Entry No. 6 — the Austin file — filed under: witchy
City Alchemist
A witch shop on East 6th co-owned by two initiated practitioners — Alexis Arredondo, trained in South Texas curanderismo, brujería, and Palo Mayombe, and Eric Labrado, an initiated Santería priest of Oshún — who also run Mictlan Academy, an online folk-magic school with 200+ video lectures, out of the same storefront.
The story
You don't stumble onto City Alchemist by accident; you look for Suite 2 tucked into 1105 East 6th Street. Co-owners Alexis Arredondo and Eric Labrado grew up along the Texas-Mexico border before meeting in Austin to establish a space rooted in ancestral folk magic and Afro-Latino esoteric traditions. Arredondo brings years of study in South Texas curanderismo, brujería, and Palo Mayombe, while Labrado is an initiated Santería priest of Oshún in the Regla de Ocha tradition. Together, they have authored books like Magia Magia: Invoking Mexican Magic and Blood of Brujeria to document borderland spellwork and divination in English.
This isn't a novel gift shop selling plastic crystal kits. The interior shelves hold dressed color candles, raw roots and herbs, rare occult volumes, talismans, and a coin-strewn ancestral shrine where visitors leave small offerings. Operating out of the exact same East 6th storefront is Mictlan Academy, their online folk-magic institute featuring more than 200 video lectures covering traditional spellwork, saint veneration, and botanical cleansings.
Rather than diluting folk magic for casual tourism, Arredondo and Labrado run a serious, lineage-backed operation focused on preserving regional witchcraft traditions. You can book private card readings, paired consultations, or traditional spiritual cleansings directly with the owners. You didn't hear it from us, but if you want authentic advice on borderland curanderismo or working with roots without the usual metaphysical theater, this is where Austin practitioners go when they need real answers.
What it's like
Stepping inside reveals a small, low-lit space smelling heavily of drying herbs, copal, and candle wax. You'll browse past glass display cases housing handcrafted talismans and rare esoteric texts to reach a back wall stacked with raw botanicals and dressed candles. The vibe is quiet and deeply intentional, with a small altar where visitors place coin offerings. Because the footprint is compact, if someone is receiving a reading or picking herbs, keep your voice low and give them space. Plan to visit on a quiet weekday afternoon to take your time at the herb wall, and confirm their current store hours before heading over.
The move: Book a paired reading or spiritual cleaning with one of the owner-practitioners, then browse the roots-and-herbs wall, color candles, and rare occult book section before walking east for tacos on 6th.
- 📍 East Austin (East 6th)
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1105 E 6th St Ste 2, Austin, TX 78702
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- La Botanica Green & White — Walk one block north to East 7th to compare City Alchemist's modern esoteric curatorship with East Austin's oldest traditional botanica, operating since the 1930s.
- Texas State Cemetery — the Lone Union Soldier — Head three blocks north for a quiet stroll through the historic cemetery grounds to locate the solitary grave of Union soldier Antonio Briones.
- The Serpent Tattoo and Occult Shop — Continue your occult detour down Chicon Street to visit a studio that pairs custom tattoo artistry with Haitian Vodou practice.
Good to know
Who owns and operates City Alchemist?
The shop is co-owned by Alexis Arredondo, trained in South Texas curanderismo, brujería, and Palo Mayombe, and Eric Labrado, an initiated Santería priest of Oshún in the Regla de Ocha tradition.
What spiritual services can I book here?
You can schedule individual or paired spiritual readings, consultations, and traditional cleansings directly with the owner-practitioners.
What is Mictlan Academy?
It is an online folk-magic school operated by the owners out of the East 6th storefront, offering over 200 video lectures on borderland witchcraft, spellwork, and ancestral practices.
What products does the shop stock?
City Alchemist sells loose roots and herbs, dressed color candles, rare occult books, talismans, gems, incense, and tarot decks.
Where is the shop located in Austin?
It is located in East Austin at 1105 E 6th St Ste 2.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Instagram
last checked: 2026-07-20