Entry No. 1 — the Seattle file — filed under: witchy
Edge of the Circle Books
Run by Robert Anderson and tucked next to the Neptune Theatre, this is the Pacific Northwest's anchor pagan and occult shop, stocking rare and hard-to-find esoteric texts alongside altar tools, hoodoo supplies, runes, candles and ritual gear. A cozy corner table on the main floor is reserved for tarot readers who share a rotating schedule six days a week (every day but Thursday), and an unprepossessing basement room hosts community classes, meetings, and ritual rehearsals. It functions less like a store than a gathering hub for the city's witches, heathens, and alternative-religion groups.
The story
After more than twenty years anchoring East Pike Street on Capitol Hill, landlord troubles forced owner Robert Anderson and Seattle's primary esoteric repository to relocate in 2015. They cast their net north and re-emerged right next door to the Neptune Theatre on NE 45th Street, transplanting decades of accumulated occult gravity into the University District. This isn't a bright, pastel-toned wellness shop selling sage bundles and glittery gift crystals; it remains the Pacific Northwest's unapologetic, old-guard anchor for paganism, ceremonial magic, and dark-craft scholarship.
Inside, floor-to-ceiling shelves carry rare out-of-print texts, grimoires, and esoteric treatises alongside ritual gear, hand-poured candles, hoodoo supplies, and carved runes. Down an unadorned set of basement stairs sits a plain, functional room that acts as an off-grid nerve center. Local covens, heathens, and alternative spiritual circles gather downstairs for classes, workshops, and ritual rehearsals—making the building feel less like a retail shop and more like a community sanctuary keeping regional traditions alive.
What it's like
Step off NE 45th Street and the hum of traffic gives way instantly to heavy incense, beeswax, and paper dust. The vibe here is unfiltered and intensely authentic—you are entering a serious working space for practitioners, so don't expect cheerful sales pitches or sanitized New Age fluff. A cozy table tucked onto the main floor hosts walk-in tarot readings six days a week (the readers take Thursdays off). It gets quiet on weekday afternoons, making that the best time to quietly scan the rare book shelves without bumping elbows.
The move: Browse the rare-occult shelves together, then split a back-to-back tarot reading at the corner table before catching whatever's on at the Neptune next door.
📍 Before you go Open 7 days, noon to 8pm; tarot readings are walk-in but readers rotate, so call ahead to confirm who's in.
- 📍 University District, Seattle
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1307 NE 45th St, Seattle, WA 98105
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Theodor Jacobsen Observatory — Follow a dive into grounded esoteric texts with a look at celestial mechanics just two blocks away on the UW campus.
- Mudlark Oddities — Pair your occult library run with a short trip north to examine taxidermy curiosities and an 1800s Odd Fellows skeleton.
- Phantom Quartz — Contrast Edge of the Circle's heavy, old-school occult archive with a smaller, intentionally modern metaphysical boutique over in Fremont.
Good to know
When is Edge of the Circle Books open?
The shop is open seven days a week, from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
How do tarot readings work here?
Readings are walk-in only and take place at a corner table on the main floor every day except Thursday. Readers rotate on a schedule, so give the shop a quick call beforehand if you want to know who is reading on a given day.
Where is the shop located?
You'll find it at 1307 NE 45th St in the U District, right next door to the Neptune Theatre between Brooklyn Ave NE and University Way NE.
What kinds of events take place downstairs?
The basement room hosts rotating community workshops, occult classes, pagan group meetings, and ritual rehearsals throughout the month.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Yelp · edgeofthecirclebooks.tumblr.com · capitolhillseattle.com · thestranger.com · sgn.org
last checked: 2026-06-24