By Alexander Shedd
Savannah Oaks, 21, is no stranger to running a business. She purchased and managed the used bookstore on Main Street downtown, Wonderous Books & More, during the COVID-19 pandemic and has only seen success since. But for Savannah, stopping at just books was never the goal.
Those familiar with the store may have noticed in recent months that Savannah now offers something a little different: homemade “spell jars” and other eclectic herbs and remedies under the brand Salem Apothecary.
“Salem Apothecary is a pop-up shop located inside of Wonderous Books & more that offers an arrangement of dried organic herbs, herb bundles, candles and make-it-yourself Spell Jar Boxes for anyone looking for a more natural way of life,” explained Savannah in an email. “I was inspired to add this to the bookstore when I realized the closest place to buy herbs for my practice was about 50 miles away. I was already offering books on the subject but didn’t have any tools the books called for. By putting Salem Apothecary in the bookstore, many people don’t have to drive over an hour just to get an ingredient they need for their spells!”
In addition to making and selling this new craft, Savannah has also been offering classes at GLOW Healing Arts for people to learn how to construct the spell boxes themselves. However, due to the unique spiritual theme, Oaks was initially concerned over how people would respond.
“The only difficulty that I ran into was myself; I took a long time to think about this and worry about what people would think about what I’m offering,” Oaks said. “Anything to do with “witchcraft” is usually looked at in a bad light.”
But the response to this creative venture has been overwhelmingly positive. “I have met a lot of amazing people since starting Salem Apothecary! This adds a new demographic to the customers we see every day!” she noted.
Savannah also enjoys using the spell jars herself, and said that her favorite is the “self love” jar. “I struggle a lot with anxiety and self-image issues and by making the jar it helps me to remember to love myself” she said. “I use spell jars like a focal point that helps me stay focused. Whenever I’m feeling down about myself I’ll pull the jar out and focus on it for a while and it helps me remember the reasons why I love myself.”
Those interested in the spell jar classes can find more information on Wonderous Books & More’s social media pages as well as through GLOW Healing Arts. The spell jars are designed for a number of different purposes, such as good financial fortune, self love and other abstract concepts that the jars can help one to motivate themselves toward. Whether or not the magic works is up to the caster!
