Entry No. 22 — the Oklahoma City file — filed under: witchy
Craig's Curious Emporium
An OKC institution since 1995, Craig's spent years as a Paseo fixture before moving to the corner of NW 23rd and Classen. Among the crystals, tarot, rosaries, and metaphysical goods sit the genuinely strange bits for this category: preserved insects in shadow boxes and taxidermy pieces that range from beautiful to slightly unsettling.
The story
Craig Travis opened his emporium back in 1995, anchoring it in the Paseo Arts District for years before shifting operations up to the corner of NW 23rd and Classen Boulevard. In a city that has rapidly sanitized its commercial corridors, Craig’s has remained remarkably untouched by trend-chasing—a sprawling, multi-room footprint sitting directly across from the historic geodesic Gold Dome.
On paper, it is a metaphysical shop packed with burning incense, crystals, rosaries, and stacked tarot decks. In practice, the real draw is the collection of preserve-and-display oddities tucked into the corners: framed shadow boxes filled with preserved beetles and giant moths, alongside taxidermy mounts that lean from quiet beauty straight into subtle creepiness. It feels less like a sanitized retail storefront and more like the accumulated, unorganized archive of an eccentric local collector.
What it's like
You are stepping into a scented labyrinth of small rooms where space is tight and shelves are dense. Take your time wandering the back corners to find the taxidermy and insect boxes, and take advantage of the hands-on tarot setup—many of the open sample decks sit right on the counters for you to shuffle and inspect. Parking is easy between street spots on 23rd and a small dedicated lot, but give yourself at least an hour to clear the room stack before heading out down the strip.
The move: Hunt the shelves for the oddest preserved-insect shadow box or taxidermy mount in the place, then pull a tarot card each and read each other's fortunes on the way out.
📍 Before you go The shop sits on the busy NW 23rd corridor in the Uptown 23rd district, with street parking out front plus a small private lot, so driving in is easy. Build in real time: it's a labyrinth of rooms layered with crystals, books, incense, and the oddities, made for slow browsing rather than a quick stop, and many of the tarot decks are kept out for handling. Go in daylight if you want to wander the whole strip afterward. Across the intersection, spot the geodesic Gold Dome, a Route 66 landmark currently being redeveloped, then graze the cafes and bars of the Tower Theatre district nearby.
- 📍 Uptown 23rd
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1209 NW 23rd St, Oklahoma City, OK
Pair it with
- Miss America Statues at Oklahoma City University — Head three blocks west on 23rd Street to contrast Craig's preserve-and-display taxidermy with three life-sized bronze Miss America titleholders standing on campus.
- Beloved Bones — Double down on local taxidermy and bone work by taking a short drive south to OKC's dedicated oddities shop in the Plaza District.
- Good for a Few — Transition from curious browsing to quiet drinks behind the hidden bookshelf door at this Plaza District speakeasy.
Good to know
What kinds of strange items are actually for sale here?
Beyond the standard crystals, rosaries, and incense, the shop stocks preserved insects mounted in shadow boxes, taxidermy specimens, rare tarot decks, and obscure metaphysical titles.
Where do I park when visiting?
There is a small private parking lot directly at the shop along with street parking along the NW 23rd Street corridor.
How long has Craig's Curious Emporium been in OKC?
Owner Craig Travis launched the business in 1995 in the Paseo before eventually moving to its current location in the Uptown 23rd district.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: okgazette.com · Only In Your State
last checked: 2026-06-06