Opening a witchcraft store in the rural Midwest began as a retirement idea for Pat and Paul, owners of Artes & Craft on Red Arrow Highway in Hartford. After the U.S. began outsourcing many positions in the corporate world, where they both worked for many years, the decision to create a store that offered products and services to the community was an easy one. “Artes & Craft is our love letter to modern paganism,” says Paul. “With 3400 square feet of building space, and 6 acres of land, we really are the biggest of our kind in the Midwest.”
“This community has been amazing,” says Pat. “From our friends, customers, and the Women’s Business Center (our good friend Dubelsa) for helping get us started, we’ve been absolutely nailing our dreams.”
In July of 2016, Artes & Craft opened their doors. One of the first orders of business was to purchase a giant safety pin and post it on the window of the shop. Above it read the words: ‘This is a safe place,’ offering open arms to anyone needing solace and comfort due to alienation because of political beliefs, sexual orientation, religious persecution and the like. “We are a very vocal business about current affairs and politics,” says Pat and Paul. “We were skeptical about how we would be perceived, but in this day and age, we cannot stay silent about these issues. It may cost us a few customers, but our politics can’t divide us.”
As a small, niche business, surviving the pandemic has not been an easy battle. They were forced to close their doors for three months, and had to rely solely on online orders to keep them afloat. Each year, customers from all over the country travel to Hartford for the Artes & Craft experience. Patrons from Georgia, Florida, Wisconsin, Canada, and further, sometimes drive straight through the night to shop the crimson-colored building, and the thought of not being open was unnerving.
“The amount of online support we received was amazing. We had to turn our Community Room into a shipping center. We had only one employee at the time, and she worked tirelessly filling orders every day,” says Pat. “We did 4 % better than the previous year, just during the time we couldn’t serve our customers in person, adding curbside service and local delivery.”
As soon as they were able to open, however, customers came pouring in. “People could shop again, and we could not keep up. It went mad!” Paul says. “People wanted to be outside and to spend money with local businesses.”
In Pat’s words, Paul has been the backbone of the operation. His direct connection to the UK, (born in East London and then living in Kent), his passion for blacksmithing, perfecting incense blends, and even designing the logo for their own product line of inks, incense, oils, and powders: Luna Ignis. Paul found paganism at the age of ten, where without the internet in the 1980s, his Magic Club sparked his love of witchcraft.
“Star Child, an holistic herbal shop, began in the 1970s in Glastonbury,” and Paul says it began his love affair with incense blending and mixing. “Wouldn’t it be great if we could bring a taste of Glastonbury to the U.S??” and they did.
Researching the Salem Witch Trials in seventh grade for a paper, Pat found paganism and has been practicing since. “The dream is to make people feel how I felt at a young age – in awe with support from their parents, family, and friends. I want our customers to feel the wonder I felt,” she says confidently, her voice breaking as she explains her passion.
“I grew up witch in Boston,” says Pat. An Indiana native with a degree in journalism, she never thought she’d ever own a pagan store, but the universe works in many ways. “There was an occult store in Cambridge, Massachusetts where I spent all of my time growing up, and we’ve kind of modeled our shop after it.”
Artes & Craft has multiple employees now, helping Pat & Paul to claim the title of semi-retired, though thirty+ hours per week on the phone hardly qualifies as restful retirement. Aoife is the company’s Business Manager, and serves as the employee who’s been there the longest. She has been on staff for two years, and is incredibly organized, handing me quite a long list of future events at the shop. Andrew has been there for one year, and holds the position of Shipping Manager, also designing their online graphics and webstore. Silver Phoenix adds flare and design elements to the company, and for the past six months, helps bring visualization of the space to fruition. “I remember when they were building the store,” says Silver Phoenix. “We thought it was too big at first,” says Pat, “But we have grown into the store well!” July 1st, 2022 marks their 7th birthday, and their success can be easily spotted by their 50,000 followers on Facebook.
“I don’t think anybody else can be us,” says Pat, “But we would franchise Artes & Craft should someone be interested. The store is a great concept, and it should exist elsewhere; an Artes & Craft 2, an Artes & Craft 3!”
Modern paganism, generally, is a massive blending of practices, religions, rituals, and beliefs that stem from herbalism, science, astrology, magic, and acceptance. Many countries throughout the world influence and add to paganism, and you will find a plethora of products and wares representing multiple nationalities and beliefs in the store. At 67103 Red Arrow Highway, you will find crystals, altar tools, a chock-full apothecary, cauldrons, chalices, and tapestry for witchcraft, friendly faces, warm greetings, and so, so much more.
Every April and November they hold a Psychic & Wellness Fair, which is always well-attended, and once per month you’ll see advertising for their Sidewalk Sale, bringing outside vendors, wares, and tarot readings to the shop. Their biggest sale day ever lands August 13th, the aptly named ‘Pat Fest’, celebrating Pat and other Leos. Upcoming events include:
July 9th — InterFaith LGBTQ Discussion
July 16th — Tarot Class with Silver Phoenix
July 23rd — Herbs and Pregnancy Class with Aoife
July 30th — Incense Blending with Paul
August 6th — Tarot Part 2
August 13th — PatFest!
August 20th — Solar System Bracelet Class
August 27th — Planetary Herbal Series (Medicinal and Magickal herbs and their planetary rulers)
Visit their website, artesandcraft.com, to shop their entire inventory, read their blog, and get to know the humans (and Binx) behind this wonderful shop. Congratulations on seven years, and here’s to many more!
By Jocelyne Tuszynski, MOTM Contributor
