Entry No. 1 — the San Francisco file — filed under: witchy
The Sword and Rose
You enter through what looks like a private house's front door, down a tunnel-like foyer, and out into a hidden garden courtyard before you ever see a shelf of incense. Owner Patrick Michael has run it as a working occult temple — not just a gift shop — since 1985, serving Wiccans, Druids, Asatruar, Thelemites, and unaffiliated witches alike.
The story
If you aren't paying attention on Carl Street, you will walk right past it. The entrance to The Sword and Rose looks like the front door to someone's private Victorian residence. Step through the doorway, follow the long, narrow tunnel-like hallway, and you won't emerge into a checkout counter or a standard store display. Instead, you spill directly into a hidden outdoor garden—the Courtyard of Asherah—where greenery and quiet shield you from the N-Judah trains rattling past outside.
Founder Patrick Michael opened the doors in 1985, setting up the space not as a standard crystal boutique, but as an active, working occult temple. The shop serves a cross-section of esoteric traditions—Wiccans, Druids, Asatruar, Thelemites, and solitary witches—who come for consecrated ritual supplies rather than home decor. The heart of the shop lies in its hand-blended ceremonial incenses, custom-formulated oils, and specialized ritual bath mixtures, prepared specifically for practitioner work.
What it's like
Take the N-Judah light rail to Carl & Cole, walk to 85 Carl Street, and push past the house-like entry into the narrow hallway. Once through the secret garden, step inside the back shop where intense, resinous hand-mixed incense saturates the air. The space is small, quiet, and deeply atmospheric; respect it as a sanctuary rather than a tourist souvenir stop. It's a prime spot for a two-person tarot reading or choosing custom oils, but confirm current operating hours before heading out as schedule times can vary.
The move: Take the N-Judah to Carl & Cole, find the unmarked house entrance, and follow the tunnel into the garden together. Get a two-person tarot reading, then each pick a ceremonial oil or ritual bath blend to take home.
- 📍 Cole Valley, San Francisco
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 85 Carl St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- The Love of Ganesha — Walk ten minutes north into Haight-Ashbury to transition from a hidden, fragrant occult sanctuary to a floor-to-ceiling shop overflowing with crystals and Eastern spiritual supplies.
- Seward Street Slides — Balance quiet, high-ceremony esoteric exploration with an adventurous ride down concrete hillside slides hidden in nearby Corona Heights.
- Columbarium of San Francisco — Extend your tour of San Francisco's secluded, sacred spaces by visiting this grand 1898 copper-domed rotunda located just over a mile north.
Good to know
How do I find the hidden entrance?
Look for 85 Carl Street in Cole Valley. The streetfront entrance resembles a residential front door; step through and follow the covered tunnel passage straight into the hidden garden courtyard in back.
Is The Sword and Rose a store or an active temple?
It operates as both. Established in 1985 by Patrick Michael, it is a working occult temple and sacred space for ceremonial practitioners, as well as a shop selling custom incense, oils, bath blends, and tarot readings.
What public transit gets me closest?
Take MUNI's N-Judah train and get off at the Carl St & Cole St stop. The shop is less than a minute's walk down the block.
What esoteric traditions does the venue cater to?
The temple welcomes and supplies practitioners across multiple traditions, including Wicca, Druidry, Asatru, Thelema, and independent or unaffiliated witchcraft.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · patch.com · Yelp
last checked: 2026-07-20