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OCTOBER 2, 2003 at 10:52 PM
Posted by GRAE
Source: Laurel Leader via Wizard News
Sterling Gallagher owns the Crystal Fox
, a thriving New Age store located in Laurel, Maryland, where an estimated 1,000 Wiccans live. But it's not only "pagans," whom Gallagher defines as people who worship multiple gods, who have contributed to his store's success:
"More than half of our customers are non-pagan," Gallagher said.
Gallagher acknowledges a connection between popular culture and paganism. His store, a cornucopia of all things New Age, would fit seamlessly into the wizard world of a Harry Potter book. Oils, herbs and incense; crystals and tarot cards; brightly painted dragon statues; Celtic and Egyptian goddesses; crystal balls and sphinxes; books on witchcraft, New Age and magic; pastel-painted angels and pixies; witches' datebooks and calendars - the store is a candybox overflowing with consumer goodies.
The Harry Potter phenomenon has brought customers to his store, he noted. "More adults than children come in under the Harry Potter influence," he said.
"Dragons are also popular," he said. "It's the whole fantasy aspect. ... Once you enter into fantasy you have a much broader market."
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Head Boy
Points: 498
Hawk Nelson fan says:
That is really nice. I think it would be interesting to visit that place. How muck does it cost
Posted Jan 27, 2006 at 11:42 PM EST
Hades Baby Girl
Points: 5705
Pinkcess of the Abyss says:
Its intruing I know that much. i bought Harry Potter cause it was shoved under my nose. But I've always loved fantasy, the whole magic is amazing. I think Wicca is a great relegion, not for me, i'm not into the praying and whatever goes with it.. but yeah.
Posted Feb 8, 2006 at 7:45 PM EST
Points: 304
Badgertail says:
more than half the customers are non-pagan. hmmm, whadda they do, take a poll when you walk in? Wiccan? oh that section over there, non-pagan? would you LIKE TO BE? No? oh ok, that section over there...hee heee heee
Posted Feb 16, 2006 at 8:17 PM EST
Head Girl
Points: 416
twilightlove says:
COOOL! I love Harry Potter just so you know! I am very bored and posting at 10:30 at night! YEEHAAA
Posted Feb 24, 2006 at 1:32 AM EST
Prefect
Points: 358
Dave1988 says:
Nice one Harry Potter Im a proper fan of it.
Its like Harry Potter is changing the world today
Incredible
Posted Feb 24, 2006 at 4:31 PM EST
Problem Giant
Points: 3329
Big John says:
I have shoped in many stores like this, looking for stones or different things for art. Saying that Harry Potter is the reason why people suddenly become Pagan is only fueling the power behind the book burnings and other silly control methods of our society.
Maybe people are just waking up too knew ways of veiwing the world. :D
Posted Mar 2, 2006 at 3:44 AM EST
Azkaban's Most Wanted
(Moderator)
Points: 13598
Lord Zimkel says:
Well, I find all that stuff very interesting, but I'm not a pagan. When I was younger and foolisher I once thought about getting into all that stuff, but then I learned that it wasn't remotly like Harry Potter in any way, so that was the end of that.
Posted Mar 9, 2006 at 6:24 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1596
alastor_moody says:
I would like to go there it sounds cool.And ofcorce adults like hp too i cant wait till my son is old enough to watch!
Iunctum tam unus, apud Severum stamus
Posted Mar 12, 2006 at 9:31 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1357
phoenixfire_HG says:
I love the HP books just about as much as anyone on this site, if not more, but I hate to see some of this stuff turn people to become more and more intrested in things like wicca. Sometimes it just seems that a few people don't understand the difference between fiction and reality. I know not all of it is bad, like incense can be used anywhere, and a statue of a dragon is no problem at all, but... well, i've seen a few people take it to extreme.
The one thing I definetly agree on though is how HP can relate to people so well. It is definetly nice to have a fantasy world you can read about and just escape into when the real world is so stressful.
Posted Mar 17, 2006 at 8:30 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 24
Transfigurations_Prof says:
Over the summer my girlfriend and I went up to Salem, MASS. We went into this witch store. They had all sorts of herbs and recipes for magical potions. On one of the book shelves was many different books on Wicca and other Witch books. On the bottom row of the shelf lie all five (at the time) Harry Potter books. I found this amusing and left. Btw- if anyone ever goes to Salem- don't buy the the bookmarks that don't tell you how much they cost jusy becaust they have your sign.
Posted Apr 4, 2006 at 12:16 AM EST
Witch
Points: 693
RebeccaWatts+RobynWilson says:
that shop sounds SSSOOOOO cool! we want to live in Maryland!!!!! >:( or maybe they could bring a store like that to where we live...*sigh* we can only hope...
RW+RW
Posted Apr 6, 2006 at 4:59 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1055
Pomfrey's~Apprentice says:
Transfigurations_Prof - that is definitely funny. The shop owners know exactly what sells and gets people to return to their store. I would still really like to go back to Salem though, it's been ages!
Posted Apr 14, 2006 at 9:38 AM EST
Squib
Points: 167
Miss Eeylop says:
I've read through a lot of the posts on this thread...mostly at the beginning though. I am very proud of the comments I've seen! A few years back, even, there was MUCH more misconceptions about wicca/witchcraft/paganism/etc. It seems that in just a few years the public has been greatly inundated with more fact-based info than before. There also is a big decline in negativity toward witchcraft/goddess/nature spirituality.
To clear a bit up:
1. Witches (as a rule) do not try to convert, but rather believe that everyone must search out their own path in life.
2. Some believe in a God and Goddess, some believe in the Judeo-Christian G-d, some believe in hindu god/desses, celtic, japanese, egyptian, african...or none at all. It is all personal choice.
3. Nature plays the major role because we witness the cycle of the year and correlate it to the cycle of life...of creation and death.
4. "Magick" is really just prayer when you get down to it. You go to your place that you worship, call on your diety, and ask for help in making life better, be it healing, clarity, peace, protection. The hocus-pocus in HP does not really exist that way except in really good books!! :)
Keep the positive outlook, and remember:
"We gaze up at the same stars, the sky covers us all, the same universe encompasses us. What does it matter what practical system we adopt in our search for truth? Not by one avenue alone can we arrive at so tremendous a secret."
-Symmachus, 384 c.e.
Love,
Miss Eeylop
Posted Apr 17, 2006 at 6:11 PM EST
Witch
Points: 701
Kelly Ann Snape says:
Hey I am an adult I love Harry Potter so much I show up at midnight to get stuff. I have seen people twice and three times my age there as well.
Posted Apr 17, 2006 at 7:06 PM EST
Squib
Points: 137
SnApE iS mY hErO says:
Yes, I think Harry Potter teaches us a lot about fictional witches and wizards, and yes, it is very entertaining to adults and children alike. I think it is great for imagination, especially the growing imaginations of children!
Posted Apr 18, 2006 at 9:22 PM EST
Witch
Points: 570
AvalonKarma says:
I think it is important that the Pagan community make it clear that Harry potter and pagansm are not really linked. That is how a lot of people end up thinking withcraft/wicca/paganism is a bunch o hocus pocus and not an ancient Earth-basedreligion. But hey, there are shared elements (dragons, faeries, etc), excet n HP thy are physicaly manifested, while in Wicca, they are considered of the astral plane.
Posted Apr 25, 2006 at 7:56 PM EST
Witch
Points: 570
AvalonKarma says:
Esme Fanchone -- have you ever been to the Pagan Party thread? You really ought to oin us there. Much fun!!! And any othr Wiccans/Pagans, too!
Posted Apr 25, 2006 at 8:01 PM EST
Auror
(Moderator)
Points: 2484
Since the Start says:
I'll bet book burnings are a common occurence in the surrounding towns... sheesh....
Posted Apr 30, 2006 at 11:49 AM EST
Squib
Points: 159
harryfan890 says:
This is great more Adulds I think you have it worng more children read.
Posted Jun 24, 2006 at 2:18 PM EST
Points: 3679
astrostar says:
I like that people are looking into things that they have never experienced before. I just never thought of HP as endorsing a new age religion.
Posted Jul 22, 2006 at 2:41 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 526
TheWhiteTombIsEmpty says:
Thays really net, cool, awesome, and everything else that comes to my mind. Like...FANTASTIC!!! That place sounds really cool, but I live in Oregon.
Long Live Dumbledore
Posted Jul 30, 2006 at 3:05 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 526
TheWhiteTombIsEmpty says:
I meant, Thats really neat, cool, awesome, and everything else that comes to my mind. Like...FANTASTIC!!! That place sounds really cool, but I live in Oregon.
Posted Jul 30, 2006 at 11:23 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 19
crazylove says:
yyyyeah, pretty cool, but Harry Potter doesn't really fit in with the whole Wiccan thing...there's no gods mentioned in hp, which in my opinion is a good thing.
Posted Aug 18, 2006 at 9:37 PM EST
Head Girl
Points: 480
Geowitch says:
that is an excellent point. all the old dungeons and dragons stores and paraphanalia must be doing great with all the new HP fans looking for any wicken or dragon type stuff.
Posted Aug 31, 2006 at 7:47 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2307
Queen_Democrat says:
Hmm, that is very interesting. Since I am a pagan, I would definitely be buying stuff like that, but I'm surprised that non-pagans are doing it! Only Harry Potter could encourage that fad! I bet they're buying that stuff because they love Harry Potter.
Posted Dec 2, 2006 at 5:57 PM EST
Prefect
Points: 328
whynotcuse says:
i am glas that Harry Potter is bringing people business. that seems like a very cool store though! i want to go there even though i am not of that relgion!
AWESOME!
~Allie~
Posted Dec 6, 2006 at 7:46 PM EST
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