are greeted with is a multitude of signs that say "no touching" and "no pictures". There are so many of these, that at one point I tried to pick up a bracelet that I thought was for sale, and a woman who looked like she had dyed her hair pink about a decade ago yelled at me to put it down. Apparently I had missed a sign. Next the cashier, who had eyeliner on to give himself a more mysterious air, yelled at someone on their phone not to take pictures. As far as I could tell he wasn't taking pictures. I know they are trying to give off the feel that they are a real voodoo store, but lets not be foolish. A) you opened your store in a tourist trap B) the "haunted" tour starts outside your store and C) your store is literally connected to a store that sells other stuff. Since there are literally dozens of these stores around I would recommend going to any of them over...