WitchLab

The story

Tiffany Boggins started WitchLab out of her suburban basement in 2009, hand-mixing natural perfumes, essential oils, and herbal occult items between raising her children. When the operation outgrew her home years later, she ran into immediate pushback from commercial landlords who doubled rent or backed out the moment she explained the shop's focus. She eventually secured a footprint in Franklinton, building out a 2,500-square-foot space that treats apothecary craft and occult history as precise disciplines rather than novelties.

The floor functions as half working apothecary, half medical history museum. Shelves hold organic, wildcrafted herbs alongside antique taxidermy, vintage scientific instruments, and rows of dark glass bottles. Staff hand-blend ritual oils, perfumes, incense, and loose-leaf teas directly on-site. Animal specimens on display are strictly non-lethal in origin—sourced secondhand from private collections, flea markets, or ethically salvaged through 'vulture culture'—while botanical staples like white sage are acquired from indigenous suppliers.

Beyond retail, the back room houses a dedicated classroom space. Resident practitioners offer scheduled tarot, oracle, and astrological consultations, while evening workshops cover topics ranging from tarot fundamentals to elemental magic. It remains a distinct Franklinton fixture where raw botanical supplies and macabre historical artifacts exist side by side.