Entry No. 3 — the Chicago file — filed under: witchy
Alchemy Arts
Open since 1989, Alchemy Arts bills itself as Chicago's most complete occult and metaphysical supply store, and the inventory backs it up: hundreds of herbs, roots and resins, custom-blended oils, hoodoo curios, and a deep wall of new, used and rare occult books. It doubles as a community hub for pagan and occult lectures and classes. The congregational Wiccan group Center of the Elemental Spirit gathers here for ritual after the new and full moons.
The story
Operating on Bryn Mawr Avenue in Edgewater since 1989, Alchemy Arts established itself as Chicago's most exhaustive brick-and-mortar occult supply house [1.1.7]. While lesser shops settle for polished quartz and souvenir sage, this place stocks the working toolkit: over 600 custom-blended esoteric oils, hundreds of raw herbs, roots, and resins, and hoodoo curios ranging from Adam and Eve roots to Zombi powder.
The real draw for serious practitioners is the back wall, where shelves hold a dense library of new, used, and rare occult texts—spanning ceremonial magic, hermeticism, and folk traditions. Beyond the retail floor, the shop functions as a low-key neighborhood sanctuary, hosting community workshops on spellcraft, tarot study, and ritual banishings.
It also serves as the long-standing gathering ground for the Center of the Elemental Spirit, a congregational Wiccan group that meets inside the shop for public rituals tied to the lunar cycle. Whether you are looking to assemble a targeted home altar or simply trace Chicago's esoteric history, you won't find a more grounded supply post in the city.
What it's like
Stepping inside right off the Bryn Mawr Red Line stop, the first thing that hits you is a thick wall of burning incense, dried herbs, and essential oils. The atmosphere is quiet, practical, and unhurried—less like a flashy tourist gift store and more like an old neighborhood apothecary where staff actually know their stuff. You will likely be greeted by a resident shop cat while browsing the apothecary shelves or thumbing through used paperbacks. If you want to catch one of the Center of the Elemental Spirit's public rituals, time your visit for the Sunday immediately following a new or full moon, and double-check the gathering calendar before you head out.
The move: Pick out herbs and an oil blend for a small home altar, then check the class calendar for a paired tarot or spellcraft session.
📍 Before you go Public moon-cycle rituals are run by Center of the Elemental Spirit on Sundays after the new and full moons; check their schedule before going for that.
- 📍 Edgewater
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1203 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Chicago, IL 60660
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Woolly Mammoth Antiques & Oddities — Take a seven-block stroll south into Andersonville to compare your esoteric herb haul with cabinet-of-curiosity taxidermy and bone specimens.
- Armadillo's Pillow — Head a mile north to Rogers Park to continue your used-book hunt through shelves packed with regional history, psychology, and weird fiction.
- Chicago Magic Lounge — Follow up an afternoon of spellcraft and occult browsing with an evening of close-up sleight-of-hand inside an Andersonville theater hidden behind a laundromat.
- Rosehill Cemetery and Mausoleum — Take your new occult reading for a quiet walk through Chicago's largest historic Victorian cemetery less than a mile west.
Good to know
What kind of occult inventory can I buy here?
The shop stocks over 600 custom-blended oils, more than 250 raw herbs, roots, and resins, hoodoo curios, ritual candles (including tapers, image candles, 7-knob, and sabbatic goat options), cauldrons, chalices, and a wide selection of tarot decks [1.1.7].
Are there classes or community gatherings at the store?
Yes. The venue doubles as a community hub, offering regular lectures and classes on tarot study, spellcraft, cleansings, and banishings.
How do I attend one of the moon rituals?
Public moon rituals are hosted at the shop by the Center of the Elemental Spirit on Sundays directly following a new or full moon. Check their schedule to confirm timing before going.
Does the store carry rare or out-of-print books?
Yes, the book section features a deep wall stocked with new releases, used books, and rare or limited-edition occult texts.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Yelp · Time Out · congregationalwicca.com · Official site · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-23